Hotel Room Upgrades
Thursday, July 09, 2009 by Rudy Maxa.
I have a friend who never accepts the first room she’s given when she checks into a hotel. She always has a bellman take her to her room, and no matter how nice the digs, she’s sure there’s an even nicer room to be had. She asks the bellman to call the front desk.
And here we have our first lesson on how to upgrade your hotel room: Make it someone else’s problem. The bellman knows he’s not going to get his tip and move on to another guest until my friend is happy. So he puts the pressure on the front desk employee.
There are less dramatic ways to make sure you don’t get the room stuck by the ice machine. First of all, be very clear when you make a reservation if you have any special requests, such as a room on the first floor or a room near an elevator if you have mobility issues. If you want two beds, say so when you book. Let the hotel know if you’re a non-smoker.
Then, when you arrive, check that wish list with the front desk before you’re assigned a room. Let the desk clerk know if you’re willing to wait an hour or two if that’s what it takes to get a room to your liking.
If you know you’re going to be returning often to a particular hotel, introduce yourself to the general manager and exchange cards. A smart GM will make sure the hotel staff knows who you are, and you may find yourself upgraded from time to time. You may be able to get a room on short notice even if the hotel is telling others it’s sold out. You may also be able to negotiate a lower room rate if you can promise a certain number of room nights in the course of a year.
All this requires a little advance thought and a bit of schmoozing. And you may not always find yourself in a suite with a bottle of Champagne on ice awaiting you. But as the song says, you can’t always get what you want. But if you try really hard, you just might find you get what you need.
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