OK that depends on each hotels back room, meaning lets say Im a returning guest to Hotel X and so are you and Im using pts and you $$, most likely if we are equal otherwise youd get the better upgrade. I know some hotels that would give a better upgrade to even a non member who stays there frequently over a 1st time Globalist (hotels will NOT be named) remember upgrades are suppose to be upon arrival so a hotel isnt doing anything wrong if it upgrades their frequent guest when that person makes a res. I call it great biz sense.

id say in the vast majority of cases a hotels bottom line will be enhanced by a guest paying $$$ over using pts, and will thusly look to take better care of the paying guest over a pts using guest, so Ive been told by many a mgr from the different programs and chains.