Originally Posted by
Toukolou
I'm talking about standing in the lobby with the ability to book an upgraded room through the central Marriott booking site. Individual hotel reservation protocols with respect to upgrade pools and VIPs don't concern me, nor should they. The t&c say I'm entitled to an upgrade (however that's defined), if I can book an upgraded room in the lobby before I check in, then it ought to be given to me.
You've got how this works backwards. Hotels are in the business of
selling rooms, not giving them away. If they can get full price for a room, they're going to do so. Thus, "upgrade" rooms are always available for sale until they're actually occupied.
Any hotelier worth their salt is going to be giving its best rooms to whom it perceives to be its best customers. This may be based on Bonbon status, BUT a smart hotelier's going to take care of their high-value customers irregardless of status. I've gotten the best room in a property as a lowly silver...why? My company had already booked 30+ nights in the two prior months and they knew we had many more planned. Taking good care of your best customers is just good business, no matter the industry.
Given the above, a room may definitely be available for sale upon check-in, but is already assigned to someone other than you as an upgrade. Nicer rooms are in limited supply. Not everyone can stay in the Presidential Suite each night. Someone's going to get upgraded, and others are going to get the room they paid for. This isn't the kindergarten playground -- the first person to reach the front desk to check in doesn't get the best room.
The only exception to this are the Starwood Suite Night upgrades, which function as paid reservations and convert the room from Available to Sold status 5 days out. I'm not sure on the back-end of this, but I'm pretty sure Marriott International financially compensates the property when these are used.