Originally Posted by Gagravarr

Depends on the hotel. Some pick up changes in status since booking, some have "sticky" systems which don't notice

The HHonors mobile phone / tablet app will show your new status once it clicks over, long before the new card comes in the post. When checkin in shortly after a status change, I'd suggest politely saying "did your computer system see my change in hhonors status?". That should be enough to make the checkin staff check, and if they say "I see you as hhonors silver" then you pull out the app and say "ahh, well, I've recently made gold" and show them that. If they say "I see you are a valued gold guest" or similar, you say "excellent, the last hotel's systems were running behind and still had me as silver", and the checkin staff carries on slightly pleased that they have better IT

It's also worth double-checking the HHonors Gold benefits for the hotel brand you're staying at. Nothing worse than doing a DYKWIA demanding a benefit that that brand doesn't offer, though equally a shame if you don't ask for something they should!