I managed to book a a room for a friend in Hamburg Germany at the Interconti (jr suite at a reasonable rate) thru cent -- he's plat holder and his plat service wasn't able to get a room at any nice hotel (4* an up) in Hamburg, everything was booked out due to a shipbuilding industry fair at that time. Cent service phoned up all hotels directly and asked, while Plat service (at least that is my impression) just checked the online reservation system.