Fyd

If it is important to me, I check availability of higher category rooms before checking in, will ask for an upgrade if it is not offered and will politely ask them to "double check" or ask management if they say "fully booked" and I know it not to be true.
I will let them know my disappointment at check out and also respond accordingly in any survey's I'm send.
The loyalty program and benefits are a key reason I stay at chain hotels. Some hotel managers want the benefits of belonging to a chain, but don't want to provide the elite benefits to elites who don't stay with that property regularly. That's not how the big chains work - elite is based on stays with the company not with the specific property. If that's the management's attitude they should remain independent - nobody forced them to join Hilton (insert whatever chain)...
I will not stay at hotels with poor elite treatment again - and I stay less with chains who don't enforce elite benefits across properties, simple really...