I've never pro-actively requested a location of a room to get the neighboring hotel's WiFi. But I have used neighboring hotel WiFi before, just by happenstance.

I have been told however that sometimes unscrupulous hackers near hotels will assign SSIDs that give the appearance that they are someone who they are not (like naming their SSID "Hampton"). So some care should be taken with security when doing such things...even with something that looks like your own hotel's SSID.

Usually when I check in, I'm mainly more interested in getting an Suite or better room type upgrade, than location. But if offered an upgrade...I may take TrojanHorse's idea up, and ask if there might be one of these upgraded rooms down where I saw the Hampton Inn or whatever.