Is there really a point in being Marriott Platinum?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: Marriott Rewards
Posts: 1
Is there really a point in being Marriott Platinum?
I have now been Marriott Platinum for 2 years and in the same time have also been SPG Gold... and honestly think SPG treats their members much better. The option for late check out is usually only extended till 1pm and only very rarely till 2... with SPG I get 4pm checkout everytime!
Also, there are never any room upgrades, almost makes me wonder why I continue to stay with Marriott.
Is there really any point to staying Platinum with Marriott?
Also, there are never any room upgrades, almost makes me wonder why I continue to stay with Marriott.
Is there really any point to staying Platinum with Marriott?
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,007
Yes there are, and if you do a search the topic's been asked many times & the reasons why it is have been outlined so no need to rehash it all again.
You're right on one thing though - Starwood has a better late check-out policy than Marriott.
Cheers.
You're right on one thing though - Starwood has a better late check-out policy than Marriott.
Cheers.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,959
As a Marriott and SPG Platinum for many years, both approaching lifetime PLT status, I believe there are various reasons to maintain status in both. If you have to choose one, your preference and stay patterns/locations dictate which is better. A 1pm checkout at a Marriott is better than a 4pm checkout 20+ miles away because there is no SPG property nearby, a not-uncommon occurrence.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: DCA
Posts: 888
I have now been Marriott Platinum for 2 years and in the same time have also been SPG Gold... and honestly think SPG treats their members much better. The option for late check out is usually only extended till 1pm and only very rarely till 2... with SPG I get 4pm checkout everytime!
Also, there are never any room upgrades, almost makes me wonder why I continue to stay with Marriott.
Is there really any point to staying Platinum with Marriott?
Also, there are never any room upgrades, almost makes me wonder why I continue to stay with Marriott.
Is there really any point to staying Platinum with Marriott?
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Gulf Coast/Ventura County/Somewhere in between
Programs: DL GM, Marriott PP, Avis Something or other
Posts: 4,431
None whatsoever. I recommend you give SPG all your business.
#7
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,577
I have never been denied a 2pm checkout at any Marriott property that I can recall.
Also I have asked (and been offered a few times at airport properties) for 4pm and been granted it a few times.
Also I have asked (and been offered a few times at airport properties) for 4pm and been granted it a few times.
#8
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE+A, HH D, Nat'l EE, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 3,695
Actually, one of my pet peeves with SPG is that I have never, not once, been granted any late checkout at all. Even when I was platinum, the one time I asked for it I was told that it's not really a guarantee and that I had to check out on time because the hotel was full the next night.
Even though there's no late check-out "guarantee" with Marriott, I've had much better luck.
Even though there's no late check-out "guarantee" with Marriott, I've had much better luck.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Suburban Philadelphia
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,392
When I was a plat I was denied late checkout by the Pere Marquette in New Orleans.
My biggest beef lately is that Hilton seems to have way more properties than Marriott, especially where I seem to need to be lately.
My biggest beef lately is that Hilton seems to have way more properties than Marriott, especially where I seem to need to be lately.
#10
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MCO, DCA, IAD
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,134
Absolutely!!
- Guaranteed room when hotel sold out - used this benefit several time and it is very convenient when booking at the last minute.
- Lounge access and free breakfast - very convinient in US properties but especially in properties overseas as their breakfast is much better. Also, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the evening (some times even a full dinner buffet).
- 50% points bonus
- amenity gift
These are some of the benefits I really enjoy.
- Guaranteed room when hotel sold out - used this benefit several time and it is very convenient when booking at the last minute.
- Lounge access and free breakfast - very convinient in US properties but especially in properties overseas as their breakfast is much better. Also, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the evening (some times even a full dinner buffet).
- 50% points bonus
- amenity gift
These are some of the benefits I really enjoy.
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,007
Where I travel, there's usually a Marriott AND a Hilton property. There usually aren't Starwood or Hyatts at all, or if there are, there might be 1-2 & Marriott/Hilton will have 8-10.
Cheers.
#12
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 6,790
Absolutely!!
- Guaranteed room when hotel sold out - used this benefit several time and it is very convenient when booking at the last minute.
- Lounge access and free breakfast - very convinient in US properties but especially in properties overseas as their breakfast is much better. Also, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the evening (some times even a full dinner buffet).
- 50% points bonus
- amenity gift
These are some of the benefits I really enjoy.
- Guaranteed room when hotel sold out - used this benefit several time and it is very convenient when booking at the last minute.
