Why maintain Elite status?
 

Here is my recent experience of being a Platinum Elite (7+ years) with Marriott:

1. Unable to use points when I really want to use them. Either the hotel is on a blackout week or there are no rooms available using points.
2. Never get upgraded unless I am enroute someplace and staying for one night in an "out of the way" property.
3. Have not stayed in a full service Marriott for a while so cannot comment on the state of the lounge facilities for the past 6 months.
4. Finally the platinum arrival gift - stayed at a Residence Inn in Bloomington MN last month and they gave me a bag of peanuts as the arrival gift. :( Not even a market item nor offer of points - just a bag of peanuts.
5. When I call the elite line to book a property, I am told the property is full so the platinum override of rack rate applies and not the corporate rate. When I call the property directly, they offer me the corporate rate. Not sure if this is similar to the airline charging more for Elite members?

Maybe it is just my experiences, has anyone had an experience where you can say being a Platinum Elite made a difference to being Joe Public?

You're confusing Platinum Elite with elite status overall.

Yes, I can point to countless times when I've gotten free breakfast and free internet as a Gold. But being Platinum would get me nothing more of those, and as you said, there's a question in many people's minds whether there's that much value for everyone in Platinum over Gold.

But certainly (at least if I don't get reimbursed for meals and internet access), I find a lot of value in Gold, but mostly for those two reasons. (The third, which is very hotel specific, and again related to the fact that I don't get reimbursed for my travels, is that one hotel I stay at periodically comps me parking every time as a Gold, and another comps me parking some nights.)

(I even get the free internet on award stays. And I don't see why you wouol be doing award stays if they're reimbursed. So even if all your paid stays are reimbursed including for breakfast and internet, I don't see how your award stays would be.)

As to ability to use points, that's very dependent on where you want to stay when (and how for ahead you book). I haven't actually used any points yet, I'm busy using up free night certs that I seem to get left and right (one promo here, another promo there, a credit there). But, again, maybe that's because of my different travel patterns, and I'm happy enough (when flying to Niagarar Falls for a vacation but arriving at BUF late at night) to get a $175+ room at a nice Fairfeidl across the street from BUF airport with a cat 1-4 cert (it's actually only a cat 3 hotel, but reviews of it were better than of any cat 4 in the area).

I also belong to seeral different hotel programs, so if I'm going somewhere, I look at all my redemption options. I use Marriott where it works (BUF airport for a late night arrfival, SAN airport for an early morning departure, AC Atocha in Madrid on a vacation) and don't use it where something else works better for me (Hilton MAD airport for the part of my trip when I was renting a car and driving outside the Madrid area every day, for example).

So no, I don't find Marriott to be the cure-all and end-all one hotel program above all others. I do find it to be useful to be at least Gold, and do find their points / certs useful if looked at as part of a mix of several hotel programs.

I agree with the poster above.

I don't think Marriott or any other chain has a completely perfect system of keeping every member happy at all times.

If your travel pattern is enough to support two systems, you have some flexibility and this seems to work best.

If your travel pattern does not support two systems/two chains then you have to choose the one that fits best and have a back up plan when it doesn't work. Guess it's all just part of having a travel lifestyle.;)

I haven't had trouble using certs or reward stays at MR, but then again, I never try booking vacation last minute. Sometimes my business travel requires last minute travel, in which the 48hr guarantee comes in handy.

I've had the same issue with being booked 48hr on rack rate, but the hotel has always been willing to honor my corporate rate (which would not be possible if I were gold status).

If you don't need the 48hr, then you might consider gold status at two chains (if you travel supports it). Personally, I like the 50% bonus on points and require the 48hr for at least one chain.

One nice feature to the MR program is the ability to book a reward stay without having the points available in your account today. This way, you can reserve your room early and still earn points/certs to pay for the stay if it's far enough out.^

Everyone's travel pattern and preferences dictates differently.

I think you only can "experience" an elite service ansd treatment at FS properties like Marriott, Renaissance, JW, Autograph, and RC.

All the other properties will not give you anything particular as a Platinum member.

I agree here. At CY, FFI, RI, SHS, I wouldn't expect any real elite benefit, unless it was at an Asian courtyard.

You don't get a 50% bonus on points earned? You don't get a 350/500 point amenity if you chose it? I've never not received either of those, and Joe Public does not get them.

I've been able to use points for some great vacations, and have been upgraded on almost all of them. If does take some planning.

Oddly, while I have some issues with the program, ability to redeem points has rarely been one of them. Not to say it's not the case for some, but I've had no issue with Spring Break, the week between XMas and New Years and other peak times.

I also agree that benefits at non FS brands are few to none. However, I have gotten upgrades more than 50% of the time at CY and RI when I ask for it. In the interest of disclosure, I've only asked when I've been with family - a few times a year and not normally.

one of the platinum benefits I use constantly is the $1000 in gift certificates for 135000 points. (makes the issue of blackouts moot) I also seem to find the marriott rewards rate for elites has been very good and I have been using them quite a bit lately. I don't know if these rates are available to golds or not. Maybe a gold could weigh in. I generally like the SPG program better for the aspirational upgrades which marriott doesn't have. As noted, there is little value in non full service hotels.

After 7 months of really extensive travel, I am beginning to wonder the same thing........and I'm 31 years into the program!

I'm closing in on LT plat status, and for me at least, being elite with Marriott has been great. I almost always am treated well. I was fortunate enough to receive Premier status this year and its been great In the last three months, I received an upgrade to a large suite on a rewards stay at Grosvenor House in London, got a great suite upgrade on a paid stay in Costa Rica, and was upgraded to an Executive Suite at Marriott Marquis in New York.

Even before that, a couple of years ago as a Plat, I made a quick trip to Hawaii to be with my father who had fallen while on vacation and was in ICU. the manager at Wailea put me in a great suite on a rewards stay. Almost every time I came through the lobby, someone would ask how my dad was.

So to me, as an elite member, I've been treated far better than I feel I deserve. That's why I stay loyal to Marriott year after year.

Because on a recent trip where we spent 5 nights at the Sydney Marriott and 4 nights at the Hong Kong JW (all on points) we received (at both hotels):

upgraded, harbor view rooms
lovely gifts of strawberries and champagne in honor of our anniversary
excellent service, advice, and food in both concierge lounges

absolutely worth it.

I'm burning most of my points on the Park Lane Marriott in London for the Olympics and I think elite status and way worth it!

Not this program.

The Marriott Marquis "recognition" program was introduced in 1980. The automated "points" program that grew into Marriott Rewards debuted in late 1983.

How many leading zeros are there in your account number?

Yes, pretty much all my stays with Marriott.

Joe doesn't get covered by URG
http://www.marriott.com/rewards/memb...s/guarantee.mi