I'm two nights short of Platinum and doing a "hotel points" run before the end of the year. Will be making it two fun nights with the Mrs. Is it worth it? Not the fun nights with the Mrs., but achieving Marriott Platinum status.

The big question is how much will you be travelling next year and will it be enough to appreciate the Platinum gifts and extra mileage. If so, then it's worth it. If not, nothing wrong with being gold.

Although they may give it to you anyway, to me if you are within two nights its worth it.. but when starting out in a year and choosing what chains to go for, I don't think that the benefits received are worth the effort of the 75 nights. I am top tier in the big four and Marriott is the one I obtain last as its the first one I'd drop if I had to miss out on one chains top tier status. Gold at MR from a benefits perspective is as good as plat with the exception of the 500 pt bonus at check in.. and this is only usefull at the full scale marriotts. Obviously it depends where you are going etc but from a gen'l is it worth it perspective.. yeah if you are 2 nights away, no if you are starting from scratch

If you plan on staying w/ Marriott in 2005, even if you don't go for Plat next year (although presumably they hope you do). At least you'd still have Plat bennies (which you earned) while you do stay in them next year.

No otherwise.

Cheers. Sharon

Thanks for all of your feedback. I start my "points run" tonight and will do a second night next week to get my Plat. Maybe I'll see you in a Marriott property soon. Happy Holidays!

I've had 3 occassions at Courtyard, 1 at Residence Inn and 1 at TownePlace where my Plat arrival gift wasn't in the room when I arrived.

I waited until the next afternoon, asked the front desk about it, and in total received $225.00 in cash ($50 from Courtyard and Residence, $25 from TownePlace) for them failing to have a bottle of water and some cookies or chips in the room.

If you lack a night or two and can get a $50 rate to make it, you could recoup that if you get lucky.

Do you have to ask at the front desk? I had a 1-night stay in Chicago recently where I arrived late (10pm) and left early (7am) and didn't have the amenity... I sent a note to Marriott rewards; I didn't realize there was any compensation for that until I'd gotten my Platinum benefits guide in the mail when I returned home this week.... guess we'll see what they do. I figured the hotel had just run out of gifts since I got in so late... I'd have asked in the morning, but I didn't even stop by the desk to check out formally because there were a half dozen people in line already and I was running late for a meeting.

You're suppose to notifiy the front desk prior to check out.

In your case, it's a no-brainer: you are doing the right thing because you will enjoy the 2 nights and, oh yeah here's a bonus, you get Plat status...

If the question became: would you spend $150 on 2 Fairfield room-nights you didn't really want to use in order to reach Plat?...Yeah, I'd probably still do it. Not sure whether I could quantify $150+ in tangible returns with being Plat, but I've never held a top tier (just a bunch of mid-tiers) so what the hey...I'd do it.

I'm mid-tier in all of the chains but have been underwhelmed by the benefits when you consider the major difference in price between a non-points-earning rate and a points/status-earning rate. In 2004, I've simply kept hundreds of dollars in my pocket and somewhat given up on paying big premiums at Marriott.com to earn points and once in a blue moon an upgrade. Seems like the lounges are never open anymore anyway...might as well just give Priceline $60 instead of Marriott $150 and take the "standard" room and no points. SPG Amex feeds me a bottomless pit of points if I'm ever jonesing for a truly FREE hotel room... By 2005 all of my mid-tiers will be gone and I'm in no hurry to try and re-up any of them.

TrojanHorse,
You mention that you are "top tier in the big four and Marriott is the one I obtain last as its the first one I'd drop if I had to miss out on one chains top tier status." Would you be willing to "rank" and compare the big 4 that you have top tier in and let us know how you evaluate the programs? Would find your feedback very informative and helpful in deciding where to concentrate stays for 2005.

Thanks
TF

I know the question was for Trojan and the top levels, but here's my take on the mid-levels. Keep in mind that I personally feel that none of these levels are worth paying a significant amount of your own money for. But I got there as a biz traveler, so here ya go...

(1) HH Gold - free breakfasts and a pretty good upgrade rate. Exceptional upgrades on award stays in Hawaii, and I've never had Hilton pull an "out clause" on me for benefits because they had labeled a property as a "resort". The two Hawaiian "resort" stays came with breakfasts, upgrades, and other perks like free water bottles and fitness center access.
(2) MR Gold - I get little from the hotels with this status besides concierge level upgrades, usually with a lounge that isn't open. The EEO booklets are nice - we use the 2-for-1 certs quite often. I will miss those next year when my status drops off to Silver.
(3) SPG Gold - I never noticed much difference between being a base member ("Preferred Plus") and a Gold. Yes, Gold gets more Starpoints, but the actual at-hotel earning in SPG is so weak that it hardly matters. All of my Starwood stays result in a "Preferred Room" - a very minor upgrade to a high floor or similar.

To credit Marriott, I find that their overall service (both at hotels and service for the rewards program) is the best. I don't mind losing my Gold because I know I'll still get nearly identical (consistently good) treatment as a Silver. If this post sounds at all like a knock on Marriott, it's a knock on their mid-tier elite level and nothing else.

