I can tell you as a fellow PP that I am working hard to NOT make PP this year! I am hoping to fall back to P only, and fax MR every single invoice from where I stay at Hyatt's, almost solely due to 2 reasons-BREAKFAST at all FS's EVERY DAY...and a REAL GYM. Marriotts dont even put a coat closet aside at most places, while Hyatts are fully stocked gyms!

Just a note on one of the OP's complaints.... If you are a Plat and tend to pay for internet access, you probably find yourself spending $50+ per month on it. Instead of doing so, just get a Verizon Wireless Broadband Access card and for $60 per month you can use the connection not just during your hotel stays, but anywhere else including at home, the beach, a car, etc. I'm shocked at how many people still pay for WiFi.

Or one from AT&T or Sprint.

$15/night at most places...and I get unlimited for $49/month (corp discount). What a savings. AND...sometimes its faster then my cable modem!

this is the route i'll be taking this week as I've had it up to here (over my head) with internet fees at all chains, the company will pay for it and in the end its cheaper for them as well

Whether or not the company will pay for a cellular wireless card is the issue for many of us I suspect. In my case they will pay charges for hotel internet access but they will not pay for a cellular wireless card. Kind of backwards since the productivity boost from having a cellular wireless card is much greater than access limited to hotels. That said I am not willing to subsidize my employer. So I go with access at hotels and suffer when I am in locations where I can't find a public WiFi hot spot (e.g. while onsite at clients).

--Jon

Its a catch 22 kind of like a company car.

The car can be used for general commuting purposes etc but in the end its cheaper than renting or paying outrageous sums of miles.

the internet will pay for itself in anywhere from five to six nights of hotel charges per month. For me, its a no brainer as I do about 12 - 15 on any given month and almost each and every one of those nights has a charge of $9.95 to $12.95 per night.

I agree, this actually opens me up to more productivity in places like conference rooms (offsite), customer sites, airports (without Ad Clubs) etc where I can get online that I don't currently get online.

May I speak as a lowly plat?

The in hotel experience is what it is. CL level as available (someone may be paying for ahead of you), the front desk reads the plat script at check in, and a couple bottles of water. Given the vagaries of employee training it is remarkably consistant coast to coast. Is it the Ritz in Paris? No, but overall it is perfectable acceptable

Where I would like to get is the benefits are the redemption of points at properties. make it easier for plats or PP to avoid blackouts or limited availability. CO has a different bucket to pull award seats from for plats (according to someone on the CO board). Why should a silver have the same ability to garner rooms as I do?

Hello,
Let me provide a description and outline of the benefits offered to Platinum Premier members.

The goal of Platinum Premier recognition is to provide personal recognition and the ultimate level of service which reinforces our relationship and acknowledges them as our most valued guests - at all Marriott brands.

The Premier distinction is reserved for the top percentile of Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite members based on room nights, number of stays and years as a Platinum member. Platinum Premier members are our most important guests who are in a category of their own, and as such they deserve our greatest recognition and appreciation. What it means:

Platinum Premier members receive all Elite membership benefits PLUS the following additional services:

Special designation
Having the Premier designation demonstrates to this select group of Platinum members their value to Marriott. It also enables us to quickly identify them as our most important guests and to make their needs our top priority.

Platinum Premier Desk
Platinum Premier members have access to an exclusive membership line for personalized assistance with all their Marriott travel needs. At the Platinum Premier Desk, +1 (877)REWARDS, a special team of representatives is dedicated to serving Platinum Premier members with One-Stop-Shop service, and providing personalized assistance with reservations, hotel or partner award redemptions, or handling any other need regarding their Marriott Rewards account.

Recognition and Service
By differentiating Platinum Premier members from other Platinum members, Front Desk associates can consistently provide a higher level of personalized service and recognition at check-in and during the guest’s stay; for example, ensuring Platinum Premier members are given top priority for room/suite upgrades.

Kind regards,

Marie

my only beef with Plat..
 

My only problem with Plat is the access to lounges in resorts and lounges closed on weekends.
One thing to remember about Plat memebers is they travel on weekends too and too resorts to claim
rewards and not having access to resort lounges as a Plat member is like a slap in the face and club
91 fees, don't get me started.

Plat members need access to lounges and all hotels all the time, it's frequent business travelers
like us that generate the revenue, not 2 a weekend a year families at JW
resorts in Florida or Hawaii. Example I am going to estimate $25,000 spent this year inside Marriott
Hotels. I am seriously considering switching back to Hyatt for the Lounge access all the time, better
arrival gifts and lounges open on weekends. Sure Club 91 is alot nicer but I will never see it. I think
from all the travelers in my organization, 12,000 of us on the road, we have a forum inside the company and
it's the same complaint. The part that cracks me up is my wife, who only travels with me noticed the difference
with Hyatt and Marriott right away, first night, and has aksed me to switch back to the Hyatt after June.

With that said, open the lounges at resports and downtown hotels on weekends and give plat members access to
resort lounges and I think you would have alot more customers for a long time.

Noted, I will pass this information on to our Elite Marketing Team.

Thanks for your feedback,

Marie

thank you
 

"Stunned" isn't the right word, but ^^ (and it's not even my issue!).

Marie --

FWIW, this Plat appreciates your efforts; you are making a difference.

One point however; as noted by another poster it is the higher-ups who make the ultimate decisions on issues you bring to their attention.

I don't it would be fair to expect you (and Drew) to be our advocates, -- forwarding concerns, posts and threads to those in charge is what Iexpect (and certainly appreciate).

One request however -- would it be possible for you to check back with those to whom you forward these issues and convey back their reactions/thoughts/ on the issues raised here?

I think that while we may not alwauys agree on each and every "global" issue it is important to understand the other party's position.

Thanks to your efforts they're getting our's.

I'd like to understand their's (whether or not they agree)...

Does anyone regard these as definitive benefits? I stay at Marriott for a variety of reasons - no suprises, trained staff, good locations.

This are "nice" but if I wasnt already at Marriott it wouldnt make me switch or get the rest of my nights if I was splitting chains

need easier reward redemption as your status goes higher - that is definable. Why accumulate all those points if it is a PITA to redeem?