I haven't ask for an upgrade at checkin in many years (> 15). I always book the room type I am willing to accept. When I do get assigned a particularly crappy room at checkin (happens very rarely), I have asked to be moved to another room (not necessarily an upgrade). For family stays, extra space would be nice. So perhaps, I will start asking politely. For solo travel, extra space would also be nice but is far less critical. I doubt I will ask for upgrades on those stays. YMMV....

--Jon

Ask for a direct upgrade? I'm almost certain the answer to that question is exactly once. (Leisure trip, no SUA/NUAs available, rolled the dice a bit on getting blocked into a better room. Failed. :) )

Ask for a 'better'* room than what I was blocked into? Occasionally.

*Sometimes it's a category upgrade (or even restoration back to what I booked,) but it's usually different floor, different side for noise or light reasons, etc. etc.

Lifetime Titanium here. I always ask and almost always get the response “I’m sorry, I don’t have any upgrades available.” On rare occasions the clerk will proudly announce that I’ve already been upgraded (to a low-level regular room with a lovely parking lot view). It’s literally been years since I’ve gotten a substantive upgrade (for example, to a junior suite or something similar).

FWIW, I doubt most properties care much about your lifetime status when it comes to anything discretionary, which upgrades are (in practice, regardless of what the policy says/implies). Upgrade are a carrot to encourage repeat bookings and if they don't think you have a lot of future business then they aren't incentivized to blow an upgrade on you.

Lifetime Titanium here. My last three stays: Renaissance LAX - Upgrade to executive suite. Le Meridien Khao Lak Phuket - Upgrade to oceanfront studio suite (asked for upgrade prior to arrival and hotel was full). Aloft SFO - Upgrade to suite.

Before I arrive, I check the web site to see what room types are available. As a lifetime Platinum who has spent three years of my life in Marriott properties, I always ask what they have available for a lifetime platinum. If I see lots of upgrades for sale, I ask them to put me in one of those rooms. If they say they are n/a, I ask why not? Half the time, I’m told it’s “ hotel policy” to not offer upgrades for free. Bonvoyed

+1

I ask EVERY time...'do you have a suite for me today as a Lifetime Titanium?'

I asked for upgrades perhaps 2-3 times total in my life. I usually keep hotel status alive with multiple chains (currently Marriot Plat, IHG Diamond Amb, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, plus random stuff like the recent Radisson VIP match). If one property does not treat me well (which would include them not giving out upgrades without needing to be prompted), I take my money elsewhere. Given my free-agent-like approach, I rarely visit a city where I don't have chain-hotel alternatives...

If I really need a room category, I just book it. One of the rare times when I actually inquired about an upgrade was when I had booked two rooms for me and a friend. I had actually used a GoH on my friend's reservation. For some reason, the property upgraded me to a suite but gave my friend a base room. All rooms above the base-room categories had balconies, while the room they gave him didn't. As he is a smoker, I requested they upgrade my friend which they reluctantly did.

If they don’t proactively mention that I have been upgraded or I don’t see a satisfactory upgrade in the app before arrival, I ask at check-in. Most of the time, I am upgraded before arrival.

Never in my 28 years as a Titanium or Ambassador. My ego fits in a normal room.

Upgrades are a matter of perspective. In the event I don't like the room I head back to the front desk to determine the options. Issues with noise or view or layout are top of the list. Status does provide leverage. I travel solo and have requested "downgrades" from larger rooms to a smaller rooms with a better view.

Can't recall the exact rules, but as far as I recall, the upgrade is only for the room in which the elite member is staying.

What does ego have to do with not wanting to be stuck in a crappy room? I'll take a quiet, well-lit, and spacious room with a nice view over a small, dark, loud room every time. And yes, if that requires an upgrade, I'll ask for one. But I guess YMMV :D

Nothing wrong with asking for our entitlements.

Marriott advertises these benefits and wants us to play the game so they should be upgrading per their own policy. I do often get upgraded but if not, there are times when a polite request does the trick. I only ask if i have a need for it, such as family trips as opposed to a business trip when I am not unlikely to do much more in the room other than sleep.

if something goes wrong, then I don’t hesitate to up the stakes. I had an AC problem in a tropical resort recently where I had paid extra for a better room, and there were none of that room type available. The only equal or better available per the website was the presidential suite, and I got upgraded to it.