The best status in the Bovoy program is Platinum Elite: everything you need to know
Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world. A few days ago, hotel number 8000 opened its doors, a figure [...]
Marriott
Marriott is the world's largest hotel chain. Hotel number 8000 opened its doors a few days ago., a monstrous figure that covers all continents and all types of hotels, from the cheapest to those offering the most expensive rooms in the world.
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The loyalty program is called Bonvoy and provides 5 levels: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador. Of these, the best in terms of benefits offered and "ease" of being achieved is definitely the Platinum level.
I've never hidden that I prefer the Hilton Honors program in Italy, but it's fair to talk about the other programs as well because if you travel a lot around the world, Hilton may not be the ideal program.
In this article I will try to summarize everything about this level: how it is obtained, the benefits, how to take advantage of it, and how to maximize the accumulation of points.
How to get Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status
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To achieve Marriott Platinum status you must stay 50 nights in a calendar year. As we have had a chance to explain, unlike airline loyalty programs, those of hotels Count all nights, paid and premium nights, as qualifying. There are no shortcuts that calculate stays or how much you spend, you need 50 nights.
The swimming pool at the Marriott the Surawongse in Bangkok
Unfortunately, there are no different ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status in Italy. Sure, American Express Platinum cardholders have access to the Gold level, but to rise to Platinum there are no "lightened" thresholds, you still need 50 nights.
At this time, and until the beginning of May, there is a Marriott promotion giving away a qualifying night for every night stayed, thus effectively halving the nights needed to reach 50.
In the U.S., U.K. and other nations where there are credit cards linked to the Bonvoy program, it is easier to obtain this level and higher ones as well, but there is currently none of this in Italy.
The benefits for Platinum Elite level holders
It is important to know that the benefits you get from the status vary depending on the type of hotel where you stay and the sign.
Phuket's Marriot Merlin Beach
In general, however, a guest with this level can expect:
- Room upgrades, up to the suite. This is a right to be assigned the best available room in the hotel upon check-in for the duration of your stay. Unlike the Hilton Honors where, despite recent changes, this upgrade is not certain and always depends on the hotel. The upgrade is excluded when staying at these insignia: Marriott Vacation Club, Marriott Grand Residence Club, Aloft, Element, and Vistana; while at Ritz-Carlton properties, in-suite upgrades are available only to Titanium and Ambassador members
- Access to executive lounges. The primary guest and a guest staying in the same room receive guaranteed lounge access at the following Marriott brands: Autograph Collection, Delta, JW Marriott, Le Meridien, Marriott, Renaissance, Sheraton and Westin. M Lounges are reserved for status holders or guests who book an executive room. Breakfast is served in these spaces, and during the rest of the day they are perfect for munching on snacks, drinks, and cocktails.
- Welcome gift of your choice (with optional breakfast). With each stay, Bonvoy program members receive a gift that varies depending on their status and preferences. To see how many different possibilities there are just see the table below that summarizes the various gifts depending on the hotel where you stay.
As you can also see with Platinum status, the possibility of receiving free breakfast is not certain, or rather it is one of the gifts that can be requested. If the hotel has a lounge, breakfast will be included because of the Platinum level reserved access, otherwise you will have to choose between points, breakfast or one of the other gifts offered by the hotel. In case you choose breakfast as a benefit in a hotel that has a lounge you will then be able to have breakfast in the restaurant and not just in the lounge, but of course I do not recommend that.
- Late check-out at 4 p.m. guaranteed. No need to ask for anything; this is an automatic and guaranteed benefit. The only exception is at resorts, where late check-out is subject to availability. This benefit is worth so much, it means being able to check out of the room even more than 24 hours after arriving at the hotel.
- 50% of Bonvoy bonus points. This bonus allows you to maximize point accumulation, getting up to 15 points for every dollar spent on facility and all qualifying expenses.
- Premium Internet access. You will have free access to wi-fi and should receive a faster connection than other hotel guests receive.
- Ultimate Reservation Guarantee. It guarantees compensation if something during your stay does not meet the standard set forth in your reservation. Specifically, this guarantee comes into play if the reservation is not honored, if you do not receive the welcome gift, if you are not given access to the lounge, or if the type of bed in the room is not as requested.
- Platinum Choice Benefits. Each user, each year, can choose their Platinum Benefits from these options:
- 5 Suite Night Awards. Indicates ability to request room upgrade to suite for one night (up to 5 nights) up to five days prior to check-in
- 5 Elite Night Credits, That is, having 5 qualifying nights already in your account
- Giving away Silver status
- 40% discount on the purchase of a mattress
- Choosing to whom to donate 100$
Of course, the best benefit is what Americans call the SNA, Suite Night Awards, because it allows you to request the guaranteed upgrade from the hotel before you arrive, it must be used knowing that it can be requested for all nights of the specific stay. So if you book for 3 nights, you will need to have at least 3 SNAs available, since you will not be able to request it for only one night if you stay for multiple nights in the same hotel.
If I were to line up the various benefits my ranking would be this
- Free breakfast/Lounge access
- Check-out at 4 p.m.
- Upgrade to suite
- SNA
- Bonus points
Achieve Platinum status for life
The Bonvoy program allows users to obtain lifetime status:
- Silver for life After staying at least 250 nights and maintaining Silver status for at least five years
- Gold for life After staying at least 400 nights and maintaining Elite Gold status or higher for seven years
- Platinum for life After staying 600 nights and maintaining Platinum status or higher for 10 years
N.B. The elite level obtained through credit cards counts toward lifetime status.
In conclusion
My favorite program is Hilton Honors, because I find that. Gold level is currently the best of all the elite programs available, especially for the Italian market and for a user like me who travels a lot but likes to try different facilities each time. Of course, if there were accelerators in Italy like the American credit cards that make it easier to obtain status, I would probably make a different argument. Nowadays I don't go crazy to reach this level and I I'll settle for the Gold included in my American Express Platinum.
Although staying as Platinum or Gold gives a distinctly different experience, because there is a huge gap between the benefits in terms of savings and improvement of the stay.
