Need 2 stays to requalify as Plat - help me convince wife I should
 

I am having trouble trying to convince my wife that I should re-qualify for Platinum. So far I have had poor luck with SPG as far as getting special treatment.

With only two stays needed I think it is a no-brainer that I should try for Platinum again, especially if they have a free-night promo again next year and I don't re-qualify I will be kicking myself.

I have started a list - I know if I go to Sheraton Waikiki, Le Meridien Cancun, The Nines, Portland, Sheraton in Salzburg, LM Bangkok, I will have an awesome lounge experience So that may be where I should choose first. But my real question is, can someone suggest a hotel that I can take the wife to that she will say…yup good thing you are platinum. A hotel where I should be 100% guaranteed something special.

Even without suite upgrades, she shouldn't take for granted two key things as a Plat: you almost always get a good room (top floor, view, corner etc...) and Plat 500pt bonus per stay gets you enough bonus points over 25 stays in a year for a free night at some pretty nice properties. Maybe our expectations are low?

We just did Sheraton Arabella Munich (suite), LM Nice (corner room with great view), LM Monaco (topfloor sea view, followed by really nice crystal suite), Sheraton Genoa (corner suite), Sheraton Roma Golf (junior suite), FP Bolzano (huge suite with view). Those were all points or cash/points stays and in most cases were not jaw dropping upgrades but we really enjoyed them. The two LMs comp'd us nice, local bottles of wine to enjoy on our balcony. So my wife is fully behind my SPG Plat status. To her the ability to stay somewhere way out of our usual price range like St. Regis Rome, Excelsior Florence or Westin Paris and not getting put in a closet because we are staying for free is reason enough for a few odd nights here or there.

You might try the Westin in Avon, Colorado where we've always gotten amazing 1 bedroom suites with kitchen and fireplace in the off season.

Good luck making the case!

P.S. We don't care much about lounges (of the list above only the Arabella Munich had a decent one but the Westin accross the road is much better if you like lounges).

You only need 2 stays over the next two months and you're having issues? You're not allowed to spend a couple of hundred bucks without "permission"?

With you being in Victoria, grab the 4 Points on C&P on the cheap. They now count as stays towards Plat status.

A lot of women like the Nines because of the decor. Also, the lounge has free flowing alcohol, if that's your thing.

A better bet is to advise where you're going to first, and then we can let you know which SPG props you should stick to.

Not married are you?

I certainly am, but I don't need permission to spend $200.

I think the problem is that that OP's wife doesn't think too highly of SPG Plat. The second sentence references lack of special treatment. So my guess is that OP's wife thinks chasing SPG Plat is not worth the $200.

No Brainer...
 

You've stayed 23 times (assuming no AX cc credits) and you don't see any value in staying 2 more times before the end of the year?

Do yourself a favor and make 2 more stays... I don't think you'll regret it. Alternatively, search the web for a big rubber foot and rig it up with a rope... hang it over the door in such a way that you can kick yourself during 2012 any time you want.

You're approaching this from the wrong end. Do it. Then afterwards, remind her about the great benefits you'll (she'll) get as a result. Much easier sell that way.

Westin Diplomat. Nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but this property knows how to treat Plats! :D

Thanks for the tips so far everyone. :) As far as location, I need 6800 EQP's to requalify as AA Executive Platinum, so pretty well anywhere in the world is good. (Only caveat is that I don't want to spend more then $300 per night - much cheaper would be better)

Now that award nights count, he doesn't even necessarily have to spend the $200.

Platinum isn't just potential "special treatment" which may not materialize; there's also the 500 point amenity. If you have 20 stays next year, that's an extra 10,000 points you'll get for having achieved platinum this year, which can get you a free night.

Congrats you must be a newlywed. :)I