My outside view looking in, at the better managed FS hotels, is that the hotels actually start deciding who is going to be in what specific room a day or two in advance. Sure, they suffle things around right up until check in, but many times I've noticed my "room type" change a day or so in advance from say "general room" to "conceriege level" or something else.

I know they do room blocking, as there is someone at the FS hotels actively doing this function. Normally it is something you never need to see or be involved with, but occasionally (I mean I've stayed at marriott for a huge number of nights) you might run into them or their function.

The more busy a hotel is, and the more room types, the more active the hotel has to be. If all the rooms are exactly the same (except for king/double) then there isn't much room blocking to be done.

Billy