Gold membership for Starwood don't mean squat!

A preferred room is just a standard room in a better location, usually end of corridor or higher floor. Anyone can get that room if they just open their mouth and ask, since they are all priced the same.

A real upgrade should be to a room that is priced higher. I don't expect a suite upgrade, but to send us from a 200 dollar room to another 200 dollar room and tell us that is an "upgrade" is a joke.

I believe the policy should be:
Preferred member: guaranteed not to get the worst room
Gold member: one level upgrade.
Platinum: best room available.

Just my 2 cents.