hi, hope this answer helps both posters who asked the question.
i am also staying at hrh in early october.
i have the loews platinum card and made a ressie for garden view and was allowed for the free upgrade to king suite when i made the ressie.
if you are platinum, you can do the upgrade at the time you make your reservation.
if you are gold, you can request the free upgrade at the time you check in if a suite is available.
if you are blue and book the garden view, your upgrade would be to a pool view.
always book the cheapest room/GV and get the free upgrade and only pay the rate for the GV room. platinum holders have a guarentee, but blue doesn't.
i have heard of some gold members that were able to get the free upgrade at the time they booked, but they went at a time with lower occupancy at the hrh.
if rooms are available, then you can get the free upgrade.
there are no king suites available for about 10 -11 days in october right now. they are booked up.
there is always the possibility of someone canceling their ressie where it would open up a suite though
you can request the floor when you check in.
7th floor is club level and not available unless you pay the additional cost for it.
i recommend floors 5-6 for views.
the garden view rooms are on the upper floors. you can get views of the boat dock, waterway, front of hrh, parking garage.
when you check in, make the request then.
i have always listed "upper floor" on my ressies and didn't get it until i checked in. even though it was on my initial ressie, it was ignored.
i have never had a problem at hrh in my 17 stays there in getting an upper floor when i checked in.
there are some views that are obstructed, if you take one, you can get the rate discounted.
much of the foliage and trees have grown up since the hotel was built.
even on the 5th floor, you may have a tree block part of your view.
if you are on lower floors, you can have a restricted view