probably true, or its possible they are all taken the night before and as we all know an Up is only given if the room is available when you are checking in = there can be 12 balcony rooms for sale yet everyone has a 4pm checkout thats in them today so they wont be available for a free Up to they get cleaned.

I find that calling or emailing and asking and noting "if available" helps and I will add if Id be willing to checkin later in order to get one, but since 95% of my stays are 1 nighters its not something that would bother me if I get what I reserved, unless lets say therrs a to die for view from certain rooms and floors

that said unless Im a very frequent stayer at that hotel, I fully understand any hotel not wanting to give anything away that they maybe able to get a few $s for before they have to, and fully believe in 'if I must have a certain room' then I should book and pay for that room rather then roll the dice where I just might crap-out and be left with what I booked