Originally Posted by
MikeFromTokyo
I agree that it is important to pay an acceptable rate for the majority of nights, and that in that case tacking on the odd award night is more likely to be let go in the same category without extra charge.
However, if the hotel wants to charge nearly the full rate as upsell, it would be better to just use the free night elsewhere or another time. Or, simply accept to move to a lower category room if one is okay with that.
I am sure that booking high category with BOGO certificate, followed by award nights to continue the stay is a “trick” that hotels are very wise to. It likely also depends on who the guest is. Someone lotal to the specific property in question, with a history of high incidental spend will be treated differently than someone who has never stayed before and is just unloading points and certificates.
Agreed, mixing entry level free night (award/CC night) with much higher room cat , leading to free night being a suite is poor use of award night , and only likely to work if many paid nights alongside a single free night.
I see the pre-arrival high upsell (bad value for free night if you are the guest) as being priced that way as the IC will be taking the high cat room out of sale inventory for your award/CC free night that might otherwise been sold.
If OP doesn't bite that high pre-arrival upsel offer, and at checkin the IC has still unsold suites the second night, then typically hotel upsell offered is 20-35%% off the delta rate difference (booked flex room to flex of suite).
There is also a smaller chance at checkin the IC may let it go if guest refuses as hotels really do prefer not to move a guest betwween rooms, though as lowly Ambassador guest won't get foc lounge on free night unlike on the first paid night if included in Studio/J-S Suite rate.
More likely to go well and foc for Guest, if guest suggests they get the J/S (Studio suite) both nights, forgoing Amb 1cat upgrade on first paid night to have foc multi-cat upgrade to paid room cat on the CC/award second night.