Staying at a nice hotel feels like such an indulgence, but even the most basic accommodations can be quite pricey. To upgrade to a larger room or one with a scenic view, for example, may be desirable but does not always fit into your travel budget.
Fortunately, there are some ways to potentially score a room upgrade for free. There are no guarantees, of course, but these expert-backed tips will better your chances. Here’s what you should know, according to travel experts:
1. Book with the hotel directly.
To increase your odds of getting a free upgrade, reserve directly with the hotel rather than using a third-party site.
“A third-party site may restrict you to the specific room you booked,” travel journalist and content creator La Carmina told HuffPost.
Chris Hutchins, host of the podcast “All the Hacks,” also said “you’re way better off” if you book with the hotel directly.
“When hotels see reservations come in from their reservation system, they think, ’Oh wow, here’s a customer we have a chance to build a really great relationship with,” he told HuffPost. “If they see it come in through Expedia or Hotel Tonight or some channel like that, often times they think, ‘This is a person who was just trying to book the cheapest room.’”
2. Make a request prior to your stay.
Most people ask the front desk for an upgrade when they check into the hotel. But you can increase your chances of getting one by making a special request when you book your stay, said family travel expert Katrina Morrison.
“The hotel staff who assign rooms often review these requests, and you might get lucky due to room shortages or because they want to enhance your stay,” Morrison, owner of Mocha Travel, told HuffPost.
Another option is to email the general manager or front desk about a week before your reservation, said La Carmina. Typically you can find their contact information on the hotel’s website or you can call and ask for it over the phone.
“In the email, kindly express if you’ve been to the hotel before and loved it, are celebrating a special occasion, belong to the loyalty program or have featured the hotel in some way, such as in a post on social media,” she advised.
“Then, politely ask if it may be possible to have a room upgrade, and how much you’ll appreciate it. You can also try to request a specific suite by looking up what’s available for your dates of stay. Chances are that the staff will do their best to provide you with an…
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