If you've ever heard one of your friends or family members talking about getting a free hotel room upgrade while on a trip, it can be easy to feel jealous. A better strategy, however, is to learn the best way to get this type of room upgrade on your next trip; pretty soon you'll have a fun story to share, too. While certain factors such as the hotel's vacancy rate during your stay are beyond your control, there are a handful of steps that you can follow to increase the chance of getting a favorable response when you politely ask for an upgrade. Here's what to do.
Sign Up For The Loyalty Program
Before your trip, visit the hotel's website and look for a page that allows you to sign up for the hotel brand's loyalty program. This type of program is common among chain hotels, and there isn't typically a fee to sign up. While the main benefit of enrolling in this program is to earn points that you can redeem for travel perks in the future, as well as receive instant benefits such as early check-in or late check-out, being a card-carrying member of the program demonstrates your loyalty to the hotel brand, which can come in handy when you request your room upgrade.
Don't Check In Too Early
While many travelers wish to check in to their hotel as early as possible and get settled, doing so won't help your chance of getting a free room upgrade. If you're too early, hotel management will be hoping that additional travelers book rooms throughout the late afternoon and into the evening. With this potential for more guests, you'll be unlikely to get upgraded for free. It's better to check in a little later. While there's no magic time that ensures your success, many travelers find that checking in after dinner is better as the hotel management will have a clearer idea of the number of vacancies for the night.
Ask Quietly And When The Lobby Is Empty
Using your best manners when you ask for your free room upgrade is important, but it's also valuable to voice your request quietly and when the lobby is relatively empty. If there aren't other travelers around you who will be tempted to copy your request, the hotel management is often more apt to grant your wish. If the lobby is packed when you're ready to check in, try to wait until it's less crowded. If the crowd still hasn't dissipated, do your best to ask for the upgrade in a low voice.
Contact a hotel like Mt. Laurel La Quinta Inn for more information.
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