In another thread, it was suggested that to remain PP one has to earn 100 or more nights during the year, exclusive of roll-overs. This is all just speculation, but as a data point you did earn 100+ nights in 2011 without counting roll-overs?

Sounds like the old line: "Go away kid, you're bothering me".

I think we might be losing some perspective here - would you be happier if they didn't even have Platinum Premier? Then there would be no reason to be upset over the lack of published benefits or published qualifications. In fact, there are no published qualifications* or published benefits as far as I know (you only get some limited defined benefits in print when you are designated by Marriott as a PP). What benefits do I see as a PP? Some properties seem to be even more generous with finding a nice upgraded room for me and other nice things like that, other times I don't know that anything is different.

My travel is on a downward trend and I doubt I'll requalify as a PP and I certainly won't be upset when I get "downgraded", hey Platinum is pretty darn good and I know exactly what the qualifications and benefits are there. Yea it would be nice to get some more tangible stuff from being PP, but hey, I'm enjoying it nonetheless for as long as it lasts for me.

* Which means no doubt that no one is going to be able to tell me why I did or did not qualify this year - so please understand MC can't tell us.

I've posted this elsewhere, I've proven that this is false.

2011
- 77 nights
- 12 nights at $48/night
- 50 nights at $70-80/night
- balance of nights under $150/night

So any speculation on a number of nights or dollar amount in a single year is blown out of the water.

There you go, if this is an official Marriott position, the only real benefits are essentially administrative.

Very exciting.

At some point maybe we can stop this whining and get on with real issues or hints/advice ?

What hints or advice are you looking for? How to become a PP?

Or what PP's should suggest to Marriott?

My last post was pretty factual, Marriott put in writing what they believe the benefits of being a PP are: same as Plat but we get a special phone number to handle reservations and questions.

As I've stated many time on this board, 10% of the time something really special happens at a property, which always makes you wonder what is actually supposed to happen.

I think the vast majority of PP's have said just getting a special phone number doesn't do it for them and many don't see the point of the level if this is all there is.

In the end this would be an interesting case study in customer service/satisfaction. Identify you best customers and provide then a 'reward' that leaves them confused.

Ok, here it goes;

First you mention "hints" advice I like I am sure you do travel extensively and the company that I am partner in averages 3500 room nights a year for staff. So we are always looking for advice or experiences that other similar traveler have had in a certain location and or the Marriott reward system as a whole not belly aching about getting more benefits because another chain "upped" another one. That will continue forever and a day.

WHAT we look for in a chain or brand is consistency and best possible product for our money. And that is not based on a single night or stay but over a long term.

I believe and this is me only Marriott has one of the highest overall standards in the industry. While we all know that the majority of individual properties are privately owned and operated some chains enforce their standard differently. I know because part of our work in reflagging or repairing the exteriors of buildings and hotels are a part of the annual work we do. And we do this throughout the country and international as well.

Bottom line we are extremely happy with Marriott with the most important parts of their program to us is the dedicated line, late checkout and the willingness of the properties to bend over backwards for a PP.

Safe travels to all.

I think this is what you are looking for:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-property.html

That thread was started to help PP identify the properties that do go above and beyond.

Certainly looking at it from a company perspective is different than an individual.

IMO, the angst of many PP's is this:

What's the value of pushing more nights towards Marriott to maintain/obtain the PP level when there are minimal defined benefits that you don't get with being Plat.

So for those that are not lifetime Plat they have to weigh the benefits of doing the minimum for Plat and getting top status at another property.

And being honest, if you are traveling around the world, sometimes a Marriott property is very conveniently located and sometimes not. If you are pushing for the PP level you are probably staying at a Marriott property no matter what, not just when it's an equal choice with another chain.

The interesting part is that you point to the 'consistency' of Marriott, while the properties are, the irony is that the treatment/handling/benefits of the PP's is very inconsistent.

I think if everyone is honest, they'd say if there are UG's available in a property the PP's should fill those first. The reality is many hotels just UG people as they check in and don't even look at who is scheduled to come in that day.

Almost all top tier programs are very well defined so those pax know what they are entitled to, the PP program is configured in such a way that no one knows what the are or are not entitled to, they just know Marriott has highlighted them as their best customers. After all these award programs are designed to create loyalty to the chain and that's why each level usually offers more benefits. The chain gives you more benefits so that you are more loyal.

The fact that many PP's (at least from what I read here) have some level of dissatisfaction tells me there is a problem with the program.

Rant over.

Let's all "agree to disagree"

end of this issue, I hope !

My apologies for continuing this thread. I was PP last year and with rollover nights, I had ~270 nights. Most of those were rollover; I dropped to Plat this year.
I shifted to Hyatt last year and am a Diamond.
I'm also an SPG member (loved it) and would have gone with them last year if they had status challenged me. I have ~370 lifetime nights with them so it won't take much to make lifetime Plat with SPG.

For the rest of March, I have 3 SPG stays booked and 1 Hyatt stay (using a free suite upgrade cert). So yes, I've shifted my business over to another hotel chain.

I'm keeping my MR card to accumulate MR points so that I can hit LT Plat in 2014; I've already got the requisite number of hotel nights.

Marriott is the hardest program to make Plat. As another poster pointed out, the new SPG benefits for Plat are better than Marriott. And SPG Plat is easier to attain than MR Plat.

I'm not completely abandoning MR but they're now #3 in the rotation for this year. SPG will be #1. Hyatt moves to #2 and I'll likely move them to #3 next year. Loyalty is a two way street.

Just got my new card and yep! Plat Elite Lifetime

Uh...okay...

Question when you say that Marriott is the hardest to obtain PLT status, Hyatt is 50 nights to Diamond versus 75 for Marriott ? Having said that as I get older the Hyatt is more appealing to me on vacation as well as business stays. They are a notch above, but as a Ritz PP I can get it there just a lot higher per night costs.

I will say this day in day out Marriott's standards are hard to beat.

SPG has some good brands but they do not have the extended stay system that we look for, and frankly their product on the upper end while good is sometimes spotty.

end of the day everyone has their own preference.

Travel Safe I's headed for the PH Vend. in three weeks !!

Agree with all your comments but I don't feel dissatisfaction as much as confusion. MR's PP level is the only one that doesn't seem to offer real tangible benefits that one would desire to achieve. Dedicated line? I call maybe once a year. Black card? It sits in a drawer at home. WSJ app? Don't need it.

With enough rollover already for Plat next year, I am fine with that. If MR takes away PP, I can live with it easily. My personal pref is Marriott properties but certainly not motivated by PP. Again, it is not a dissatisfaction thing with MR as much as bewilderment why they even bother to have a PP level. Maybe some enjoy PP for the ego thing but it is just a hollow level to me.