Originally Posted by
stifle
Third-party bookings are eligible for status benefits such as upgrades and free internet, except where the specific hotel is not known until after the booking is made, in which case you get nothing.
(These are the rules as written; as ever, YMMV.)
I've had Hilton hotels in Europe give me Gold/Diamond benefits on all of my Priceline NYOP bookings made this year. US Hilton hotels are less generous, but some of them also grant at-hotel status benefits.