Random thoughts...

- The Starwood crossover benefit doesn't prioritize DL elites over SPG Platinums. This is likely a statistically small number of total room-nights anyway, but if a DL elite gets great service at an SPG hotel, it's almost assuredly done within the context of Platinums getting treated well too. The T's & C's don't promise suites at all to the DL elites...if they get one, then good for them. The stated benefits are more like a Preferred Plus / Gold type of treatment.

- I think a lot of people overlook the importance of length of stay. People say upgrades go by status tier and then rate paid. You're a Plat 100 checking in for a week. I'm the basic 23-night Plat checking in for one night. I might get a suite even if you don't. I think this happens a *lot*, based on my own experiences over the years at all three of the big chains. If I get the Presidential Suite at any status tier, it's inevitably for a 1 or 2 night stay. If I'm somewhere for a week, I consider a junior suite very lucky.

- I have never received a true suite in my SPG Gold years, so I can't imagine complaining that the DL elites are taking them from me. Back in the day, HH Gold was a much better upgrade tier than SPG Gold. (Now I realize neither of them are very good.) HH Gold definitely did result in multiple great suites over the years, including at some excellent resorts.

- With any hotel, anyone can write or call asking for an upgrade. If you have a decent story to tell and a decent elite status, I can see where they'd honor that request. It's one of those cards I've played maybe 3-4 times in my life. I'm just assuming that any halfway significant hotel management software would by able to alert a manager if I was doing this for every stay, so I do it rarely. But I wouldn't extrapolate this treatment broadly to the status tiers themselves.

- A Carriage House studio suite with a jacuzzi and balcony in the French Quarter sounds like an outstanding upgrade for any elite tier. I wouldn't bum out too hard about not getting one of the "large" suites.

- Hotels don't know or care whether you're being reimbursed by someone else for your stay. (Large groups with direct billing obviously excepted.) Why would they or should they care? The only reason I was half-kiddingly suggesting that they prioritize award stays over paid stays is that they might be able to statistically correlate award usage to leisure stays and higher occupancy in the room, plus the customer relationship benefit of making a guest's "most important" stay his/her *best* stay. I fully realize this is not going to happen, and I realize some people pay for leisure stays and maybe even redeem awards on business trips. (e.g., A truly independent consultant who charges a fixed travel rate.)