Originally Posted by
Boraxo
The threads authored by insiders are often the most useful on flyertalk. However I still haven't seen answers to my top 4 questions:
(1) How do I get a decent room blocked for late arrival?
(2) How do I maximize chances of getting a great upgrade/suite?
(3) How do I minimize the chance of getting walked when I show up at midnight?
(4) Is there much of a difference between gold and plat status in terms of treatment?
Socrates has already answered this, but I thought I might add just a little.
The times I really want to really get that upgrade I will do one of the following two steps:
1. I will ask the Plat agent to call the hotel to see if the hotel will go ahead and upgrade me at the time of my making a reservation. I've had some decent luck with this at getting upgrades to 2-bedroom suites at RIs. Not all hotels will do this and they are well within the rules to say no.
2. I will ask the Plat agent if they will get me the contact info for the hotel's GM. I will send an email directly to the GM, tell them all the great things I have heard about their hotel (and the management there), let them know about my "special" occasion and ask about anything extra they can do. And I let them know that I understand upgrades are not guaranteed,but anything they can do to help that out would be appreciated. I've had some very nice upgrades at some very nice resorts doing this. And even when I don't get a great upgrade, the hotel usually finds some other way to say "thanks" for coming to celebrate your special occassion.