In 2016 I spent almost half the year in hotels. I earned Hyatt’s top tier status and I earned 100 night Starwood Platinum status. Here’s what Starwood does for you when you stay 100 nights a year.

I said at the time that I wouldn’t hit 100 nights with Starwood again. I just wasn’t going to travel as much, and I still wanted to earn top tier with Hyatt too. I also knew that I could keep Starwood Platinum by signing up for the Ritz-Carlton credit card and spending $75,000 on it.

I still spent about 100 nights in hotels total in 2017 but didn’t hit 25 stays or 50 nights with Starwood. I got a note from my Starwood Ambassador saying that I would lose that service after the end of February but would still be a Platinum member. I assumed this was a mistake, she was sending out emails from a template to each person in her portfolio that didn’t do 100 nights in 2017 and there probably wasn’t anyone else going from 100+ nights to less than 50.

Still I wondered, does Starwood offer ‘soft landings’ from Platinum to Platinum?

Starwood’s terms and conditions do say that if you don’t requalify for Platinum you are soft landed to Gold.

The Platinum Minimum Requirement must be achieved in the subsequent Qualifying Period to remain a Platinum Preferred Guest during such subsequent Qualifying Period or the SPG Member will be downgraded to a Gold Preferred Guest on March 1st of the calendar year following such subsequent Qualifying Period.

W Doha

In addition I have lifetime Gold status, I earned Gold through stays and nights, and I would still receive gold from my Platinum American Express card. I was pretty sure under the rules I should be Gold.

Starwood has four ‘tiers’ of Platinum status. All are deemed Platinum.

• 25 stays earns Platinum status, upgrades to best available room including standard suites at check-in, club lounge access and an amenity choice which includes breakfast if there’s no club lounge available.

• 50 nights earns Platinum status and a benefit choice including 10 ‘Suite Night Awards’ which allow upgrades to be prioritized and confirmed up to 5 days prior to arrival.

• Platinums who stay 75 nights earn an extra Starpoint per dollar and can request ‘Your24’ 24 hour check-in, check in whatever time you wish and check out at the same time (or if you check in 9 a.m. or later you still get 4 p.m. late checkout where applicable).

• Platinums who stay 100 nights are assigned an Ambassador to handle all of their Starwood-related needs.

They call all four ‘levels’ Platinum, but not all Platinums are created equal. Starwood offers soft landings (to Gold) so it wasn’t entirely surprising to see that I was given a soft landing from 100 night Platinum.. not doing to 75 or 50 night Platinum but down to base Platinum. I didn’t get the benefit choice for 50 nights, the extra Starpoint, or continued eligibility for Your24.

They figure I suppose they ought to keep me in the program since I’ve demonstrated the potential to give them 100 nights. I certainly hope I don’t do that this year.