by Vicki Niedzielska

Created on: July 25, 2008   Last Updated: January 26, 2010

Hotel upgrades happen every day, in every hotel. As a senior manager in a five star hotel, I see it all the time, and it is surprisingly easy to get for yourself, especially in quieter seasons and the more laid back resort style hotels. If you were coming to stay at my hotel, this is what would work! (Yes... I am giving away all my secrets now, please don't use it against me!)

1. The number one absolutely MUST do if you are after an upgrade, is contact the hotel BEFORE you arrive. Nice, friendly emails which show that guests are looking forward to their stay and don't come across as demanding or picky will cheer me up on a Monday morning, and then I am far more likely to feel receptive to your requests. Find out who is the right person to contact, and that is usually Guest Service Manager or Front Office Manager, and write to them directly. The reservation team doesn't normally have the authority to give away upgrades, so go straight to the people with the power!

2. If you tell the hotel that your stay has a special meaning for any reason they will be more likely to offer an upgrade. This can be anything from an anniversary, to a first holiday overseas or a vacation after a particularly troublesome year. We hotel managers are a friendly lot normally, and when we can do something special we generally will!

3. I have no problem with you asking directly for an upgrade, but it will work much better if linked with the above suggestion. Just "I want an upgrade" is not going to get you anywhere, but "We would be so grateful if you would consider upgrading our room, as we are celebrating our 5th anniversary and want our stay to be extra special" has a very good chance.

4. In most cases, I would reply to the above with a promise of an upgrade, if there is availability when you arrive. If this is the response, then it is definitely worth replying immediately with a thank you, and again about 3 days before your stay with a gentle reminder such as "we do hope that you will be able to manage that upgrade, as we are looking forward to our stay so much." Then I will most likely assign your upgrade that day, so even if we get busy over the next two days, your upgraded room will be safe.

5. If you wish to ask for an upgrade after you have arrived because you don't like the room you have been given, state clearly why the room does not meet your expectations, and then enquire if there is anything better which you could see? If your given room does not meet the description then it is reasonable to request an upgrade free of charge. However, it is just because you don't really like it and fancy something a bit more luxurious then sometimes offering to pay for the upgrade will be enough to get it free of charge. Insisting and demanding again will be unlikely to work, unless you have genuine cause for complaint. If they are not able to give the upgrade free, then you can usually negotiate the upgrade fee. Again ask for the Front Office Manager as the receptionist might not have the authority to make these decisions.

6. If you experience problems in the hotel with the room or with something else, you certainly could ask for an upgrade as compensation. We genuinely want to make amends when things go wrong and most good hotels will be pleased to make you happy with an upgrade.

In summary, the greatest chance of getting that elusive upgrade will definitely come from contacting the hotel before you arrive, and by finding the name of the person who has the authority to make the upgrade decision. There are times when upgrades are simply not available, but in my own experience if you ask you will often receive!

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