This kind of thing is hugely frustrating. If the upgraded room is going to go empty anyway, why not make a loyal guest happy by giving it to them?! Maybe some front desk clerks have had bad experiences with plats and so they don't want to extend courtesies like upgrades. And granted suites are technically not included in the upgrade policy. But it is exactly this kind of nickel-and-diming, staff indifference, and neglect of loyalty that has driven almost all of my business away from Hilton, Starwood, and Hyatt.