People often ask the question of how to get an upgrade at a hotel? There’s no better way to start a holiday than with a free upgrade at your hotel.
The most important rule to remember is to be polite and well-mannered at all times – from the initial enquiry through to the reservation and when you arrive at the hotel.
However, sometimes you need more than manners to get you through – here are some tips to help you to get an upgrade and secure that penthouse.
Timing – The best way to get an upgrade it to check in later, between 4-6PM, as the front desk can see the cancellations and no-shows for that day.
Also, if your dates are flexible, don’t book on busy holiday times, as upgrades cannot be given if the hotel is at full occupancy.
Book a room in the middle price range – It’s not impossible to get upgraded when booking the cheapest room category available, but it doesn’t help your odds. Book a room that’s in the mid range for a better chance to get an upgrade.
Be nice – It’s that simple. Front desk staff and hotel managers deal with a lot of people and handle a lot of problems and stress during their day. Sometimes, just being personable and friendly can go a long way to help you get an upgrade.
Ask – It doesn’t hurt to ask, and the worst thing that can happen is that you get declined. If it’s a special occasion, it doesn’t hurt to mention that either.
Book for One Night – If you book for a week and you get a free upgrade, the hotel could lose money if they sell all their rooms as they could have sold your higher priced room instead.
If you book for one night, you increase your chances of getting an upgrade because it’s a lot easier for the front desk to determine the occupancy rate for the night.
Keep reading for tips on how to get an upgrade at a hotel…
Hotel mistake? Sometimes a hotel’s mistake can work to your advantage. Perhaps your room wasn’t ready upon check-in or construction is causing loss of sleep – you can always address an issue with the management in a nice manner and see if they will do something (like provide an upgrade) for the inconvenience.
It’s all about relationships, baby – When it comes to the question of how to get an upgrade, who you know matters, and even more so if it happens to be the general manager at the hotel you’re staying at.
Don’t have a connection? Don’t worry. Booking through a concierge service will help as we will have relationships with hotels all over the world to help you out.
Where you book matters – If you’re booking a standard room, the hotel can give you a different room just based on the booking source through which you made the reservation. Book through a reputable source or website to ensure you’re not booked in next to the laundry area.
Loyalty – You’ll have a better chance of a free upgrade if you are loyal to the hotel and provide repeat business. It doesn’t hurt at the time of reservation to let them know that you’ve stayed there before.
Hotels know that it costs a lot less to keep a repeat customer happy then it is to acquire a new one, so often they’ll give special treatment to return customers.
Title drop – There aren’t any guarantees, but you may find that title dropping can increase your chances of special treatment and upgrades.
Hotels may want to impress you more because they know you’re an important businessperson, someone who can refer new business or have blogging or press power.
Hopefully this has answered some of your questions on how to get an upgrade, but please comment below if you would like to as another question.
Really useful, ta!