Friday, July 15, 2011

Easy Ways For Securing Upgrades At Hotels

By Adriana Noton


As you travel, staying at the best hotels is not always a priority. Nevertheless you can get complimentary upgrades if you ask for them nicely. You are more likely to get a roomier and nicer upgrade once you know the steps to take.

First of all, keep your cool and be nice when asking for one. No one will offer free upgrades to angry customers who talk down on them. They may be polite and sporting a smile on their face, but deep down inside they might be thinking how pleasing it is to not grant your request.

Be sure to join your hotel's loyalty program. Such programs let them give you some extra perks which are unavailable for other customers. Once they know that you are a loyal customer who has a good history, you might be able to obtain what you want.

Arriving late can also help. If you arrive after the regular check-in time, you may be able to get an upgrade if someone has cancelled his or her reservation. Because the hotel may not be able to rent the room to anyone else at such a late hour, they may give you an upgrade.

Pretend you are there for an anniversary or birthday celebration. Hotels love to make celebratory couples and families happy. If they are not able to give an upgrade, they may be able to give a discount. Dress nicely. If you show up dressed scruffily, you will not be treated the same as ones who are dressed appropriately for a nice setting. It may not be right, but it is true.

It is important that you send them an email that is friendly before checking in. If it is the low season and many people are not checking in, you may ask to be given the upgrade before you get there, this will give you higher chances to get one. You can write directly to the manager since desk clerks do not have the authority to give upgrades.

Although you want to remain polite, you should also complain if the room you received is not up to your expectations. Complaints done in a nice and concise manner will help you get an upgrade faster. Tell the staff exactly what is wrong with your room or rooms and request an upgrade to a nicer room at that time. Be sure that the complaint is legitimate.

Always book your room with the lodge directly because if you book through another person you will be at the end of the line for requests. The management always prefers to work with people that have booked rooms directly with them and not ones that have gone through people that have been given discounts online

Offering tips to management can also go a long way. A $20 tip slipped into the hand of hotel managers will help get you a room upgrade. Handing over the bill with a nice, polite request will usually get it for you. The best way to get upgrades for hotels is to treat the staff with respect. If you are a repeat customer, try to remember the names of the ones who helped you the last time you were there. Talking to them directly and tipping them well will help get the upgrade you desire.




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