sfgiants13

I've always wanted to try it but I've never had the stones to. Then again I seem to have slightly better luck with upgrades since my stays are shorter and on slower days. My usual "upgrade" at non Euro/Asian properties is an executive room. But in countries like China and Canada I get a suite upgrade almost every time. It really does have a lot to do with a specific property and I typically won't stay at properties that have a history of that BS approach to upgrades.

pauleeepaul

Be willing to pay something if necessary, and have a direct discussion with the property.

loomis

Only some of the Hilton brands are required to give complimentary upgrades. Make sure to check the T&C before checking into a Hilton-branded hotel to see if that brand has an obligation to do so.

Also, click on the "Add Special Requests" link when making a reservation, indicating your interest in receiving an upgrade.

wizla

Another tip is to think about what your stay is for?..... is it your birthday, your partners birthday or perhaps an anniversary?.
Might be worth mentioning that in the special requests box too along the lines of - “ hi, I’m looking forward to our stay at your hotel , as it’s our anniversary/birthday/ celebration it would be kindly appreciated if we were upgraded, many thanks “

KevTN

A good 90%+ are for work and usually Monday through Thursday with the occasional Tuesday-Friday, Sunday-Wed. but everyone here gave me some good information. I have to book airlines through my company website but I can book rental car and hotel on my own. May start doing that maybe that will help get a few upgrades.

karatelovr

OK, I've never understood this directive and I've seen it often. How do you know if you've been upgraded? When I do OLCI, my choices are to accept the "great room [they've] picked for [me]" or to choose my own. If I've never been to the hotel, how do I tell by looking at the 2D line drawing room map which room to tell? Obviously, I can do research ahead of time on Trip Advisor or what not, but sometimes, there just isn't time for that for every hotel stay. What am I missing by everyone's comments of "check to see if you're upgraded"?

For reference, my stays are usually HGI, DT and ES. So maybe that's the difference? There are rarely true "upgrades" with those hotels?

corporate-wage-slave

There is third option, which is when you start the check-in process, after you have chosen the arrival time,a room suggestion comes up immediately, which is an upgraded room and message to that effect. The room type is also visible at this point, and you can compare it to what you booked originally against Hilton.com's list of room types. There is a second option on that screen which allows you to choose another room, and there may well be other upgraded room options. Again the room type is specified and can be compared against what is booked.

For the two options you are referring to, if you "select own room" then again you should be shown the room type. Bear in mind that most upgrades are a single jump, so perhaps from a Queen Room to the Queen Deluxe - many people wouldn't notice the difference. But if you look at the Hilton.com room types there is a clear hierarchy laid out there.

If you instead use the floor map instead of the room tabular listing, you may notice a small up arrow symbol on available rooms, indicating they are upgrades. This is inconsistent, I've seen it come and go even in the same hotel a short time apart, so I suspect someone needs to correctly press particular buttons to make it happen.

Finally if you go to the My Stay tab, you will see the room type: this particular field will update to whatever the current upgraded room offering is, typically a day or so before arrival. This is a seamless change, so you need to recall what you booked or look at the original email booking to see whether this is actually an upgrade.

Just be aware of some "upgrades" are not what they seem - so for example going from a Queen to a Twin Premium room - this is an upgrade but not if you wanted the larger bed!

KevTN

Hmmm I have never noticed the arrows or any message saying an upgrade. I'll have to look at the My Stay tab. Thank you for the information.

Ryanardo_daVinci

Also, longer duration stays have an exponentially lower chance of getting an upgrade.

1 night - easy upgrade, very unlikely to sell that room
so why not give it out to someone who appreciates it.

2 nights - probably ok, especially if there are a few of each type available.

3+ nights, they will be banking on being able to sell the room in night 3 and onwards so even if there is availability they will be reluctant to give it out.

Also, I’m sure you’ve done your reading around the rest of the forum, but upgrades are waaaayy more common outside of the US. My travel is 50% UK, 40% Middle East, 10% Europe, usually 1 night at a time as I move around a lot, I get upgraded 80% of the time. 20% of the time it is a significant upgrade.

whimsey21

I’ve tried this a few times in Europe and I’ve been repeatedly told that it was an error in the app and they’d get it fixed. At property I got that line when checking in for a one night stay, and then when I returned a few days later had the same desk clerk (who didn’t recognize me) feign surprise and tell me again that it must be an error in the app and he’d get it fixed immediately... No upgrades either time.

yurtripper

That's when I get out my laptop

craz

In Europe (even over here) they pull but we did upgrade you , you are the 4th floor and no longer the 2nd. That said even the rooms on the so called Club Floor are 99% of then time the exact same as a non-Club Floor, but sometimes they have a bathrobe and slippers in them. Other times I was told but we gave you lounge access.

Basically most hotels will give you nothing unless you pay up for it, the 1 main exception Ive found is Hyatt and yesteryear SPG

aww3583

600+ nights in the last 7 years. Been officially upgraded 7 times.

Most recently at a Waldorf, I knew they had availability at check-in. I didn’t mention or ask for an upgrade. The front desk agent said “thank you for your diamond status. (Sigh) we tried very hard to upgrade you but there’s nothing available.” It was a weak attempt to sound like they really exerted themselves to do me a favor.

I got my 2 bottles of water. After checkout, I had to call the accounting office to get my F&B credit per the T&Cs.

Lots of places do the “executive floor” thing where you’re upgraded from a 1K room on the 9th floor to the exact same room on the 10th (but executive) floor. Absolutely no difference, but the new room has a “Hilton” logo next to the number on the wall.

Long story short, if OP wants a suite, book a suite. It’s on you to make sure you get the benefits you’re entitled to.

shuigao

I am familiar with several Hiltons/Conrads in Asia that have identical rooms other than with view / without view, low floor / high floor. So booking a base room (low floor, no view) and then getting a high floor room with a view is technically already a "2-category upgrade." Even higher if they proudly proclaim that you've been upgraded to an Executive Room / Floor ... which is a bit pointless since diamonds have breakfast / lounge anyway ...

craigthemif

At least if you are a Gold you can use the executive lounge when upgraded to the executive floor. (probably as Silver as well but I've never really heard of that happening)

At IHG I've been "upgraded" to an executive room and been told I can't actually use the lounge.