Marriott Rewards "Platinum Elite" status -- experiences?
 

Sudden, substantial increase in required travel caused me to attain "Platinum Elite," the highest status category in the Marriott Rewards program.

As I reviewed the brochure I received with my "welcome" letter, I could not fail to notice that one of the benefits advertised is the upgrading to the best available accomodation (if available upon check-in and assuming your reservation is properly entered, not PriceLine/Hotwire, etc. etc.).

Anyone have any experience, pleasant or otherwise they would be willing to share?

Thanks.

I'm only Silver with Marriott so no direct experience. I did recently discover (from another post here) the Flyertalk.com boards. The folks at these boards are experts on all things point/reward related. There is a seperate board for Marriott Rewards. The site has been down for a few days for upgrading but should be up again soon. You should check it out.

My husband has been Platinum Elite for approximately 10 years. On our vacation stays we have always been upgraded, but it is usually to an improved view or to a higher floor. You will not ordinarily be upgraded to a suite. In Hawaii, for example, we also book the lowest room type (city or mountain), and receive ocean view rooms, and sometimes ocean front.

The biggest advantage, to me, is when there is a concierge level at the hotel. Our stay in London had a concierge room with a very nice breakfast buffet (smoked salmon, cheese, meats, etc.) as well as extensive hors d'oeuvres in the evening that could serve as a meal. Unfortunately, Marriott has discontinued most of their concierge levels at their resort properties, and at many of their hotels on weekends.

Marriott even upgrades your room on award stays, and upgrades both rooms if you have a separate room for your children.

We have always got upgrades - both on paid and award stays to a better room.

On a recent stay in Jamaica we were upgraded to the cabana rooms which am told are the better ones. We were given a gift basket everyday with some goodies :). Earlier during our stays we have been upgraded to concierge level - very nice.

We have generally had a good experience with the whole Platinum Elite thing. Have fun :)

Mcqueeney449=

Thanks for the heads-up on Flyertalk.com.

I checked it out and discovered dozens and dozens of posts regarding Marriott's upgrade policy/practices for the Platinum Elite members of their Marriott Rewards (frequent guest) program.

To say the folks there, for the most part, weren't crazy about it would be a huge understatement.

Did you know that if a Marriott property is sold out they will bump/walk a reserved guest to make room for a Plat Elite member? Marriotts are never sold out for elites.

My husband no longer travels, but we have been granted permanent platinum elite status as he was one of the first Marriott Marquis members (we have a 3 digit number!) and had earned millions of points. We have tons of points still, mainly from room charges and my predilection for spas :-)

We always get a room, we never ask for upgrades but always receive them and we usually get a welcoming basket of fruit and wine and a personal note from the hotel manager. At the resorts in high season, there may be a special cocktail party for the Platinums, although we haven't been to one recently.

The program has created great loyalty for the chain and was a brilliant move by Marriott. Frequent business travel is a hardship for most travellers and their families and it is a nice perk that helps make up for those lost times.

LilMissFoodie - well I think I know exactly what your life since my husband is working his way toward Platinum Elite Emeritus. He has the years and the nights, just needs another 500,000 points which should take another 1 1/2 years of almost full time stays.

Flyertalk is a wonderful website and is lots of fun to read, but just remember that most posters there are highly critical of the smallest details of programs. (They all know the pros and cons of every airline seat on every plane!) :)

You could look at it like this, the way you will be treated as a Platinum Elite is better than the way you'll be treated without it.