i have only been traveling (limited) for my company for about 8 months now, and it only goes in spurts. so i was a lowly silver MRmember until last week when i hit my 50th night in a rolling calendar. but when i looked at my account, it still said i was silver even though the nights were posted. I am staying at a full-service Marriott this week (5 nights) and plan (planned now) on making a reservation for next week also.

I wrote marriott about this and they said that since my nights from last week posted today, i will not show 'gold' status until NEXT monday. they also said that no gold elite bonus will be applied on any days before my gold status is applied. therefore, i am going to miss out on 6 days worth of an extra 5% from this week (and that can add up at a full-service marriott).

again, i was going to make a reservation for next week, but my sunday night stay will #1: say i am still silver (so no chance of concierge level upgrade for next week) and #2: i will only get the 20% bonus on sunday night's stay.

well...looks like this is a good time to take my 150k marriott points and bolt to a new chain like hilton or SPG and start up on acruing their points...

thanks all for hearing my rant. hopefully this doesn't happen to you...

First, if you are deciding to change hotel chains because of a 5% difference in points and a short 5 day lag in the system upgrading you, I have the feeling you will find issues with every other hotel chain. A stay where you spent $1000, you are talking about a total of 500 points difference. I'm not seeing the "adding-up" here.

Second, I would suggest you take a copy of your account stay information and mention/show it to the front desk person at the Ren when you check-in. Back when I was just starting out with Marriott, I had a similar issue. I had just made Plat, but had not yet received my card. I had a vacation stay at the Kauai Marriott and they only showed me as a Gold. So they would only upgrade me if I paid for it. I showed them a statement (mailed to me back then) and a receipt with my most recent stay showing I had the nights. They didn't have any issue upgrading me and thanked me for my patronage at Marriotts.

You might also try having them give Marriott Rewards a call and verifying that you do indeed have the 50 nights. And that within a few days your status will be updated to reflect that you are now a Gold elite member.

Overall, I do understand your frustration, but no matter the program/chain you stay at, there will always be issues. If you chose Marriott because of certain stay patterns, points accruals, hotels, locations, etc, then before you jump ship, I would suggest you look at all those reasons and compare your needs/patterns/goals with the other chains and then make an informed decision, not a seat of the pants decision.

if you spent $1K per night ($6000 for the six nights) you would lose a whopping 3000 points at 5%.. not exactly losing your shirt there.. 3000 points won't get you squat.. its less than 1//2 of an award room; whats the big deal..

on the contrary a better arguement is that 5% more is virtually useless.. on a 100K MR points, its a measly 5K in extra bonus a year which hardly makes it worth it.. I have a bigger problem with the 30% vs 20% plat vs silver bonus.. whoop tee effin dooo

You must be kidding. Do you not think other programs have "rules?"

This is really nothing to be ranting about. I've ranted before and I've seen legitimate rants of others. A complaint maybe, but a reason to switch hotel loyalty, no.

And if you ask nicely at the front desk when you check in (and they're full service), you can often get C-lounge benefits...... especially if you've stayed there a bunch...

Gee-if you had stayed the same number of nights with Hyatt or Spg you would be in the top catagory-not the midllin middle.Bothe have very nice plat reps that like to say yes.
And you earn 50% more points with plat status at SPG along with 500 bonus points at FS properties.

thanks all for keeping me a little level-headed...i probably won't change, but i was a bit pissed after spending the last 5 weeks in the same full service marriott (i was hoping to get the concierge level room finally and it will be my last week of traveling for a month or two)...i will try to see if they can call MR when i book to see if that might get the upgrade...

thanks again for the listen and keeping me even-keel'd...

Frustrating I know, but it took longer than that for Hyatt to get my account caught up when I was judged worthy of Diamond. If they refuse to bump you to the Floor of Privilege after you show them the nights on your statement I might be frustrated, but bolting to a chain you don't have status at over a batch processing delay, especially if you like the hotel? Seems like you are punishing yourself. You've got to concentrate on one or two to really make the frequent guest thing work anyway.

My recollection is status changes are all on Monday morning (board can correct me). Might just happen before your next stay posts anyway. Rather than argue with them up front I'd call after the fact and call if an error and ask for correction.

I might tell the hotel when you make the new reservation you expect the Concierge Level next week though. At least you should get access. Really the biggest deal is a different set of walls and not having to think about deciding what to eat. I got to I so hated ordering food. (Now I'm home again and lamenting my status going away).

(Sorry. Was typing the same time you were).

I wouldn't even do that. I would ask nicely if they could upgrade you to the concierge level -or- provide you access to the concierge lounge. If they aren't inclined then just explain the situation (# of nights, pending gold) and note that this is your 6th week with them. I am sure they will have no problem at least providing you lounge access.

Have they been giving you lounge access already? That is the main benefit. While it is not a benefit you are entitled to, as a regular Silver elite at their hotel I would think they would give you lounge access anyway. I was routinely provided lounge access when I dropped to silver a number of years ago. Perhaps it was because I was a "had been Gold/Plat".

The rooms on the Concierge Level are the same as those on the other floors with the exception of mouthwash, scale, small bathroom rug, robe, cotton swabs and balls, and complimentary bottle of water (which you can get yourself in the lounge). Getting a room on the Concierge Level is really a psychological thing more than anything else. Keep in mind that if Concierge Level rooms are all booked on any day of your stay, then you will not get an upgrade. Also Plat elites will be in line for upgrades before you, and you will also be competing for those Concierge Level room upgrades with other gold elites. As a Plat at busy business hotels, when I stay for a full business week I find I rarely get upgraded to the Concierge Level. But as I said before it is no big deal since it is the lounge access that really matters.

Please report back and let us know how things turned out. TIA.

You do understand the rolling 12 month's is an unpublished benefit right?

Don't call. Ask nicely at check-in. Very nicely. If it's a property at which you stay regularly, you stand a much better chance.

The phone agents can't do it for you.

Yep, and that top category would get you the same inconsistent customer service and property quality as a base member with those chains.

I would hope that the staff has gotten to know you in the past five weeks - is this the case? If so, it may help getting the perk.

I would agree with the others that have posted that you should should just nicely ask about the concierge lounge access when you check in. Explain the situation to them, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were willing to accomodate your request. After all, what's a free breakfast and hors d'euvres, compared to a happy customer that will likely return again?

If they say no at check-in, you could always ask a different manager the next morning... just keep in mind that technically, you may not be entitled to it quite yet, so you still might get shot down.

and i am much more calm about it. the past couple of weeks, they have given me concierge lounge access...the first week i didn't even know that was a perk at full-service marriotts. and thanks to everyone that explained what a 'concierge level room' really was. i have always been happy with Marriott brand hotels (from fairfields on up). Other than a robe i guess, there is no big difference between the rooms i am in and getting up on the top floors. hopefully my rude behavior right up front won't affect my karma on the Flyertalk boards...i was just having a bad day of flying, work, etc...and i was stressed out...thanks all for taking the time to set the record straight for me...

hope to chat with you all soon on other issues...