rln

I just satisfied requirements for lifetime platinum over the weekend. This event was celebrated at the San Mateo California Marriott. I'd never stayed at that property but knew the assistant manager and front desk supervisor from their days at the Sea-Tac Marriott. I was put up in a two story loft suite - three, count em, three HDTV's!!! The room was decked out with congratulatory balloons. I was given a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and a Marriott bathrobe embroidered with my name. Everyone, I believe, went above and beyond to make my weekend stay a great one. I'd stayed at most of the full service Marriotts and Renaissances around the Bay Area but had somehow missed this one. I would like to recommend it to anyone visiting San Francisco. Its a unique Spanish style with palm trees surrounding the pool. The food is exemplary. The C-Lounge is among the best I've been to - and if I've ever seen a better breakfast offered anywhere else, it has not come to mind. The lounge offered various smoothies, eggs, chicken-apple sausages, a fantastic choice of fresh fruits, fresh (not prepackaged) cream cheese blends, and a good choice of juices and cereals. Coke and Pepsi products!!!!! The property offers free shuttle service to and from the San Francisco Airport where Bark can whisk you into the city. It seems many folks who post on this site dismiss so-called "airport" hotels in favor of downtown hotels closer to "the action." In my experience, better hotels are sometimes found outside the city center. The San Mateo is such a property. In actuallity, the Marriott-Burlingame is more properly the "airport" hotel. Check out the prices between a downtown stay and a stay at a property such as San Mateo; compare what you get for your dollars. You will be a winner when you stay at the San Mateo Marriott when visiting San Francisco. In my march to lifetime status, I recall some special places not often reviewed in these posts: Ross Bridge Renaissance in Hoover, Alabama, Dahomey Resort (12th century castle) in Edinburgh, Scotland, Budapest Marriott (had a great Texas barbeque on the patio), Liverpool South - an abandoned airport terminal and tower converted into a very nice property, the Sea-Tac Marriott - home of the Salmon Scramble and a sentimental favorite of mine. I'll put the San Mateo Marriott alongside these special places.

annerj

Sounds cool. I've not heard of this hotel before. Do you have a link to it?

hhoope01

Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club might be it.

annerj

Thanks! I just couldn't find it the way it was spelled.

slowly

Budapest is nice indeed!

Liverpool South is interesting architecturally, yet didn't like the service at all (stayed there for one night a couple of weeks ago), had to change the room 3 times until got what I had reserved (king bed, nonsmoking and high floor simultaneously).

Was asked which newspaper I'd like and charged for it afterwards. No mention of cost in the beginning.

There was no bathrobe in the room, so called and asked for one. Available for a charge...

TV remote was not working but I was already fed up with them. Maybe a working unit is available for an addition charge...

DJ_Iceman

So did you tip off the property (or your friends from Sea-Tac) in advance that you were crossing the lifetime threshold, or did they find out on their own. I'm impressed either way, but ESPECIALLY impressed if this is something Marriott corporate or particular properties do whenever someone passes this major threshold.

CPRich

I guess I found the real answer. According to Customer Service in Feb I had 599 nights and 1.28M points. According to Customer Service today I have 598 nights and 1.42M points.

So it wasn't good corporate rates, or bonuses, or lack of a MR credit card - it was bad data.

Fortunately the change in points matches what I calculate for the year, and that's still my bottleneck, so not a big deal on the nights. It's been a slow '08, so I'll get to the first level by mid-next year. That's 15 years as a member. At this rate I'll hit lifetime PLT in time to retire.

allset2travel

Well good for you!
I recall nothing of the sort happened to me when I turned Life Plat

iflyjetz

Do any other hotel chains offer lifetime status?

VA1379

Hyatt offers lifetime diamond. You must earn 1 million base points with them to get it (i.e. spend $200,000 with them and credit it towards earning points).

JAKMICH

Question - longer time "watcher" of flyertalk - newer member (great info here!). As someone interested in using Marriott more in 2009, due to locations and my travel, if I were able to get a Plat challenge in early 2009, would it qualify the needs to be "at least once" at that tier for future lifetime status?

Also - may not be the right thread, but if I received a challenge, and finished in Q1 '09 - would I remain Plat till Feb 2011?

Thanks in advance

BigYellowDog

Great hotel. Both times I've stayed there, they've put me up in their corner suite. I would highly recommend this property.

Just Passing Thru

That's a very good question. I don't think anyone has ever asked it.

Marriott Concierge, can we get a ruling on this, please?

Marriott Concierge

As long as you complete the terms of the challenge it will count. Regarding your expiration date, generally speaking you are correct; however, this could be different depending on your challenge. It would be best to verify individually with Guest Services to find out what the terms of the challenge are.

Ira

travelexpert

I thought that MVI timeshare owners can only trade for MR points every OTHER year....