When you’re travelling and booking hotels, you’ll often be asked whether you want to upgrade your room for just x.xx extra, to entice you to spend just a small amount more in exchange for a nicer or more premium room.
As we all know, hotel rooms aren’t all created equally, and some are better than others due to the hospitality fit out chosen. But it’s been long known that, at their discretion, hotels, spas, and resorts can randomly provide upgrades to guests. This then leads to guests attempting to do what they can to secure a room upgrade.
Although no one is immediately entitled to an instant hotel room upgrade, many hotels have it in their best interests to provide upgrades where they feel they are warranted and take care of you as their guests and help you create memorable experiences.
Whilst there are some right and wrong ways to go about securing a hotel room upgrade, there are also plenty of myths floating around as to the best ways to secure one of the coveted room upgrades. Let’s look at 3 myths about hotel room upgrades and what you can avoid and expect when looking to get an upgrade.
Myth: Mentioning A Special Occasion Secures You an Upgrade
When you’re planning a trip to celebrate a special occasion, such as a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon, then it might seem obvious to try and get a hotel room upgrade. You’re celebrating and the hotel will have empty premium rooms, right? Not always.
At the end of the day, hotels will want to take care of guests who are celebrating. However, it’s often that the nicer, in terms of more luxurious, hotels will be more willing to give upgrades. If you are celebrating an occasion, you shouldn’t be expecting an upgrade as, in some cases, hotels may use this as an opportunity to upsell you instead.
If something goes wrong during your stay, then it is always worth inquiring about what the hotel can do for you as a form of compensation. This is regarded as one of the only ways in which you can secure and guarantee a hotel room upgrade, but obviously isn’t always the best option!
Myth: Checking in at a Certain Time Guarantees an Upgrade
This myth is slightly linked to the myth that celebrating a special occasion secures a hotel room upgrade. The more you communicate with the hotel or resort beforehand, then the more likely you are to secure a hotel room upgrade. But another myth is that checking in at a certain time is a surefire way to secure a room upgrade. Guests might turn up at 12pm, which is peak check-out time, and request an upgrade. But this is when employees in reception are at their most busy and often are unwilling to provide upgrades when they have so many other things to sort out for guests.
The best time to try and secure a hotel room upgrade is entirely dependent on the location and main premise of the hotel. If a hotel is catered towards business travellers, then the likelihood is that the hotel will be busy throughout the week and quiet over the weekend. With many people claiming to stay back on expenses, then it is likely that they will opt for the more premium rooms, just because they can. If you stay over the weekend, then this is the best time you can request a hotel room upgrade.
If it’s a hotel tailored towards holidays or short stays, then remember that weekends are primarily the busier time for guests checking out and in, so perhaps consider staying in your allocated room for a day or two until it quietens down, then speak with reception.
Myth: The Best Way to Secure a Hotel Room Upgrade Is When Checking In
In all cases, guests will request a hotel room upgrade at the check-in desk. But the key is to plan. Depending on how busy the hotel is when checking in, employees working in reception will be less willing to provide them if they are feeling overrun or if you are the fifth person to ask that day. The more time and preparation you can give a hotel, the better chance you have of securing a hotel room upgrade. Asking last minute, such as when checking in, will give you the smallest chance of getting a better room.
If you know that you’re staying in a hotel, then a few weeks before, reach out to the reception email and explain what you’re celebrating and state, politely, what kind of upgrade you’d like. It’s much easier for them to allocate a room for you in future than trying to find you a room the moment you check-in.
There is one thing which can make a hotel room upgrade almost impossible, and this is mentioning your special preferences. If you have strict preferences for your room such as floor, view, or in-room extras, then this can be arranged beforehand, but if you request these at check-in, along with a room upgrade, then this can just make things too complicated. If you are more interested in seeing an upgrade in terms of room decor, style and luxury, then this is more likely than for ultra-specific requests.
Summary
When booking a holiday, we always aim to find the cheapest options. However, when you pick the cheapest hotel room, it often means it isn’t the best. When booking your holiday, not only do you need to find the cheapest hotel rooms but also the best. Once you have committed to that hotel and are about to check in, ask if you can have an upgrade. It might be cheaper than when you originally booked your holiday.
