We are officially in the endgame.

With January 1st, 2026 staring us in the face, the window to lock in your elite status for next year is closing fast. This is the Mattress Run period—that weird time of year when booking a hotel room you might not strictly “need” actually makes financial sense.

If you haven’t audited your loyalty accounts this week, stop what you are doing and log in. Now.

1. The “So Close, Yet So Far” Check

Are you sitting at 48 nights with Marriott? 58 with Hyatt? Or just shy of that Platinum renewal?

If you are 1, 2, or even 4 nights away from the next tier, you have a decision to make.

• Do the math: If retaining top-tier status gets you free breakfast, lounge access, and suite upgrades worth $1,500+ next year, does it make sense to spend $300 on a local hotel stay this weekend to bridge the gap? Usually, yes.
• Don’t forget Credit Cards: You may be just a few dollars away from a spending milestone bonus (like an extra free night certificate or 10k bonus points). Check your year-to-date spend. It would be tragic to miss a 50k point bonus because you were $12 short.

2. Proceed with Caution ⚠️

Do not wait until last minute. Some loyalty program may take a few days to process, and you may have to contact the hotel.

Especially with Accor.

If you are cutting it close with Accor, do not wait until December 30th. Accor’s IT and support systems are notorious for being slow and, frankly, unreliable with posting status nights.

I have had to contact Accor support regarding missing status nights way more than any other loyalty program in the world.

If you stay on Dec 29th and the nights don’t post until Jan 4th, you risk a headache trying to get them retroactively applied to the 2025 qualifying year. Give yourself a buffer.

3. “Mattress Run” Strategy: Go Where the Suits Aren’t

You don’t need to fly to a resort to get a cheap night. Look at Business Hotels in financial districts or IT hubs.

• Why? Business travel dies down completely during the Christmas/New Year holidays.
• The Result: Hotels that usually charge $200/night for consultants often drop rates significantly to fill empty rooms during the holidays. Check the mundane, corporate hotels in your own city.

4. Don’t Burn Cash if Points Will Do

Remember that for most major chains (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt), Award Stays (booking with points) count toward elite status nights.

• If you are cash-poor but points-rich, burn a few points for a Category 1 hotel stay nearby to get over the line.
• Note: Check the fine print for third-party bookings (Expedia/Booking.com usually do not count). Always book direct.

5. The “Family Win-Win”

The term “Mattress Run” implies checking in and staring at a wall just for points. Don’t do that.

If you determine that spending $150 is worth it to secure your status, turn it into a Family Staycation.

• Find a local hotel with a decent pool or a nice bathtub.
• Pack the kids/partner, order room service, and take a break from the holiday chaos at home.
• You get the status; the family gets a mini-holiday. Everyone wins.

Summary Checklist before Dec 31:

• [ ] Check Status Nights count (Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, IHG, Accor).
• [ ] Check Credit Card spend milestones.
• [ ] Calculate the ROI: Don’t spend $500 to save $100.
• [ ] Book that staycation if the math works.

The clock is ticking.