Tips on upgrading a room at check in

[RunningBum]

The small family owned hotel we like on the beach in Mexico mentioned in passing once that Expedia clipped them for almost 30% of the nightly rental.

Ouch indeed, but what would their occupancy be without Expedia or similar?

Hearing that story though, I feel less bad about researching on Expedia and then booking directly, especially for a family owned hotel.

 

[audreyh1]

I've noticed this property continues to use Expedia but seems to limit room such as one room in each category. A little trolling for new guests without overselling the discounted rooms. In an awkward situation we traveled to the property off season and got a fantastic rate on Expedia. A guest who traveled there yearly for over 20 years heard four of us talking about how cheaply we booked and marched right to the front desk to ask for a rate adjustment.

I’ve certainly noticed far more room types available if you book directly with a property.

In the last 10 years I’ve only used Expedia when the direct hotel website told me no rooms available, but Expedia still had availability. Just a couple of times, and it was the same downtown hotel.

 

[audreyh1]

I think you do need to use the App and it's a pretty good well functioning app.

I have used their app to book, I guess I haven’t been paying attention.

 

[braumeister]

I have used their app to book, I guess I haven’t been paying attention.

Worth your time to check it out. I'll get a tap on my wrist from the Apple watch while driving, letting me know my preselected room is ready. Then when I get to the hotel I take my phone out, go straight to the room, and open the door with a tap on the phone when I get near the door. When i check out, a tap on the phone checks me out and emails me a receipt. Not every Hilton property offers all of this, but for those that do it's nice to avoid dealing with the front desk.

 

[CaliKid]

I would read up on qualifying for status. it's pretty easy to attain Marriott platinum status for example via credit cards and credit card spend. We get lots of little upgrades and occasionally a nice suite or something.

As to the $20 trick, in Las Vegas, there is a thread about it on an LV forum page. Here's a link: https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?forums/20-trick-section.52/

 

[ABQ2015]

Sometimes their upgrade is not my idea of an upgrade. I am currently at a small hotel in a resort town. At checkin was informed that they upgraded me from a queen to a larger room with a king bed. Unfortunately the larger room does not have the coffee maker and mini fridge that the smaller room had and is directly above the noisy breakfast area. I did not realize this until the next morning when the noise woke me up and the hotel is full.

 

[foxfirev5]

I have used their app to book, I guess I haven’t been paying attention.

You definitely don't need to use the Hilton app to preselect your room. We book online and get an email the day before telling us it's time to check in. About half the time we're able to select our room. However many times when we attempt to select the room, it just states that there picking a great room for us.

If an upgrade is desired DW has gotten a name of a manager at the local property (check Trip Advisor responses) and contacted them in advance. We have had better luck getting upgrades when we have already chosen a mid range $$ room and not their cheapest offering.

Over the last year or so we've slacked off on the big chains and simply book the room we want at the specific hotel that best suits our wants. For example in the past as a Lifetime Diamond member we always booked Hilton properties in Key West. Now that I'm not travelling for work and accumulating mega points we've discovered there are better alternatives. We pick and pay for the room or suite we want, no begging required. Also, just dress and act nicely when you check in and more often than not you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Lucie]

We just received a wonderful upgrade this week in Dubrovnik Croatia. We emailed ahead to confirm our reservation and told them that we are celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary. They upgraded us to a large sea-side suite and gave us a fruit basket. Since we tend to travel yearly around the time of our anniversary, we always celebrate it as an anniversary trip and mention it when we confirm. Sometimes we are lucky. We figured there is nothing to lose.

 

[jollystomper]

I have found upgrades the easiet when traveling to a locale during its "off" season, particularly if you are a member of the hotel chain loyalty club. For example, we have gone to Ocean City, MD in October (which can still get days warm enough to swim, please do not tell the masses ), the rates are a third of what they are during the summer, and we have always gotten upgrades.

 

[jimnjana]

Be polite. In Latin countries have the male ask. Try to speak the language.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I would read up on qualifying for status. it's pretty easy to attain Marriott platinum status for example via credit cards and credit card spend. We get lots of little upgrades and occasionally a nice suite or something.

As to the $20 trick, in Las Vegas, there is a thread about it on an LV forum page. Here's a link: https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?forums/20-trick-section.52/

No, it is not. Marriott no longer allows stacking of credit card offers. You are limited to 15 night credit regardless of the number of cards. The old Marriott Visa (which I still have) and which offers 1 night credit per $3K spend is no longer available for new card applicants. The SPG AMEX which gave Marriott Gold with a $30K spend is now $35K spend, and Marriott Gold no longer gives lounge access.

Marriott Platinum requires 50 nights. With 15 nights from a credit card, that leaves 35 nights which is quite a lot from the typical leisure traveler. (Note: Award Travel nights do count.) There also used to be another trick w/doing a "meeting" at a hotel to get 10 night credit, but Marriott now limits that to a one time (or one time a year, not sure on this) occurrence.

A good place to understand the details on these is on the Flyertalk forum.

 

[audreyh1]

You definitely don't need to use the Hilton app to preselect your room. We book online and get an email the day before telling us it's time to check in. About half the time we're able to select our room. However many times when we attempt to select the room, it just states that there picking a great room for us.

I hadn’t tried the check-in ahead business even though they email me ahead to do so. I didn’t understand how it worked or that there were benefits.

 

[iloveyoga]

Hilton has a very nice app for booking, check in, and room selection. You can also use the digital key through their app.

 

[a60dan]

It helps when I refer to my “bride”, as I was advised 34 years ago:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUse...ham_Hotel-New_York_City_New_York.html?m=19905

 

[msanniee]

Ive only been upgraded once. I found a HUGE palmetto bug (okay that is a cockroach in any part of the country but the South). I was very quiet at the desk about the situation and asked to be moved to a different room.

Was it worth it? Well......... not really.

 

[CaliKid]

No, it is not. Marriott no longer allows stacking of credit card offers. You are limited to 15 night credit regardless of the number of cards. The old Marriott Visa (which I still have) and which offers 1 night credit per $3K spend is no longer available for new card applicants. The SPG AMEX which gave Marriott Gold with a $30K spend is now $35K spend, and Marriott Gold no longer gives lounge access.

Marriott Platinum requires 50 nights. With 15 nights from a credit card, that leaves 35 nights which is quite a lot from the typical leisure traveler. (Note: Award Travel nights do count.) There also used to be another trick w/doing a "meeting" at a hotel to get 10 night credit, but Marriott now limits that to a one time (or one time a year, not sure on this) occurrence.

A good place to understand the details on these is on the Flyertalk forum.

Good info. I didn't know they didn't allow stacking anymore. I guess I will get rid of the business card. It's not a bad deal as you get a "free" room but it's unnecessary. Yes the 10 night's credit meetings for $100 was a great trick in the past. You could use those to create a ton of rollover nights and easily be platinum. Too bad they made it tougher to achieve status. Looks like I need to visit flyertalk more often. That page, like this one, is a wealth of info.