Here I go for top tier only.. mid tier would differ

First I must say what I look for in a top tier, if you seek something else, then your order may change.. also note, my travel is almost all domestic

I seek.. 1) Lounge Access 2) Cust. Service - usually from a dedicated top tier line (also includes easier reward redemption) 3) Room Upgrade 4) benefits of top tier like the amenity at check in

1. Hyatt Diamond - If I could only have one I would take Diamond Pros) Diamond line has NEVER been beat; RC access 100% of the time whenever I'm domestic and most that I stay in have free computer access or at least some sort of wireless in the RC's, upgrades to suites are sporadic but I usually (75% or more) get club floor, diamond amenity of food/beverage (often includes beer) is great.. You will get breakfast certs if the lounge is closed, Lastly, I (not all of you will) find Hyatts priced competitively with other majors - Cons) Hyatts are not found in a lot of locations which makes staying at them tough; RC's are often closed (more so than other chains), check in amenity - as great as the food/beer is I still prefer points.. 25 stays/50 nights is quite reasonable for this top tier status.. Hyatt has the best promos by far.. the most frequencey with promos and the GP bonus points at a lot of their hotels are incredible.. you get (until 3/1) stay credit and promo credit for priceline (I don't use PL) and FFN stays as well.. if you use a Mastercard and charge an incidental that is ELIGIBLE

2. Hilton Diamond - Pro's - Diamond Desk is great, just a hair below hyatt in my opinion with greater award availability for Diamonds over other levels. Always get lounge access and am usually on a club floor as a diamond but I don't find the rooms as nice as hyatts, and you are given breakfast at hiltons if the lounge is closed. the Double dip or 50% bonus right now is great..Cons) Hilton as a whole just seems to generic.. or I mean to say its not really tailored to the Diamond like Hyatt is.. even on the Diamond line. Hilton Diamond is meaning less at any other chain but a full service hilton.. yeah you get a cookie or something but that is it BFD to me.. Hilton has a ton of places to choose from.. just about everywhere will have at least a Hampton Inn.. 28 stays/60 nights is easy to reach at Hilton as well since you can use Hampton Inns. another con, is that I don't find a lot of promos at hilton properties.

3. Starwood Platinum - Pros) First and Foremost - Starwood lurker kicks butt, no one can top him for helpfulness.. he alone could move starwood up a notch if not for the location issue. 2nd best thing.. 4p.m. checkouts.. those are the greatest.. probably the benefit i use the most at spg... I always get lounge access but for some reason, I'm often not on the club floor. Room upgrades are sporadic here has well. I know that they advertise suite upgrades but sheesh, I seldom get them. Others have better luck than me. That also drops them in my book. I do enjoy the top tier 500 pt amenity. Since SPG is only 3 points per dollar, the 500 pt amenity is a huge bonus. The no blackout rule is nice, but I've had problems with it. I won't go there, that is an ongoing issue with me on the spg board. Cons - locations are more frequent than Hyatt, yet still many locations don't have spg properties, the lack of suite upgrades is a minor issue with me, the plat concierge is nice, but they don't match the Diamond lines of Hyatt and Hh from my perspective. I find a lot of the Starwood lounges closed as well and you most likely will NOT get a breakfast cert at Spg.. you might but they are not obligated and I seldom do

Marriott - As a Plat I always get lounge access but am not always on a club floor. Its not b/c I'm in a suite on another floor either. I very seldom get a suite at a Marriott property. A handful in five years of plat membership. My rooms are usually pretty generic too.. upgrades pretty much do not exist. Customer Service, the MR plat line again is OK.. but its like pulling teeth on a few things with them... they are not rude, not mean but it doesn't appear to me like they will do much extra for you unlike Hyatt and Hilton folk will.. maybe they aren't obligated but then again, why should I use them, if Hilton and Hyatt are not obligated yet appear to go out of their way for me.. its a no brainer here.. Reward redemption is par for the course here.. For 75 nights a year.. its the toughest to get with the least benefits.. now the good thing about Marriott is the number of properties that they have and in all price ranges.. you get credit at all properties.. oh yeah.. the EEO books that they divvy out 3 times a year to elites are awesome too..

I know I'm forgetting somethings here.. but its lunch time and I gotta go..

oh yeah.. mid tear.. I can't argue with this at all.. this was how I'd rate them too..

I know the question was for Trojan and the top levels, but here's my take on the mid-levels. Keep in mind that I personally feel that none of these levels are worth paying a significant amount of your own money for. But I got there as a biz traveler, so here ya go... except I'd put Hyatt Platinum (for five stays or 15 nights) before SPG gold.. I find SPG gold pretty much stinkin worthless and is not even worth obtaining except for the 4 p.m. check out..

(1) HH Gold - free breakfasts and a pretty good upgrade rate. Exceptional upgrades on award stays in Hawaii, and I've never had Hilton pull an "out clause" on me for benefits because they had labeled a property as a "resort". The two Hawaiian "resort" stays came with breakfasts, upgrades, and other perks like free water bottles and fitness center access.
(2) MR Gold - I get little from the hotels with this status besides concierge level upgrades, usually with a lounge that isn't open. The EEO booklets are nice - we use the 2-for-1 certs quite often. I will miss those next year when my status drops off to Silver.
(3) SPG Gold - I never noticed much difference between being a base member ("Preferred Plus") and a Gold. Yes, Gold gets more Starpoints, but the actual at-hotel earning in SPG is so weak that it hardly matters. All of my Starwood stays result in a "Preferred Room" - a very minor upgrade to a high floor or similar.

To credit Marriott, I find that their overall service (both at hotels and service for the rewards program) is the best. I don't mind losing my Gold because I know I'll still get nearly identical (consistently good) treatment as a Silver. If this post sounds at all like a knock on Marriott, it's a knock on their mid-tier elite level and nothing else.

Thanks TrojanHorse and pinniped. Your info and comments are very helpful.

TF