"It's a moo point. It's like a cow's opinion. It's moo..."

I got my PP card when I came back from vacation today. From what I have read here it seems I have a Marriott status that provides me no added benefit. Good job Marriott!

I know in this case the cost differential is not that big. The Hyatt property is a Hyatt House (a former Sierra property). The breakfast offered there is more substantial than the HP breakfast (there is actual hot food and you can order an omelette). I would say the former Sierra properties offer a breakfast like the CY buffet.

I'm going to stop by both CYs just to see what the policy is like in person during my trip. Since I'm getting in late this upcoming weekend, I will have to decide where to stay before I land. It has come down to the CY near Everett and the Hyatt House in Redmond.

As for rln's point about getting free park and fly at AAA rates, I have gotten that at Marriott and Hyatt properties many times. There are several hotels that I use for this benefit, depending on which airport I fly out of.

Very interesting post/thread. I was in a similar situation as others who posted here. I made lifetime plat 3 years ago, but as soon as I made it, I matched to Hilton Diamond and have been renewing since. With the benefit of renewing after 28 "stays", this makes sense with my travel today. I still balance some personal nights between Hilton and Marriott, and the gift certificate award was a nice benefit (gone), but I'm not seeing the recognition of continued (year-over-year) loyalty to Marriott as I hold lifetime status. I did "earn" PP at least 4 times in the last 10 years, so I can offer that the 20% off benefit was really of no interest to me personally. I usually venture off-site for food. I did use the free golf club rental benefit a couple times, which was nice. Finally, so much inconsistency with both brands about upgrades, the grass is not always greener on the other side....

I'm not "scoring" anything. Every penny spent on Marriott hotels is one less penny that comes home to me in the form of a distribution at the end of the year. Add up that amount every night for 300+ nights a year and the money spent at Marriott would equal a nice Christmas for me if I stopped travelling altogether.

Points are great, but aren't my primary concern. My primary concern is a hotel chain that will take care of me since I spend 10 nights or more with them for every night in my own bed. Marriott used to get that but lately it seems to be the exact opposite of the kind of business they want.

Hyatt Place as a brand is moving to hot breakfast by later this year (some hotels have already started)...I've not seen what former Sierra Suites hotels offered so I can't say if it's less than you're experience or not though (not sure if someone from the Hyatt threads could elaborate)

Here is my take on the whole mess.

I have been Platinum for years.
Happy with added benefits, Hotels, Perks etc..
Customer Service seemed to solve any problem that happened.

So I am happy with Marriott.

Last year, because of my enjoyment of Marriott I spent a bunch of extra nights.
So this year I get a message from Marriott telling me how import I am to them and they are making me Platinum Premier.

So far so good, but then I see that the added benefits I get for this are... A crappy iPhone app for WSJ.

So if you are going to have a program where you tell people they are special, then make it special. I have seen zero change in hotel experience and nothing from Marriott itself.

If they are not going to do anything, then don't have a program. But they have made a happy Platinum into a disappointed Platinum Premier.

Well I got my elite package in the mail last week and I have been downgraded to platinum. Although I enjoyed using the 20% food & bev discount, this will encourage me to get out more when staying at Marriotts.

Like others I often felt I received LESS as a PP than the many years I was Platinum. Some hotels did not even give me an elite key.

So maybe I am better off as a Plat. 981 LT nights, will be lifetime Platinum by year end so no danger of dropping to gold.

Well given that I trade off a substantial part of my life away from home that has to be "made up" over an already too short weekend plus the additional time spent in travel during "off" hours (outside of 9 to 5), I would consider any appreciable devaluation as half empty. Yes, I do this voluntarily but its a trade off I'm willing to make when the rules stay reasonably the same.

BTW, never understood the half empty / half full analogy. Most, if not all tangible, enjoyable things at the halfway point started out full (a drink, a tank of gas, etc.) and slowly get used up / deprecation / devalue over time. The only exception I can think of is a little kid waiting for a swimming pool to fill. :p

Actually all of those items started out empty until they were filled.


But PP Is not half empty/half full it is just empty.

Sometimes the glass is half empty. Sometimes the glass is half full. And sometimes it's just a f#*%ing dirty glass...

And that's a good summary of why the PP level doesn't mean anything & is an ill-thought out program.

:D :D :D

Cheers.

Marriott PP compare to new SPG Plat
 

I am a PP with Marriott and SPG Plat, the Marriott PP compare to SPG Plat:

SPG Plat:
-Upgrades to best available room at check-in, including Standard Suites. That happens often, even when you are using an award stay. I have enjoyed this benefit often and you can also see the SPG link about upgrade as a Plat
New to SPG Plat this year:-After 50 nights (meeting Plat nights) Take an upgrade when it matters to you most. Receive 10 Suite Night Awards5 which can be redeemed for upgrades to suites and select premium rooms. Confirmed starting 5 days prior to arrival and subject to availability.
-Your choice of a welcome gift with each stay. Choose from bonus Starpoints, continental breakfast (New Option!) and local amenities
-4 Starpoints for every eligible US dollar spent – a 100% bonus over the Preferred level, and the richest earning bonus in the hotel industry after 75 nights
-Your24™ – have the flexibility of choosing your check-in. For example, check in at 9 p.m. and check out 9 p.m. day of departure.


Marriott PP:
New to Marriott PP this year
-Free Wall Street subscription
No difference in benefits from a Plat

I am giving SPG more of my nights this year.

Absolutely a stark contrast. Happy to be a plain old platinum. i am so close to lifetime platinum, that i will finish that up with marriott and throw my business to starwood, although i get far more love as a Hilton gold then i do as a marriott platinum. But i dont like the hilton hhonors pesos program.

with all due respect to all the posters here. And many of you have provided good hints and advise.

Having said that I think if your unhappy with Marriott then you should do as you have posted and move to another program. Though I would be surprised how many really do follow through.

All the hotels are getting squeezed today but are all trying. It seems there is a lot of "loyalty" here based on what have you done for me lately, not all the regular reasons that prompt loyalty.

I for one am extremely happy with Marriott as I am Hyatt, each a different product.