DONE with SPG/Marriott
 

I have been a Platinum member with SPG for three years. I stayed over 100 nights this last year between Starwood and Marriott. I was just demoted to Gold in both programs because I barely missed the threshold in each program. They conducted exactly zero due diligence to see I had stayed over 100 nights between the two and are unwilling to "make an exception". They even had the balls to offer me a "Platinum Challenge". Has anyone else had this experience? I called Hyatt today and they will honor my Platinum status Day 1. I am switching programs this week and closing my Marriott CC account. I am absolutely appalled and certainly hope you all realize what you're dealing with here. Only a matter of time before they treat you all the same way.

It's a short sighted plan currently in place but all parties involved have made it very clear there is no combining of nights yet for status. And for 2019 status it looks to be the same way.

If you can make 60 nights work w/the Hyatt limited footprint, more power to you.

I don't understand your complaint. You're angry that loyalty programmes are following their own clearly outlined rules for (re-)qualification?

I am in a sophisticated, customer centric line of business. You make things right for your elite customers, bottom line, end of story. Short sighted is a gross understatement.

Best of luck finding anywhere near the amount of Hyatt properties to stay at.
Second you know what the qualifying nights are for *wood (you say you were Plat for the last 3 years) so why would you not just repeat the 50 night threshold as you did in previous years?
Marriott's threshold is higher....a simple google check would have avoided many of these problems.

Okay would Hilton be a better option? They have both offered to honor my Platinum status so it really doesn't matter to me either way.

To the responses above: Yes, I should've checked. However, if you are Marriott do you think it's wise to treat someone that has spent well over $40K each of the last three years at your Hotels like this? Talk about "cutting your nose to spite your face"

In addition, I stay mostly in big cities. Shouldn't be an issue even if Hyatt has a limited base.

That depends. You'll have to do your own analysis of the benefits Hilton provides its Diamonds against the offerings of the other programs. Someone in a sophisticated, customer-centric line of business like you should have no trouble making this determination.

Thank you CLEguy, sarcasm appreciated.

First of all, you're not an elite customer, or you would have sastisfied the requirements. Second, a "sophisticated, customer centric line of business" (or any line of a successful business for that matter) doesn't cave into the demands of one person at the expense of millions of others.

I don't think it's short-sighted at all,. They have decided that you're not the kind of customer they want, which is their right as a business. Just as it's your right to decide that they're not the kind of company you want.

I do. It's a business that establishes clear goals and enforces them. Exactly what I like.

I stayed over 100 nights last year. How would that not qualify me as being an Elite customer? I have stayed over 100 nights at Starwood in previous years. You're absolutely right, maybe I'm not the customer they want. That's fine, someone else does and I'll be happy to take my business elsewhere.

So it sounds like you ended up with say 48 nights with SPG and 70 nights with Marriott. I don't think you will find anyone else on this forum with this experience because everyone else on this forum would have made sure to cross the threshold with one or the other. I am honestly curious why you didn't do the same. If you stay in big cities it was just one trip where you had to stay at most a couple blocks away to stay at an SPG instead of Marriott property.

As a lifetime SPG plat, i think the top tier at hyatt is a much better program, but as people have alluded to, the footprint is very spotty. If you are confident that Hyatt has coverage for where you need to go (for both work and pleasure), just stick with that.

Welcome to FT tb21nym. Shame you didn't join sooner. It's been discussed many times that the programs aren't merging until at least 2019. Sorry. :(

If Hyatt comped you globalist status (i.e. the equivalent of Diamond status, as opposed to "explorist" or whatever the equivalent is for what used to be Platinum), you'll like it. You get full breakfast (not "continental"), the at-check-in suite upgrades have (in my experience) been very good, and of course you can't beat the confirmed-at-booking upgrades (assuming you were given them). Cash and Points redemptions can be good value and have good availability, and the free valet parking on award stays (and no resort fees on any stays) is a nice touch.

Last year with SPG's promos I accumulated 75 night credits w/ SPG. I also did 60 on the dot for Hyatt. If I had to pick one, I'd probably pick Hyatt despite the limited footprint because I have good Hyatt options that fit my particular travel patterns. But keep in mind that Hyatt's lower-end properties (Hyatt Place, Hyatt House) are kind of junky, much like Four Points, Alofts, and decaying domestic Sheratons can be... some are good but some are just not.

Mainly just be clear that you're actually getting top-tier status. Platinum is top tier at Starriott, but Diamond is top at Hilton and Globalist is top at Hyatt.

If there was one programme, or if stays were aggregated, I would have been Platinum. Instead I am Gold in both - i.e. unimportant to both

It seems it would take real effort to stay "over 100 nights" across the two separate programs in 2017, and not achieve Platinum status in either one of them.

For SPG Platinum, you only needed 25 Eligible Stays or 50 Eligible Nights.

You indicated you had a Marriott Chase Visa (which provides 15 elite-qualifying nights, plus another for each $3000 spent on the card), So, you would have needed no more than 60 nights for Rewards Platinum.

With more than 100 nights, all it would have taken is a bit more attention to the qualification rules and picking a few hotels more carefully in 2017.