Hotel room upgrades
Jan 15, 2012, 9:57 am
#2
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At other hotels, be an Elite.
Apart from that, be extremely nice at check-in, and don't expect much if a hotwire/priceline rate.
Jan 15, 2012, 9:57 am
#3
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Hold a $20 bill in your hand and request an upgrade ... once upgrade is done ... give the $20 tip to the check-in agent.
Jan 15, 2012, 10:09 am
#4
Original Poster
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I like that, thanks.
Jan 15, 2012, 6:42 pm
#8
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Of course, don't book a room that you'd consider unacceptable. But I'd modify the strategy to: "book the room you can tolerate, and maybe an upgrade from there." If everyone simply coughed up the money for suites / paid F/J tickets / whatever, there'd be little reason for this site to exist.
Jan 15, 2012, 6:42 pm
#9
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Jan 15, 2012, 7:12 pm
#10
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Elite level at a hotel chain is people who stay enough in a year for the hotel to recognize them as frequent travelers and grant them status. Each hotel has their own requirement to obtain status.
I would suggest staying at hotels that have a upgrade system in place, like the Nor1 System at many Hiltons. They sometimes offer you the ability to upgrade for a fee on a standby basis.
You can also call the hotel and ask if they have a upgrade policy, and if they can tell you how it works and about what it costs to see if it's worth it for you.
I would suggest staying at hotels that have a upgrade system in place, like the Nor1 System at many Hiltons. They sometimes offer you the ability to upgrade for a fee on a standby basis.
You can also call the hotel and ask if they have a upgrade policy, and if they can tell you how it works and about what it costs to see if it's worth it for you.
Jan 15, 2012, 8:57 pm
#11
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Of course, don't book a room that you'd consider unacceptable. But I'd modify the strategy to: "book the room you can tolerate, and maybe an upgrade from there." If everyone simply coughed up the money for suites / paid F/J tickets / whatever, there'd be little reason for this site to exist.
Jan 15, 2012, 10:51 pm
#13
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www.perfectescapes.com offer upgrades on availability at check in.. Kiwi Collection.. Visa Signature..
You can use a Virtuoso, Preferred Partner travel agent.. usually they represent higher end hotels, and negotiate rates quite well.. I've been successful at securing an upgrade when booking as opposed to check-in.. as well as additional inclusions such as amenities, free breakfast, etc..
You can use a Virtuoso, Preferred Partner travel agent.. usually they represent higher end hotels, and negotiate rates quite well.. I've been successful at securing an upgrade when booking as opposed to check-in.. as well as additional inclusions such as amenities, free breakfast, etc..
Jan 16, 2012, 11:20 am
#14
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 130
You can write the hotel an e-mail in advance. For getting an idea you can read this blog post: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfr...room-upgrades/
It doesn't work always, but it's a good way when you don't have any status.
It doesn't work always, but it's a good way when you don't have any status.
Jan 16, 2012, 11:32 am
#15
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OP do keep in mind that hotels are in business to make money and if it were common to get great room upgrades just by asking, they'd never sell any "fancy" rooms, which would reduce the amount of money they'd make.
Having elite/frequent guest status increases your chances of getting a treat in the form of a free upgrade but in the industry that's seen as a way to thank the guest for their business in hopes of generating more loyalty and revenue. If you've not demonstrated that you spend money at the hotel (or at least the brand), it's not really likely that they'll give you something better than what you paid for, just because you asked. After all, you'd not expect a restaurant to give you the $40 bottle of wine when you order the $20 bottle and ask nicely for the better vintage, unless you were a very frequent customer (and even then I wouldn't expect it.)
Which does not mean don't ask, but set your expectations accordingly. If it's a special occasion (honeymoon, anniversary, etc) and having a nicer room is key to your enjoyment, then book the nicer room and don't be disappointed. While the advice to email the hotel before your arrival is well-meaning, I find it sometimes more harmful than good, as it sets the general public's expectation that they can have that honeymoon suite just by asking, leading to some very disappointed guests when they are told No.
The advice about Virtuoso and Nor1 is good; read up on those. Amex Platinum can often give an upgrade benefit when booking your hotel through their travel site, as can some other credit card companies. But the $20 trick really only works in certain locations, Vegas being one, where it seems to be culturally acceptable; in many other cities, handing the desk agent a $20 at check-in will get you two fives and a ten in return, which you can count once you get to your booked standard room.
Having elite/frequent guest status increases your chances of getting a treat in the form of a free upgrade but in the industry that's seen as a way to thank the guest for their business in hopes of generating more loyalty and revenue. If you've not demonstrated that you spend money at the hotel (or at least the brand), it's not really likely that they'll give you something better than what you paid for, just because you asked. After all, you'd not expect a restaurant to give you the $40 bottle of wine when you order the $20 bottle and ask nicely for the better vintage, unless you were a very frequent customer (and even then I wouldn't expect it.)
Which does not mean don't ask, but set your expectations accordingly. If it's a special occasion (honeymoon, anniversary, etc) and having a nicer room is key to your enjoyment, then book the nicer room and don't be disappointed. While the advice to email the hotel before your arrival is well-meaning, I find it sometimes more harmful than good, as it sets the general public's expectation that they can have that honeymoon suite just by asking, leading to some very disappointed guests when they are told No.
The advice about Virtuoso and Nor1 is good; read up on those. Amex Platinum can often give an upgrade benefit when booking your hotel through their travel site, as can some other credit card companies. But the $20 trick really only works in certain locations, Vegas being one, where it seems to be culturally acceptable; in many other cities, handing the desk agent a $20 at check-in will get you two fives and a ten in return, which you can count once you get to your booked standard room.