I don't think it's a question of confusion.

Whether it's a hotel program, casino VIP club, or Subway sandwich card, there is always a gap between what the program promises and the individual properties deliver.

I think the reason is simple: the individual property does not directly benefit from upgrading any particular individual. And it's too easy to cheat (deny benefits), because only a small number will complain.

Sometimes, corporate simply gives up trying to enforce a program. Subway did that with their "frequent sandwich card". Despite being bound by their franchise agreement, individually-owned Subways decided the program program was too generous for their liking and made up their own rules. Several in my area decided half the stamps had to have come from their store in order to redeem a freebie. Called corporate, they said, "I understand your frustration, but what can we do?" How about you revoke their franchise. Other than legal action, there may not be anything to do when faced with a mutiny. They eventually replaced the program with a watered-down version that requires a drink purchase.

It says right in the literature you get with your Harrah's VIP Diamond card that you're entitled to free accomodations at any Harrah's anywhere in the U.S. But if you try to collect on that at a property you have no history at, you'll get a load of gas. Faxing them a copy of the blurbage may still leave them unmoved.

I've heard stories of HH and SW hotels pretending not to have upgraded rooms available when they didn't feel like giving them out to Diamond and Platinum cardholders.

By all means protest loudly and often if you don't get your due, but I don't see any of this changing any time soon.

~BK