Hi All,

For the past 3 years I've been Gold with Starwood. In March of this year I started staying at Marriott hotels. I split my stays between Marriott and SW and at the end of this year I have 34 nights with Marriott.
My question is, how I can sample Gold service with Marriott? Silver status doesn't give you anything with exception of 20% bonus.
On average I stay between 60-80 nights a year in hotels. I don't want to get something that I will regret later.
I know what level of service I will get with SW hotels being Gold, but what about Marriott?
Whom should I speak to, to get Gold status for let say my next two Marriott stays?

Thanks,
Ralph

You will probably be flamed for not searching, but here goes:
1 - If you get a MR credit card you get 15 nights credit. With just one more night before 12/31, you would have gold until 2/9. You would be the best judge whether it is worth it to you to get the credit card.
2 - Marriott is not a big fan of doing status matches. However, you should call CS and try anyway. Expect to show some proof of your stays with the other hotel brand. If you get lucky, MR may make you temp gold and require you to stay a certain amount of nights to retain the status. Expect to possibly make a number of calls for this to happen; you might also get conflicting info.
3 - There are other ways to make gold (e.g. 12 month revolving window), but the above 2 are the main ways.

Good luck.

ZakkW

I have had the most luck with Marriott rewards so I prefer to stay at Marriott properties. HHonors rewards are very expensive. I don't know how that compares with SPG because I have not had the pleasure

As for silver, gold, plat. Silver you can get easily. Gold will take a bit of effort but you can get:

1. access to Concierge lounge even if you are not on that floor.

2. Upgrades are free with gold and plat, but the upgrade is nothing to write home about.

3. Special number to call for reservations.

4. Bigger bonus for gold and plat.

5. Special offers and coupons like 2 for 1 at dinner and extra nights for free.

Happy Travels!

Unless a big chunk of those 34 nights were in January 2007, apply for your Marriott Visa in late Dec or early Jan. You want the 15 EQN to hit your account in 2008, and as long as you have a rolling calendar 50 nights, you're Gold through early 2010.

The biggest benefit of Gold over Silver is access to the Elite Exclusive Offers. Second biggest benefit is probably lounge access, although to me this one diminishes a bit every year as fewer lounges are open fewer total hours. One you get to Plat, the Platinum Override benefit is added along with a welcome amenity (a beverage and snack choice - wine & cheese, for example).

Major upgrades are rare for both levels. Both levels will typically get you a desirable non-suite room. On the C-level if applicable. Otherwise high floor, good view, etc. I think SPG is the program for people who love getting big upgrades...

Marriott gave me a challenge when I asked if they could accelerate my reaching gold: 12 nights in 90 days. You might want to ask them for a challenge but seeing as you already 34 nights, 12 more and you're only 4 short of gold anyway.

My 2 cents

You could try paying for concierge level access to the lounge on your next two Marriott stays. Just won't get the bonus points.

Thank you all for the help. I don't need another credit card so that option is out. I will ask them for the challenge, if they wont let me do it then I will pay for the concierge level access to see how it is being Gold with Marriott.

Thanks again!

As to whether the upgrade is something to write home about or not, it depends on the property and the situation. At some places, depending on availability, I'm almost always upgraded to rather good-sized (64 sq. mtr. or about 640 sq. ft.) suite (with free breakfast). Better upgrades on the whole than with Starwood Gold, in my experience.

Yes, but only if you're Platinum with SPG (that's where the suite upgrades kick in as a matter of course). As a Gold SPG, I've gotten the occasional suite upgrade, but *very* occasional (I think three times in the last seven years). In fact, I got more suite upgrades as an HHonors Gold than as a Starwood Gold.

As a silver member, I have 29 nights now. Received a letter a month ago from Marriott saying that if I stay 10 more nights by year end, they will upgrade me to Gold.

I got the same offer and had the same # of nights. I completed my 10 more stays, but there was a glitch in the system and it didn't start recording these stays immediately. After talking with MR, they overruled the computer and bumped me to Gold. ^

Yes - very true. I forgot to even mention it...I always think of Starwood as having only 1 real elite level - Platinum. I'm a Gold...it's the wallet-candy status. I have it because I use the SPG Amex.

That is no comparison !

SPG Gold is more like Hilton Silver... I rarely got any upgrade as Hilton Silver either !

Well, I wrote email to Marriott and I've got the challenge. They asked me to stay 12 nights between January 1st and March 31st.
This is very doable, only one week each month I'm sure I will complete it by mid February.

Thanks all!

I've got gold status at Hilton, but I would much rather stay at marriots. My wife and I think that the quality of the hiltons varies to much and have stayed at some that just weren't that nice.
We try to rack up the points on the marriot rewards card to stay there even though we have the better status on the Hilton.

An exception to this is the hilton in downtown San Fran. ..Wow that was a nice hotel