After reading all this thread, I wanted to see if I could get "comp'ed" to an elite status. I did, and got silver over the phone. It is already posted on my rewards profile, one day later. I was asked if I could document the number of nights a year I travel, and when I agreed to do this, they later on in the call said never mind.
I have to do a mini "challenge", which is x number of nights by December 31.
Not bad. Now the big question: will silver status be enough to get me on the concierge level?
Thumper