Hotel room upgrades are often available — if you play your cards right.
And here we reveal the crucial tactics that will give you the best possible chance of a bigger, better room.
The advice comes from seasoned travelers and hospitality experts, including a general manager of a luxury hotel and Jane Pendlebury, CEO of the Hospitality Professionals Association.
Your upgrade strategy will include avoiding certain sites when booking, sending across specific information before you arrive, and checking in at the “golden hour.”
Here is a look at some of the best strategies when looking for that upgrade.
Booking strategies
Book direct
Third-party apps can be hugely convenient — they’re a great way to discover what options are available in any one place and they can speed up the booking process.
But paying for the room directly with the hotel will up your chances of an upgrade, as it saves the property money.
Jane Pendlebury, CEO of Hospa — the Hospitality Professionals Association — told The Independent: “Booking directly with the hotel makes you’re a more favorable candidate for an upgrade as the hotel will be avoiding commission fees from third-party sites.”
She added that even if an upgrade isn’t possible, booking direct could land you other free perks such as breakfast or complimentary high-grade wifi connectivity.
Avoid peak season
Room upgrades are easier to shower upon guests if they’re not staying during busy periods.
Hospa’s Jane Pendlebury revealed: “Booking during off-peak times – like mid-week or outside of the major travel seasons – can improve your chances of getting an upgrade. Hotels are less likely to offer upgrades during peak times when they’re fully booked or overbooked and know their best rooms will sell.”
Sundays are a best-kept secret
Booking your stay for a Sunday could pay dividends says Raphael Herzog, General Manager at luxury hotel De Vere Tortworth Court in the Cotswolds, England.
He explained: “Sundays are one of the best-kept secrets in luxury hospitality. With fewer guests checking in, weekend guests heading home and business travelers not yet arriving, the lower demand offers the most flexibility in room allocation, meaning Sunday guests are more likely to be upgraded or placed in premium rooms.”
Check in with the hotel, before checking in
A pre-stay message to the hotel in which you politely outline your needs and mention the reason for the visit can pay dividends, especially if it’s for a special occasion.
Alyse Race, founder of The Invisible Tourist travel site, told The Independent: “I email the reservation manager and send a quick message outlining a particular event or the want for additional quiet.
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“Without making demands, a little background information humanizes the reservation. I make it clear that I can wait while they check and ask if a small fee would help if the desk is unable to upgrade for free.
“The hotel considers even a $35 upsell to be good because unsold apartments lose value every minute. Without an elite card in sight [I’ve been given] balconies, better views, and even a tatami suite in Osaka.”
Special occasions get special treatment
Jane Pendlebury added: “It’s wise to mention special occasions, like a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon. Hotels often reserve complimentary upgrades for these moments to make the guest feel valued, so make this known at the first opportunity during the booking process.”
Georgia Fowkes, a travel influencer from Pittsburgh and an advisor for Altezza Travel, emphasized that a pre-stay message should also “express your excitement about the visit”, because “this can tie positive associations with your name prior to your arrival, increasing your chances of success”.
Martyn Slack, from the threeticketsanywhere.com travel site, suggested going even further and posting a social media video the week before about your stay and tagging the hotel.
He admits that this is a “bit of a gray tactic,” but “highlights that you’re staying there and that you’re active on socials,” so may get you a nicer room.
Stay loyal
Loyalty is as good as money in the hospitality industry, says Georgia Fowkes, so “double down on it.”
She explained: “You can increase your chances by doubling down on loyalty. Loyalty is like a currency in the hotel industry.
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“Sign up for the customer programs and check if they have any partner programs you might be a member of. Return customers are the number one priority for hotels, so even small gestures of commitment won’t go unnoticed.”
Should you book certain room types?
None of the experts could agree on whether there’s a certain category of room that will give you a better or worse chance of an upgrade, with answers ranging from “the cheapest” to “mid-level.”
Be careful when you check in
When you arrive is all-important. Arrive too early and the staff won’t know how many empty rooms they have left for that night.
Alen Baibekov, CEO and travel expert at online car rental platform economybookings.com, revealed that he tries to time his arrival for 5 p.m., because “the supervisor with overriding authority is still on duty, housekeeping is complete, and the majority of departures have been cleared.”
Turn on the charm
Remember, the person on the front desk holds the keys, literally, to your upgrade.
So, turn on the charm and “frame the question about an upgrade as curiosity rather than a demand”, says Lorena Basualdo, a travel agent for Italiantourism.us. She recommends saying that you’d “love to see if any larger rooms are available,” which will “feel friendly and open-ended” and therefore will “encourage staff to help if they can.”
Susan Catto, from travelzoo.com, stressed that you should never be pushy, as “upgrades are not a given, even for loyal customers.”
She added: “Hotels only provide them if they have adequate availability and no chance of selling those rooms. Putting pressure on staff cannot change this basic fact. Even if you know the hotel isn’t full, you shouldn’t assume those premium rooms are up for grabs.”
And never tip in exchange for a room upgrade.
“That can feel like bribery”, Susan added.
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