I had an interesting experience at a Doubletree in Tucson. I stayed last Wednesday and got a nice room on the executive floor including a welcome gift in the room. I returned to this hotel on Saturday and handed them my gold card and said, "This is who I am, let me get my credit card for you." I then dug around somewhat unnecessarily for a minute for my credit card. This gives them a chance to see you are gold without looking pretentious by just dropping your card on the counter (or at least this is my theory). In this case, the clerk told the other person working to change my room to one on the executive level and he then picked up the phone and told someone to go to my room and that I was a gold (presumably to deliver my gift). So, even though I was gold in the computer, until I presented my card it apparently didn't mean anything on Saturday while it did on Wednesday!! Go figure.