So, I know not to expect much as a Silver . . . but do Silvers ever get upgraded? What about getting lounge access?

I understand these are not stated and/or guaranteed benefits of Silver. Just wondering your past experience.

Besides the 20% bonus, I have seen no advantages of Silver. I actually get "upgrades" since I get to know the staff because I stay at the same hotel every week

When I was silver three years ago, I got one upgrade at the San Francisco Marriott to a high floor with a city view. They were charging $20 extra for that room.

Recently I got an upgrade to a suite, on a Priceline stay.

My family got upgraded to a club floor at the Phoenix airport Marriott in December -- the lounge was closed, but they gave us free breakfast buffet vouchers. But the hotel was only half full.

Once got a gift bag of some snacks (granola bar, bag of chips, a pack of gum) at a Fairfield Inn.

Got a coupon for a free cookie -- hey, it was a big cookie -- at the candy shop in the Springhill Suites in Lawrence, Kan.

Were any of these because I was a Silver? I have no idea. I total about 15 work-related stays a year, so I'm not Marriott's biggest customer, but I do enjoy being acknowledged.

"Back in the day" when I was an "Honored Guest" red (roughly the equivilent of silver), I got upgraded from time to time.

Staying at Courtyard in Concord, NH, I had a typed note in the room addressed to "Dear Silver Member." Aside from that, no acknowledgement or perks in full-service Marriotts in CA and BKK. Oh, and I should add that having access to a Marriott Silver Elite line allowed me to snag the last hotel room at the Marriott in Saddle Brook, NJ on March 15 when EWR was shut down due to the ice/sleet storm.

I'm batting about 50% for upgrades as a Silver.

Usually, if the hotel's not full, I get the upgrade. At the very least, I almost always get a room that's superior to others in the same class, be it a better view, etc.

As always, YMMV.

There must be several different methods people use to obtain an occasional upgrade or access to the Club floor.
I'm a Silver member only because I have the correct credit card.
Outside of asking the Front Desk person very nicely, and then politely beg a manager, what can you do?
Any ideas would be appreciated

Mariott silver and Starwood gold, Marriott has upgraded me often especially at smaller mariotts and to concierge floor or access
Starwood never that i can remember, when asking for upgrade they always respond that is for platinum members and never upgrade to concierge floor or access

They left a pair of disposable hotel slippers in my room as a thank you for being silver on a recent stay at Marriott Waterside in Tampa.

I've read on their website that there is a discount on weekend stays at Courtyard. Anyone knows how it works? I have tried to book online but don't get any discount.

The CY weekend discount for elites only applies for Friday and Saturday nights. You could call reservations to ask about it. I never tried to use it because I often have weekend stays of either Thursday and Friday night or Saturday and Sunday night.

First, always be nice and don't "expect" anything more than what you are guaranteed. Next, some ideas to help:

1. Call the reservations line up and find out the hotel GMs email address. Send him/her an email letting them know of your upcoming stay and how you are looking forward to it. If you are traveling with your wife or family, or if there is a special event, put it in the email. The GM will most likelly just pass on your email to someone else in the hotel staff, but since it will have come from the GM, that can often loosen some of those iceburgs up a bit.

2. When talking with the front desk staff, always have a smile on your face and try to find a way to get them to laugh at something. If you can get them to smile back somehow, they are probably now actually paying attention to you as a person, not just an inconvience to whatever they were doing previously.

3. I don't know if this helps or not, but when making an online reservation, there is a comment field. I have seen others here mention that they put a request for a room upgrade into that text box. It can't hurt to put it in there and may help.

4. I personally prefer to checkin when the front desk is not very crowded. It is a little easier to engage and talk with the front desk persons. So if you have any control over check-in time, you may want to try to stay away from morning checkout times and early afternoon heavy check-in times.

5. It probably wouldn't hurt to call the hotel earlier in the day to "verify" your reservation and remind them of the upgrade (or any other) requests you have made.

6. If traveling with family (especially young kids ) bring them along with you to check in. My upgrade rates when I have my daughter with me is much much higher than when I'm by myself.

HTH.

Great advice above.

I was "Silver" for many, many years, often spreading 40 nights each year at the big 3 (Starwood, Hilton, Marriott). The silver status never got me a thing except the fancy "elite" room key and a free cookie at check (really available to anyone). And I never expected nor demanded anything except a quiet room. Stupid me for going for value (like Homewood Suites and Residence Inn's) instead of status.

In 2006, I made an effort to consolidate to Marriott only. As soon as I hit Gold, and later Platium, life was much, much different and continues to be. I seem to rarely get suite "upgrades" but traveling alone and working 12+ hours per day, its going to waste anyway. C lounge access and the top floor is all I "expect" (as promised) and that is usually a given.

But Silver? I don't think it means squat. Maybe the other experiences were coincidently as in "this is only was is left, so you get it?"