Thank you for the responses, team - recent reviews on TripAdvisor and other channels seem to reflect the resistance to upgrade from staff. Checked availability and there are suites and upper-category rooms available for the duration of my stay; hopefully won't have to haggle for an upgrade. The SPG app isn't showing anything pre-upgraded but I'll report back after check-in tomorrow.

The Bristol/Imperial would have been nice but [non-refundable reservation aside] I'm hopelessly committed to the Le Méridien brand. I remember when the brand was pre-Starwood and this particular property opened as one of the first full Art+Tech properties in the early 2000s, so staying here would close a loop for this avid brand fan.

We shall see...

khabah