You may be expecting a bit much for the PP line agents to actually read the profile of the person they are talking to. ;)

Yes but...if the entire NAME shows up...it is pretty obvious (to me anyway) that MEG is NOT a BOY!!!!

:D
lol

One would really think so, wouldn’t they? I have never known a male Meg.

My SO has a name that’s not so common in this country, and with the addition of one letter, it becomes a very common male name. So she is always called Mr. or people assume it’s missing the letter and correct it for her, and then think she is a him. I have come to notice that most companies assume everyone is male.

Back when I was in college, I worked in a call center, and has a Liza call. I pronounced her name Liza and she got overjoyed and said I was the first person at a call center in her entire life who has not called her Lisa. I just wonder why one would not take the time to read the name before taking the call. I guess that’s why I no longer work in a call center :D

But back on topic, Maybe Marriott assumes a woman would never be a PP. But that’s just ridiculous; it’s a different world now. My SO had status long before I did; she taught me all the tricks, now we have somehow switched roles. My co workers are about 50/50 M/F and we all travel tons and have tons of status, and yet the women seem to always be treated worse. Like checking in and requesting a fridge and being told they are out, but then when male checks in and requests one, they get it.

I know my opinion is never very popular with the other platniums, but oh well :)


First, to the OP. Don't 'try' for it. As the various data points would suggest there is NO reason as to why someone is a PP. There is no way I have been top 3% of Platniums in ANY year, let alone of the long term, however, I have been PP since 2006 and based on the double nights promo earlier this year, was promised PP if I maintained 100 nights this year (done, phew, had to stay at the Res Inn in Vegas last weekend).

I personally DO see a signficant difference in the way I am treated. I have receive upgrades to suites 85% percent of the time. About 75% of that 85% is without asking, the other 25% when asking. I have been greated with various levels excitment ranging from 'Thank you for being a Plat Prem' to 'Wow, I've never checked in a PP before!!!'

When I call down to the front desk with an issue, I don't typically have to call again. When I contact GM's about specfic rooms, I get pretty qiuick responses. When I don't answer my wake up call, I get someone beating down my door :)

I get my foam pillows, extra towels, high floor, and refrig without asking and have never been told no when a male traveler was told yes. In fact, a project manager of mine checked in right in front of me one night, asked for a fridge and they said sure. When I checked and asked if there was one in my room, she said "oh, no, they forgot". She then turned to my PM and said "Sorry Mr PM, we only have one left". It got a giggle out of both of us.


I honestly think the level of service I receive is directly related to my attitude. I do not have an attitude of entitlement. I am very kind when I ask for something. When I have to, I pull out the 'No, you can't do that? Not even for a Platnium Premier?" with puppy dog eyes :)

I don't care if I am Mr or Ms on the phone. I don't care if I am greeted with 'Thank you for being a PP'. In fact, I find it quite embarassing.

Ok, I'm done now :)

I have you beat. Wife CFO fortune 500. I went to "spouse's cocktails" at one of her bank meetings (end of meeting, prior to dinner) and got almost arrested by secretary saying it was for "spouse". When I told her I was one, she said, no these are all CFOs ie men

Great story. And I can only imagine that being the sole man in a room full of trophy wives (at least some of them) would have been quite enjoyable.

I would not agree with this statement based on my expereince. My suite upgrade record at high end properties was proably 100% during the year I was PP. Including the Presidential Suite in Rio De Janiero.

Pity is I had no idea that PP even existed when I had it. Only discovered PP when I looked at my MR card about two years later!!!

This very statement seems a bit at odds with disagreeement of aaupgrade's assertion. It looks to me that the level was so similar that you never even noticed a difference. Not even after you lost it as you state you only noticed years later when looking at the card.

BTW, even as a lowly Plat, I have a pretty good record of very nice and suite upgrades at non-NA high end properties as well. I tend to think that those properties tend to treat their high-end elites better in general.

That's a good one!

I was new to Platinum at that time--my maiden year at a Renaissance was high revenue, and got me straight to PP. So I had no frame of reference--at least within the Marriott system.

Besides the unprecedented number of suite upgrades--which I only recognized with hindsight--there were other instances of astonishing service. For example--when we checked in the JW Marriott in Rio, the staff person told us to hang on for a minute--she was going to find the GM who was awaiting our arrival to welcome us!! A few days before arriving at the JW Marriott Staarr Pass in Tuscon, the head concriege called to find out if there were any advance requests. Upon arrival--there was a message that he will be taking us to lunch (which he did!).

Subsequently, as a regular (lowly!) Platinum--I have not experienced anything akin to what I enjoyed as a PP....

Now that I've read some of the other comments here, I guess I have noticed some upgrades here and there. In Hong Kong at the Ren there, I did get a suite, and at the CY in Kuwait City a suite also, while at the Tokyo Ginza CY 2 times, I haven't been in a suite, but was given a larger room (the regular rooms there are tiny). The MC Casa Magna in Cancun has always given me a corner suite - I've been going there off and on for the past 5 years once or twice a year - while I book the least expensive available and pay with gift cheques (which this property posts as cash so I've earn points).

Domestic properties not so much. The CYs do tend to give me rooms with balconies, and have foam pillows in place when I check in. Full service MC it's been regular rooms, and I have to call for foam pillows (it's noted in my profile).

PPR vs Platinum Status
 

Last year I had 212 nights at Marriott properties, and I am approaching 150 already this year. Is it really worth putting all my eggs in one basket or should I get Premier status with another program? Anybody that does status matching?

I talked to Omaha the other day and asked what PPR gives me in addition to Platinum status and they could not answer the question. I even talked to a supervisor. Anyone that can let me know the difference and is it really worth it?

Any comments, advise or enlightenment is highly appreciated.

For PP status look at the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-premiere.html thread.

As for whether other hotel chains will match Marriott Platinum status, check out the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...er-thread.html. It should be very helpful in letting you know what it takes to get a match somewhere else.

As for staying exclusively with one hotel chain? Personally, with the number of nights you are staying, you can easily be top elite status in two, three or even more programs. The benefit is that not all chains have good hotels everywhere you may travel. Also, they each will have "resort" properties in various places you may want to visit. And finally, what happens if you really want to take the family on a skiing vacation to Vail one Spring Break and the Marriott doesn't have any award availability? Your stuck, except now you may have a pool of SPG points and find that the Westin there is available. So you can still use points for that vacation. So by spreading your stays around, you have more options.

Of course the downfall is you won't have as many Marriott points to play with. If you still think the Travel Packages (with the airline miles) is a great award, then you may want to grab as many Marriott points as you can to be able to order a number of those. You could also lose that PP status, but given most posts here, it doesn't look like it is much of a step up over a normal Plat. Also, one final note is that Marriott does have Emeritus or Lifetime statuses. So getting those extra nights and points in can help you get toward that lifetime Plat status. (Of course you also have to have been a member for at least 12 years, but that will come with time.)

wat?
 

if you are spending an avg of $285 a night for a Marriott Hotel, an avg that is, you are be raked over the hot coals and wasting a ton of money. 123 nights at and avg of 139 in FS Marriotts in the past year, including resorts.

Depends on Location. $285 a night average for 175 nights in Midtown Manhattan is a really low average rate.