- Lounge access and free breakfast - very convinient in US properties but especially in properties overseas as their breakfast is much better. Also, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the evening (some times even a full dinner buffet).
- 50% points bonus
- amenity gift
These are some of the benefits I really enjoy.
And so far as actual room upgrades are concerned, my percentage with Marriott as a Platinum is much higher than my percentage with Starwood as a Gold.
#13
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; IHG Plat; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 11,721
...but the lack of guaranteed lounge access and free breakfast easily tip the scales when I have a choice of either Marriott FS or Sheraton/Westin.
And so far as actual room upgrades are concerned, my percentage with Marriott as a Platinum is much higher than my percentage with Starwood as a Gold.
And so far as actual room upgrades are concerned, my percentage with Marriott as a Platinum is much higher than my percentage with Starwood as a Gold.
But I do want to make sure we give out correct info and are comparing the same things:
- An SPG Plat is guaranteed lounge access (if the hotel has a lounge). (Though a smaller % of SPG hotels do have a lounge than FS Marriotts.)
- An SPG Plat is guaranteed free breakfast at every hotel 7 days a week. Marriott used to have a winner on this, but Starwood leaped them.
- Comparing Marriott's top tier status (Plat - 75 nights) to SPG's mid-tier status (10 stays or 25 nights) is not even close to an apples-to-apples comparison. I do believe most tend find that SPG's top tier (Plat - 25 stays or 50 nights) will tend to provide better upgrades than Marriott's top tier.
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,927
I think you first need to figure out which benefits matter to you and which don't. Someone who needs hotels at the last minute in booked-up places may feel very differently than someone who never does.
Second, you need to figure out what the alternatives are for you. In other words, if focusing only on Marriott Gold as opposed to Marriott Platinum would allow you to get higher status in another hotel program, the question is not whether Marriott Platinum is worht it as much as whether the difference between Marriott Gold and Marriott Platinum for your needs is bigger or smaller than the difference between whatever status level you're getting elsewhere vs whatever status level you could get elsewhere with 25 more nights.
Finally, are you getting your Marriott nights the easiest way? If you're based in the US, by holding a "negative net annual fee" credit card you could have a "head start" of 15 nights:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...mier-visa.html
That doesn't change the absolute difference between Marriott Gold and Platinum (it's still a 25-night difference), but it does magnifiy it (it changes it from being 50 vs 75 nights to 35 vs 60 nights; ie, it makes a much bigger percentage dent in Gold than in Platinum.
Second, you need to figure out what the alternatives are for you. In other words, if focusing only on Marriott Gold as opposed to Marriott Platinum would allow you to get higher status in another hotel program, the question is not whether Marriott Platinum is worht it as much as whether the difference between Marriott Gold and Marriott Platinum for your needs is bigger or smaller than the difference between whatever status level you're getting elsewhere vs whatever status level you could get elsewhere with 25 more nights.
Finally, are you getting your Marriott nights the easiest way? If you're based in the US, by holding a "negative net annual fee" credit card you could have a "head start" of 15 nights:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...mier-visa.html
That doesn't change the absolute difference between Marriott Gold and Platinum (it's still a 25-night difference), but it does magnifiy it (it changes it from being 50 vs 75 nights to 35 vs 60 nights; ie, it makes a much bigger percentage dent in Gold than in Platinum.
Last edited by sdsearch; Jun 13, 2012 at 3:41 pm Reason: fixed typo
#15
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: US/CO/AA/MR Plat
Posts: 92
My biggest complaint for everyday stays is the lack of benefits at Courtyard properties. I travel to a lot of smaller cities that don't have full service Marriott's and except for the Plat arrival bonus, I get little to any benefit during my actual stay. A free breakfast would be nice, but I know this has been discussed at length.
I do travel to Asia on occasion and even the Courtyard properties there blow away anything we have here stateside. Most of the Courtyards even have full lounges with food and alcohol complimentary.
My biggest problem is that I never want to use my free night certs as I barely cross the 75 night threshold every year and every night counts. I have a ton of unused points and ever expiring cat 1-4 certs from bonus promotions.
I do travel to Asia on occasion and even the Courtyard properties there blow away anything we have here stateside. Most of the Courtyards even have full lounges with food and alcohol complimentary.
My biggest problem is that I never want to use my free night certs as I barely cross the 75 night threshold every year and every night counts. I have a ton of unused points and ever expiring cat 1-4 certs from bonus promotions.