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How to Get a Hotel-Room Upgrade

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(13 Ratings)

Sometimes upgrading your hotel room is possible, and sometimes it's not. Your chances depend on a combination of the available space, your arrival time and luck.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Luggage Sets
  • Local Guidebooks
  • Maps
  • Airline Tickets
  • Frequent-flier Programs
  • Maps
  1. Step 1

    Establish loyalty by always choosing the same hotel in cities you visit often. Being friendly with the front-desk staff never hurts.

  2. Step 2

    Ask about freebies and other specials when you book your reservation. If you don't ask, you usually don't get.

  3. Step 3

    Join frequent-visitor programs at the chain hotels you visit. Your points earn upgrades and free stays along with other perks.

  4. Step 4

    Organize reunions, meetings or conventions at your favorite hotel. Lots of hotels say thanks with credit for upgrades or free nights, either at the time of the event or at a later date.

  5. Step 5

    Trade airline frequent-flier points for upgrades at participating hotels. But weigh this option carefully'it's rarely the most cost-effective way to spend frequent-flier credits.

  6. Step 6

    Be vocal. If the room you were assigned isn't satisfactory'unclean, noisy or lacking the view you were promised'ask for an upgrade.

  7. Step 7

    Offer to be appeased. If the staff makes a mistake that causes a delay or distress'say they misplace your luggage or, in a worst-case scenario, fail to make your room safe'make it known that an upgrade will help you forget all about the bad experience.

  8. Step 8

    Take a chance on luck. Once in a while, you'll be in the right place at the right time. Budget rooms sometimes get overbooked, and the lucky guest who gets bumped up to the executive floor could turn out to be you.

Tips & Warnings
  • Friendliness and charm may help encourage a hotel clerk to go the extra mile for you.

Comments  

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slapsho99 said

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on 11/1/2009 here's a novel idea...Book the room you want and pay for it! Quit trying to cheat the system and bully a front desk clerk into giving you something you haven't paid for. Also, quit complaining about anything and everything just so you don't have to pay for a service you used. If you don't want to pay the rate for the hotel you are staying at, stay somewhere else in your price range. It is apparent that with the decline in our economy travelers are watching their spending more than ever. Why does that have to be combined with complaining more than ever? At the end of the day, remember that the hotel that you are trying to cheat out of paying for whatever you don't want to pay for is still a business with a huge financial responsibility to make its own budgeted numbers. If you want free breakfast, stay somewhere that offers free breakfast. If you want a suite, pay for it or sta...

axabouy said

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on 7/7/2009 As an international traveler I like using http://www.CoolbreezeGlobal.com especially **Vacations Tab** Fill out the "deals & Steals" get awesome Rates sent weekly. I utilize my passport and seeing it has multiple stamps..that’s shows I’m well traveled so Resorts & Hotels (being on a competitive market) treat me with royalty. Because I did not have to stay with then where there are 100's Condos, resorts, tours & Hotels on that site..
Building loyalty is great also.. But traveling as an "insider on pennies on the $$" is much more rewarding :-).

european said

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on 4/9/2009 As per my own experience you may try http://www.europeanvacation3.com for best travel deal as it have wide range of cheap travel package's regarding with air ticket as well as accommodation.http://accommodation.informe.com/

european said

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on 4/9/2009 As per my own experience you may try http://www.europeanvacation3.com for best travel deal as it have wide range of cheap travel package's regarding with air ticket as well as accommodation.http://accommodation.informe.com/

Dbeat823 said

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on 11/24/2008 You: (pull out the wallet and place the cc and id on the counter) i was woundering if i could get a room away from the elevators and ice machines (pull out a 20 and set it on the counter and slightly push it towards the fd)the nicest room im here with my wife, you know woman.

fd: okay here you are room 1020, got a nice room on the 10th floor overlooking the Marina. thank you and enjoy your stay.
you: thank you, il see you around
maybe you will see them on another visit and he or she will remember that you tiped them good last time you stayed. i should write a article...damm.

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