What is going to change for Plats in January?

The platinum bonus is going from 30 % to 50 %.

As a former multi-year Plat (and Hilton Gold, and Hyatt Diamond, and IC Ambassador), I think that the value of Marriott Platinum is completely a matter of personal choice and priorities. Yes, there are significant benefits, but as many have pointed out, those benefits can be hit-and-miss depending on the properties you stay in.

From my personal experience, Hyatt's properties (at least, the ones I've stayed in) are generally nicer than Marriott properties (especially if you add in CYs, RIs, SHSs and TPSs). And the Hyatt FFN promos are very generous and attractive. But stacked up against Marriott's network of locations, Hyatt's relative scarcity doesn't make it a good long-term choice for me.

The Priority Club family of properties enjoys relative ubiquity when all the product lines are added in -- I can generally find a Priority Club property in places where Marriott hasn't even thought of moving in. But some of the HI and HIEX properties are serious fleabags. BLECH.

Hilton used to suffer from Hyatt's problem of too few locations, but the recent proliferation of HGI properties is beginning to address that. Still, those HGIs can be hit-or-miss, IMO. So Hilton's not a good choice for me, either.

From my perspective, Marriott offers the best combination of property lines (from bare-bones places like TPS properties all they way up to Rens and JWs) in pretty much all of the places I'm likely to go. And when I walk into a given property, I pretty much know what I'm going to get, depending on whether the property is a SHS, a CY, a JW, etc. It's not the ubiquity I like (because Priority Club has Marriott beat on that) and it isn't the generosity of bennies (because Hyatt's on top there). It's the relative *standards* of the Marriott properties that I like. Not to compare Marriott to McDonalds, but if I order a Big Mac anywhere on earth, I've got a pretty good idea of what I'll be served. And if I walk into a Residence Inn or a Courtyard anywhere on earth, I have a pretty good idea of what the facilities and rooms will be like.

I like that. ^

I don't like the 2009 changes to the MR program, but we're still processing that and trying to decide if going for Gold Emeritus is still going to be worth it for us, let alone Platinum Emeritus.

Long story short, I think the OP should give due consideration for the value proposition that Marriott presents to his/her set of circumstances and then consider whether the Plat level is a worthwhile investment of time and money. If nothing else, it would set the OP up for a future shot at Platinum Emeritus one day.

Plat's nice while you have it, but IMO it's not especially valuable if you're not in a position to take full advantage of the benefits. And only you can decide on that score.

Thought I would resuscitate this thread seeing as we are at last chance for year-end mattress runs. Apologies if there are more recent threads, only found ones addressing Gold status.

Here's my question: Is Plat worth $350?

I am currently at 45 nights and it will cost me approx. $500 to book 3 conference rooms (10 EQN per event). I've already decided to do 1 event to bump up to Gold.

I sometimes stay at JW Marriott Resorts on weekends and am planning burn some award nights in European capitals next year. If Plat would get me a good shot at suites or at least larger/view rooms that would be worth $350. Lounges are nice but only if open on weekends. Ditto for late checkout at resorts - that would be a huge plus. I don't really care about 48-hour room force or bonus points.

Breakfast/lounge access is guaranteed in Europe at F/S but that is for Glod and Plat. So is free internet, so I would definitley go for Gold. But Plat is harder to say.

I'm at 72 nights and am wondering the same.

??????????? isn't it that now???????????

During Your Stay
50% Bonus on Marriott Rewards Points
Platinum Elite members who choose to earn points are credited with a 50% bonus on base points earned during stays at our 3,500+ hotels in the Marriott family of brands.

Note the post you quoted is from 2008.

Depends on your case. If doing the same amount of travel next year I would say yes.

If you think you will be traveling for many years than lifetime gold/plat is worth achieving.

It's not a simply yes or no question as other factors like location and type of properties you stay at plays into decision as well.

I've personally had good luck with Marriott having properties where I want to vacation and can find rooms to book into, plus have been generously upgraded as a plat whereas as a gold I never got them. So having a lot of points and accuring at higher rate on one account had made platinum more than worth it.

If you think you will travel less next year than maybe just use the rollover nights help you get status next year.

Decisions, decisions

Similar situation, where I was at 71 nights.

Marriott Visa made the decision easy, as I received 15 additional EQ nights on approval, so I'm now Platinum.

That card turned out to be a pretty good deal in my eyes: a free 1-4 cert, 70k points, 15 EQNs, and 1st year fee waived.

After 1st year, 15 EQNs, free 1-5 cert, for $85 annually, I think that's a good deal for a business traveler who stays at Marriott a lot.

Now with Plat, and the card, I can really rack up Marriott Points. It will be quite significant a boost for me combining Plat with the Card.

Another Platinum benefit is that if you are trading Marriott Rewards points for Airline Frequent Flyer miles (which we do every year for "travel packages"), you get them fast tracked within 24 hours rather than paying a fee or waiting up to 6 weeks.

Oops, just notice I repeated LoganFlyer's post.

I think beside the 50% bonus points earned as Plat is the only significant benefit you have. Other than that, I don't see much difference between Gold and Plat status.

Oh come on, surely Plats are going to get upgraded before Gold and in general be treated better. Of course, since Marriott likes to close its lounges on the weekends and not provide breakfast at most hotels except Marriott itself, I find neither Gold nor Platinum worth anything near what Hilton Diamond or Starwood Preferred are worth. I'm letting my Marriott Gold status expire at the end of this year.

I agree; it's not worth it. I've been Plat for about 5 years now with Marriott and have since moved on to other chains, but they've still renewed my Plat status the last 2 years without me having stayed the required number of nights. The upgrades are few and far between, and hardly EVER to a suite (which is not technically allowed in the program anyway). Lounges are hardly ever open on a weekend, and it's like pulling teeth to get a 1pm checkout at most hotels.