I currently have a lifetime Silver status and looking to see if there is any way other than actual stays to get an upgrade to gold. I am going to be staying at a Marriott hotel for 30 days in Honolulu and looking to see if I can somehow get some of the Gold benefits for that long stay.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to stay at any Marriott's this year. I just found out about this travel and will be staying there in 3 weeks.
Not sure how you could get the nights credit and points, without earning them. You can buy points, but you'd be better off trying to work a package with the hotel to gain access to the lounge, if they have one, or included breakfast if they don't.
Otherwise, the only other real benefits would be a 25% bonus on points from your stay and a possible upgrade. The good news, if you stay 30 days, that gives you a great head start to making gold. You may also want to consider the Marriott Signature Visa. Will certainly help this year, from a points perspective, if you pay for your room with it. You would then get 5x your total bill, in addition to the 10x you get from Marriott Rewards on base points. Additionally, you get a boat load of points when you join, following a few months of spending - somewhere between 50-000 and 80,000 points, depending on what deal they are running now. Then, for next year, you will receive 15 nights credit. Add that to another 30 day stint, a few nights elsewhere - plus you get one night's credit for every $3,000 you spend, and you are pretty much guaranteed Gold.
So, odds are you can't attain gold for this stay, but since you will be there for 30 days, I would call the manager and try to get them to throw in the Concierge Lounge privilege or breakfast, and an upgraded room (size, view or both). Odds are, they will work with you. That would basically get you the same benefits as Gold (other than the points bonus). A 30 day stay should carry some weight.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think you may be out of luck with where your timetable is. Only potential way would be to somehow get a taste of gold challenge, but these usually can't be obtained by calling (only the normal status challenges can).
Regardless, 30 days is Honolulu sounds awesome, so have a great trip!
Bummer, figured I would ask! The breakfast cost there is ridiculous and definitely would've helped if it were free! Not to mention the room upgrades lol
Hi dmaslach,
psudad has done a great job summing up your your best options. As per droma 's post, members are solicited for "Taste of" Challenges, so it might be worth calling Rewards Support at 1-801-468-4000 to inquire about enrollment in a Challenge, where they'd tell you if you were eligible for a Taste of Gold or a standard Gold Status Challenge. A Gold Status Challenge would give you 3 months to complete 6 separate paid stays to earn Gold Status, but you wouldn't be given Gold status until you completed the challenge, which is where it differs from the Taste of Challenge.
Best of luck, and if there's anything else we can help with, please let us know.
Enjoy Honolulu!
Well since I've only had 1 stay this year, they couldn't really do anything.. Too bad... I was hoping to get out of paying for the expensive breakfasts they have there ($30!!)
With a 30 day stay like psudad I'd think a call to the hotel GM may well gain lounge access and a room upgrade. It's a good stay. The extra half-point per $ of Gold over Silver isn't worth worrying about. Alternatively you could consider obtaining the Ritz credit card. It comes with a hefty $400 fee but a lot of valuable perks including instant upgrade to Marriott Gold, the best person to fill you in,on this is our resident card-sharp jsucool76
Do remember if you're staying at a resort Gold bennies are pretty meaningless, no breakfast, no lounge...
+1 to brightlybob
Fastest way to get guaranteed gold status is the Ritz card. No mucking about with customer service trying to get it.
Definitely contact the hotel GM though.
Ritz card as mentioned is $395 but comes with gold status, a $300 airline incidental credit, a 10% bonus on all points earned through card spend, and the sign up bonus is usually 2 free nights in a tier 1-4 property which is easily worth more than $395.
There is also the lounge club access for you and as many authorized users as you add. (each can get their own lounge card, and authorized users are free).
I'll echo that if the hotel is a resort, gold status won't matter,but you may still be able to wring breakfast out of the GM.
I have an addiction to credit card related anything.
jsucool76 , i have an addiction to the Marriott credit card too while trying to reach lifetime Platinum elite. Points points points!!!!!
I am not a lifetime member but wanted to upgrade to gold for a trip to Key West. I called and customer service upgraded me for a year to gold. I did have stays within that year but was surprised they were so accommodating to upgrade me for a year without the required stays for that level.
How many nights do you have so far this year, and when is your stay?