This has been my first year as Platinum and I don't know if I'm going to stay Plat next year. I'm at 60 nights and would really have to push to requalify. At this point, I don't see the value. I've been upgraded to a suite only once this entire year (I don't consider "concierge floor" to be an upgrade, and most of the Marriott's I've stayed at don't have a concierge floor anyway). I have been treated very well by the Marriott and CY staff that I've interacted with, but I'm not sure I'd have been treated any different if I were a regular guest, let alone Platinum v. Gold. The only perk I've found that is Platinum only is the 48 hour guarantee, and it's just not valuable enough for me.

Overall, I'm on the fence with Marriott. Good people, but the perks are only so-so, and I've yet to stay at a property that wowed me.

This has been my first year as Platinum and I don't know if I'm going to stay Plat next year. I'm at 60 nights and would really have to push to requalify. At this point, I don't see the value. I've been upgraded to a suite only once this entire year (I don't consider "concierge floor" to be an upgrade, and most of the Marriott's I've stayed at don't have a concierge floor anyway). I have been treated very well by the Marriott and CY staff that I've interacted with, but I'm not sure I'd have been treated any different if I were a regular guest, let alone Platinum v. Gold. The only perk I've found that is Platinum only is the 48 hour guarantee, and it's just not valuable enough for me.

Overall, I'm on the fence with Marriott. Good people, but the perks are only so-so, and I've yet to stay at a property that wowed me.

This is my first year with Marriott and to me, the upgrade to the concierge floor and/or lounge, is a big upgrade. I am on a per diem for food, so if I can eat dinner and breakfast in the CL, that is more money in my pocket. And so far I have always been able to make a dinner out of the CL offerings. Since I am limited to a government rate, there is no way I could afford the C level any other way.

I have been upgraded to a suite once at a Renassaince and I am not so sure it was worth it. Sure it was a bigger room but it wasn't like I was looking to play football in the hotel room anyway. The suite was on a different floor from the CL, and I think I would prefer to be on the same floor, even if it is in a normal room.

That being said, I would never turn down a suite upgrade. To my way of thinking, they offered something as appreciation for my business and I don't want to throw it back in their face.

Dumb is right...
 

One time, after checking in at around 1:00 AM, I had the alarm go off at 4:00 AM. I was NOT a happy camper. Bad enough that it was turned on, but set to FOUR in the morning!?!?

Alarming
 

I walk down the corridor every morning to breakfast at 6am and I can tell which rooms are unoccupied (at least at that time) by the number of alarms going off. Unbelievable. (I did think that maybe I was being victimised because I'm an ......., but apparently not! :o )

I have been Platinum for a long time and I am very happy with the services. I get upgrades all the time w/o any problems. :)

One feature that makes Marriott Platinum worthwhile is the 48-hr room availability guarantee. I have used it four times this year to get a room where non were avilable. With the hurricanes this fall, it became pretty tough to find a room in Houston, Austin, and Atlanta. The "platinum override" came in handy for sure.

Other than that, the features of platinum aren't really worth making an extra effort to get. The platinum "gifts" are nice but usually just spome cookies and a bottle of water unless you are at a Marriott or Rennisance, in which case you usually get your choice of wine & cheese, a beer & nuts or 500 points. A couple times this year they let me double dip and pick two.

Room upgrades also typically only happen at the full service hotels. i have also found that platinums usually get better treatment in the major metro areas and tend to be ignored in when you are in the sticks.

I have had them forget my platinum gift a number of times, though usually at the Fairfields or Spring Hill.

It is a complete crapshoot
 

The best way to prepare for a Marriott stay as an elite is to assume nothing. Assume that they treat will treat you as if it was your first stay at a marriott. Try to talk you into a room you didn't request, forget to give you your welcome gift and fail to post the stay to your account. If you assume these as constants a few properties along the way will surprise you.

I have to say I'm firmly in the camp of those who are well pleased with my platinum status. Above and beyond the stated benefits, I find that I'm almost always treated like the hotel staff is genuinely glad to see me.

As for the "extras" and upgrades, my experience is "simply ask". I've found that as long as what you're asking for is within reason and do-able, the hotels will try to accomodate you. I generally don't care all that much for the upgrades when I'm travelling alone on business....but when I'm with my wife and would like a larger or nicer room, etc., I tell them what I'd like and why. Usually, they're more than glad to oblige. As one manager put it.."We try to live up to what you'd expect from us".

As for "what I'd like to see" in the way of benefits, its two things. At the Fairfields, Courtyards and limited serv properties, offer points instead of all those pretzels and water bottles. It doesn't have to be the same 500 you get at the Full-Serves....a hundred or two points would be just fine. As for the FS properties, how about free high speed web and local phone calls for the platinums? That would certainly address those who don't find all that much difference between gold and plat.

I believe platinums get free local calls - free HS internet would be awesome.

Nope; not at full service properties, which is what the poster referred to.

"When you stay at participating U.S. and Canada Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, and Fairfield Inn locations, you are entitled to free, unlimited local phone calls and faxes up to 15 pages per day to any U.S. and Canada destination.