I always thought upgrades were reserved for business travellers or those who looked rich and well-dressed; however, we received two upgrades on our last holiday, and we were most surprised.
We had been told before that we were upgraded, but the room didn’t look much better than what I’d expected; my suspicious mind just thought it was a ploy by the hotel to make me feel they’d given me something special.
Our First upgrade
Our first room upgrade this holiday wasn’t strictly at a hotel; it was on a one-night cruise. We had booked a standard cabin. When we checked in, we were told we had been upgraded to the Royal Suite. Although I wasn’t expecting much, I thanked them and said it sounded good. We were in Vietnam, and many places or vehicles were made to sound better than they really were. “Luxury” vehicles, for example, should often have been scrapped years ago, and I doubt they were luxury when new.
When I opened the cabin door, I said “Wow”. We had glass walls from the ceiling to the floor on two sides of the room, a huge room and a couch. We could lie in bed and see the beautiful mountains rising out of the sea. In the evening, we sat on our balcony, which was half of the stern, and watched a firework display. Only two rooms were facing the right way to see it.
I am not sure I am suitable for a royal suite, because I tried the jacuzzi in our bathroom and ended up flooding the floor and my clothes, but I did enjoy the lovely view from our room.
I felt like royalty, but the fact that we got the room for $170, less than it usually costs, made me very happy.
Our second upgrade
We had been staying in a hotel so small that we had trouble finding anywhere to open our suitcases. When we arrived at the next hotel, we were informed that we had been upgraded to the presidential suite. When we arrived at the room, we were surprised to find two double bedrooms, a lounge, and a kitchen.
There was plenty of room to open our suitcases. We were then very confused about which bedroom to choose: the one with the view or the one with the bedside tables.
We wondered why we were so fortunate to be upgraded twice on our holiday.
Here are the best ways for you to get an upgrade.
1 Book directly with the hotel
We booked directly with the hotel and cruise company when we received our free upgrades. Quite a few people on the cruise booked through their hotel or a travel agent.
Hotels prefer guests who book directly because they are more profitable. The hotel doesn’t have to pay commission for these guests’ bookings. They prefer these guests, so it makes sense to keep them happy.
If they upgrade a guest, they are more likely to return or tell a friend how great it was, and they are more likely to book directly again or suggest to their friends that they get a better deal that way.
Third-party bookings often come with restrictions and limit flexibility. Direct bookings typically include full guest details, giving the hotel a clearer view of whom to upgrade. If they can see the booking is for a married couple, upgrading to a double bed in a better room is more likely to work than upgrading a nameless couple, as they might turn out to be a mother and son.
2 Join the hotel loyalty program
Most hotel loyalty programmes are free to join. You need to provide your name and contact details. The hotel will then maintain a record of your visits to that hotel or to the hotel chain.
Big chains often offer different tiers of customer programs. If you are a business traveller or do a lot of travelling and stick to the same hotel chain all the time, you might become one of the hotel’s highly valued customers. You then have a higher chance of getting an upgrade.
For most people who travel only for pleasure, you are less likely to be offered a room upgrade. There will be too many people with a higher loyalty status. It is still worth joining a loyalty program, however. You might be lucky, especially in an area where businesspeople are less likely to visit. We joined a loyalty programme years ago and were surprised to find that this year we have enough points to book a two-night stay in a capital city for free. In the past, we were offered complimentary breakfast and late check-out, even though we were on the lowest tier of their loyalty program.
3 Travel during the off-season
Upgrades occur only when rooms are vacant, usually in the off-season. You might find, on a weekend, in a hotel that generally caters to business people, the hotel will be less busy. But these hotels are usually in business districts and may not be the best choice for you as a tourist.
Travelling in the off-season will be cheaper and the area less crowded, but it’s off-season because the weather isn’t great. That might not be a problem for a city break, but it’s not ideal for a beach holiday. Also, during the off-season, hotels might undergo refurbishment, which can mean a lot of noise, and facilities such as the swimming pool may be closed. You can also find that local attractions are closed.
You might find a sweet spot in the shoulder season, when you can have good weather and have a chance at a room upgrade. Or if you travel to a country with mainly local tourists and you go during the week and in school term time, you might be lucky with both the weather and an upgrade.
4 Go late in the day
Going late in the day is a risky strategy. However, we have been upgraded upon arrival late in the evening after flying.
In the evening, after most people have checked in, the hotel will have a clearer sense of how many rooms will be free. So you may have a better chance of upgrading your room if you check in later.
However, if the hotel is full and you arrive late, there is a chance they’ll have no rooms left. My husband had booked a room, but when he turned up late, he was told he had to go to another hotel because it was full. This was particularly unhelpful as it was a business stay and all his colleagues were staying at the first hotel and socialising there. You might expect better, but even with a booking, you have no guarantee of a room.
5 Ask for one
You could, of course, ask for an upgrade. If you are friendly and polite, you might get one if they are available. However, I heard of someone asking for an upgrade and later found out it wasn’t a free upgrade, but by then it was too late. Make sure you make it clear you want a free upgrade.
I know people ask for an upgrade because it is their birthday, wedding, or anniversary. However, because so many people do this and lie, you may now have to prove that it is true. Remember, you often have to present your passport, which contains your real date of birth. In places known as honeymoon destinations, a wedding anniversary may need to be a milestone number before it is upgraded. You might need a photocopy of your wedding certificate to prove it.
6 Use the right booking agent or credit card
I know I said booking directly gives you the best chance of an upgrade, but you can also get upgrades by using the right booking agent or credit card. We book directly or use a booking agent, depending on the country and the price.
Booking.com offers free upgrades in participating hotels when you reach Genius level 2. This is a perk of using Booking.com, but we used it for over half the hotels we booked during our last holiday, and we didn’t receive an upgrade at any of them. Although this can happen, it is rare.
The right credit card, paired with the right hotel, can secure an upgrade. The American Express Platinum Card, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Express Card, and the World of Hyatt Credit Card all offer complimentary upgrades when available.
Don’t get too excited about your upgrades
If you are told at check-in that you have been upgraded, don’t let your imagination go wild. Some upgrades are not worth mentioning, and some are worse.
We were once upgraded from a large room for three to a suite. This might have sounded like a great upgrade, but instead of the third person getting a proper bed as planned, they got only an uncomfortable foldaway bed.
A few weeks ago, we were “upgraded” at the Toy Story Hotel in Shanghai from a room with a garden view to one with a statue of Buzz Lightyear outside. The receptionist made a big fuss about seeing Buzz Lightyear. I was not impressed. I wasn’t even able to see the statue well, as we left and returned while it was still dark.
It is better to imagine your upgrade is insignificant, and then be surprised when you open the door and find it is a “real” upgrade.
Summary
When booking your hotel, if prices are the same through a booking agent and directly with the hotel, you might want to book directly, as there’s a better chance of getting perks.
If getting an upgrade is vital to you, it is better to pay for it. There is no point in booking in the off-season, dropping hints to the receptionist that it is your birthday, and chatting them up with your best smile. You might get an upgrade, but you are more likely to end up in the room you booked and feel dissatisfied.
Getting an upgraded room is a bit like finding a wad of cash in your trouser pocket. It is better when you weren’t expecting it.
Whatever room you get, I hope you enjoy your hotel.
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