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How is my SPG elite gold status as a Starwood Vistana owner affected by the Marriott merger?

Larry315

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As a Starwood timeshare owner with lifetime elite gold status, how will the Marriott merger affect my status?
 

dioxide45

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First, Vistana ownership doesn't give you lifetime status. You only have the status for as long as you are an owner. The merger won't impact your status in anyway, you will continue to be gold in the new program.
 

Robotpedlr

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The issue is the " value" of Gold Elite is less in the new program. I was always a Gold Elite and got free breakfast, lounge access, etc. Now you need Platinum for that. So Gold is really more like old Silver.
 

tschwa2

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The issue is the " value" of Gold Elite is less in the new program. I was always a Gold Elite and got free breakfast, lounge access, etc. Now you need Platinum for that. So Gold is really more like old Silver.
I thought as gold elite through SVN you got nothing at Marriott. You did not get free breakfast or lounge access at Starwood with gold. For the brief period - not "always" you got free breakfast and lounge access at Marriott's- still not at Starwood. When the program merger changed in August, you got "down graded" to perks similar to what you always had through Starwood.
 
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Robotpedlr

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Correct, I was referring to what I got as Gold Elite at Marriott (breakfast, etc), which I will no longer get in the future unless I hit Platinum based on what I have read.
 

tschwa2

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Now Gold is like gold in SPG which was like silver with MR. So you didn't really lose anything except you can use the same benefits that you were given as a Starwood/Vistana owner at Marriott hotels too. I also did briefly enjoy the gold status with Marriott and actually got a nice upgrade into a 2 BR suite once. SVN/Vistana always touted gold like it meant something which it really didn't and now in recognition MR downgraded us back down to where we always were but instead of taking away the title "gold" just downgraded what gold meant in their system.

One thing to keep in mind with SPG you got gold after 10 stays or 25 nights. With MR you got silver after I think 15 nights. Since vacation club stays at Vistana will now count maybe you can make platinum through number of nights.
 

vistana101

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Gold benefits have been devalued a bit. The primary benefit was guaranteed 4pm late check-out at non-resort or convention hotels, which has been reduced to 2pm and NOT guaranteed.
 

controller1

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Data Point: My wife had SPG Gold through our Vistana ownership. When I merged my wife's SPG and Marriott accounts, her status changed to Platinum Elite. I anticipate this is temporary and will change in February, when elite levels expire, back to Gold.
 

bobpark56

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Data Point: My wife had SPG Gold through our Vistana ownership. When I merged my wife's SPG and Marriott accounts, her status changed to Platinum Elite. I anticipate this is temporary and will change in February, when elite levels expire, back to Gold.
The same thing happened with our accounts...and I have the same anticipation.
 

lily28

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I was spg gold with match gold status on Marriott before the merger. For 2 days after the merger on 8/18, I was platinum on Marriott website but got downgrade to gold elite within a few days
 

tschwa2

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I was spg gold with match gold status on Marriott before the merger. For 2 days after the merger on 8/18, I was platinum on Marriott website but got downgrade to gold elite within a few days
That's what happened to me too.
 

lily28

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For me, spg gold is equal to Marriott gold elite. If I earn Marriott gold rather than got matched from spg gold, I would have been platinum elite.
 

controller1

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I was spg gold with match gold status on Marriott before the merger. For 2 days after the merger on 8/18, I was platinum on Marriott website but got downgrade to gold elite within a few days

That's what happened to me too.

Not here. I just checked and my wife is Marriott Platinum Elite. Zero nights. All she has is the SPG Gold from Vistana ownership.
 

elaine54

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I have the same case. After Aug 18, I was awarded Platinum Elite, now I only have Gold elite.
 

blondietink

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Yes, we had Platinum Elite for a couple of days. Now we have been downgraded to Gold Elite.
 

Negma

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I am curious to see if the do anything to 5* benefits. With the merger I am now Platinum Elite for Life through my lifetime stays. If they also add it TS stays, yay! Obviously I have traveled a fair amount and I am happy to have this benefit. I am curious if this has happened to other 5*s as we tend to share travel addictions.
 

Henry M.

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I got lifetime Platinum Elite when I combined my Starwood and Marriott account earlier this week. I no longer need to retain my 5* status for this benefit. I do like that they count TS nights towards the nights stay each year. I might make Platinum Premier that way. The only thing I missed was lifetime Platinum Premier. I am a year or two short of having had the required 750 nights, and this is a one time deal for those that achieve them before the end of 2018.

Unfortunately, making it easier to achieve the Platinum level also means they'll likely take away benefits and there will be more competition for room upgrades and the like. It isn't necessarily a good thing for those that already get the status under the old rules.
 
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YYJMSP

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I am curious to see if the do anything to 5* benefits. With the merger I am now Platinum Elite for Life through my lifetime stays. If they also add it TS stays, yay! Obviously I have traveled a fair amount and I am happy to have this benefit. I am curious if this has happened to other 5*s as we tend to share travel addictions.

I think I became Lifetime Platinum about 5yrs back (a few years after getting the 5*-based Platinum), and now I'm so far over the required thresholds in my hotel stays that I will be Lifetime Platinum Premier Elite in the new program when they run the sweep in Jan.

I should look into putting the 5*-based Platinum into my wife's name, bumping her VSE-sponsored Gold account up.
 

YYJMSP

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Unfortunately, making it easier to achieve the Platinum level also means they'll likely take away benefits and there will be more competition for room upgrades and the like. It isn't necessarily a good thing for those that already get the status under the old rules.

I'm hoping that they increase the benefits at the Platinum Premier Elite level to differentiate it from the Platinum Elite level. I see there's some verbiage about upgrades that seems to imply better treatment at the Premier level...
 

VacationForever

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Our neighbors are at 4-star elite, bought everything from the developer and also own a single pre-construction enrolled EOY Marriott Ko Olina, is still Gold only and they are not pleased. But they rarely stay at hotels anyway so it does not really matter except fewer bonus points on spending.
 

levatino

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Hi all, Is the gold benefit available to resale buyers by any chance?
 

alexadeparis

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controller1

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I am curious to see if the do anything to 5* benefits. With the merger I am now Platinum Elite for Life through my lifetime stays. If they also add it TS stays, yay! Obviously I have traveled a fair amount and I am happy to have this benefit. I am curious if this has happened to other 5*s as we tend to share travel addictions.

I'm curious about this too as I'm 5-Star Elite with Vistana.

The top two owner-elite levels within Marriott Vacation Club match to Platinum Premier. However, since Vistana timeshare stays will now count as an elite qualifying night, I should be able to earn Platinum Premier each year when those are combined with my SPG/Marriott hotel stays.
 

Allgoodwood

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I'm a Vistana Owner and my SPG app now shows me as Silver, not Gold Elite as all the FAQs state - I rang SPG and they told me that post merger they no longer recognise Vistana Owner status. Assume this is simply a customer service rep not having a clue...
 

VacationForever

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I'm a Vistana Owner and my SPG app now shows me as Silver, not Gold Elite as all the FAQs state - I rang SPG and they told me that post merger they no longer recognise Vistana Owner status. Assume this is simply a customer service rep not having a clue...
Resale or developer bought?
 
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