Any traveler would revel in joy after hearing the hotel front desk clerk that their room needed to be upgraded because the intended room is not available. The chances of this happening are one to infinity, but five ways do exist to help travelers get a shot at a hotel room upgrade.
According to Late Rooms, the first thing that truly helps in upgrading hotel rooms is to ask nicely. Do not be afraid to tell the clerks nicely about having a room closest to the WiFi router or repeater or a room with a bigger fridge or better view. Asking nicely -- and keeping about your politeness and air of positivity with the clerks and hotel staff -- is likely to land travelers a better spot during your stay.
Fairness works both ways and if travelers book a better room -- not just the cheapest one they could pull off from travel websites -- they have better chances at an upgrade. If this is not enough, travelers could ask how much a room upgrade could cost; a further inclination to one's capability to pay makes it easier to be remembered in case an upgrade is available.
According to Lola's Travels, brand loyalty is especially important for hotels -- hotel staff will remember travelers especially those holding special royalty rewards cards. In case of boutique or family-run hotels, apartments or lodgings, Lola advises that travelers could leave reviews on websites or simply tell guests they refer to the hotel their name to the hotel clerk. This makes them easy to remember -- a form of marketing, if one will -- and helps grant them more privileges in the same brand in the future.
One sure-fire way to get a room upgrade is to book the hotel several weeks in advance for a birthday, wedding anniversary or anything special. Hotel clerks would know when guests are lying about an occasion or there is a need to impress their new guests with brand-new amenities, well-cleaned rooms and the best part -- a "surprise" room upgrade.
Aside from loyalty and great referrals to the hotel chain or boutique hotel, it is best to do what you can in small ways. These include tipping the restaurant, giving a raving review in travel and hotel booking websites, and even advertising them -- if travelers can get in touch with their marketing team or know the boutique or apartment hotel's owner exclusively. Who knows, these actions could guarantee free rooms, not just upgrades!
