As a new PP this year, I'm happy with the overall experience.

I've had Suite upgrades for around 1 in 3 stays, which, given one of the hotels I use regularly doesn't have any suites is a good return. I've stayed in most of the hotels I use as a "mere" Plat and found Suite upgrades very rare at that level, so can see a definite difference.

Ocasionally when an hotel is full I do get close to nothing, and I shrug my shoulders and leave it be.

I have found that when I can't get the level of upgrade I'd usually see, some hotels do provide wine / fruit / cheese plate in the room as recompense, which I find more than adequate.

At the end of the day, upgrades are a privilege, not a right and if I wanted to guarantee that killer suite, then I need to pay for it.