How To Get Hotel Upgrades Without Paying Extra

How do you get an upgrade at a hotel? INSIDE EDITION’s Lisa Guerrero has some tips on how to stay in the most expensive rooms at the best hotels, for a lot less.

At the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, Guerrero paid only $229 to stay in a one-bedroom suite. But you won’t believe how much it normally cost: $879 a night!

How did she get such a good deal? It’s one of the secrets hotels don’t always tell you about.

Jacob Tomsky is an industry insider and author of the book, Heads in Beds.

"A lot of people just fly through the check-in process.  Sometimes the best thing to do is go ahead and ask for an upgrade,” Tomsky told INSIDE EDITION.  

He also suggests staying loyal to a specific hotel.  "Staying at the same hotel repeatedly will also give you special attention. Customer loyalty is very important in the hotel industry."

That is exactly how INSIDE EDITION’s Guerrero got an amazing room at the Waldorf Astoria.

Watch the entire video segment here.

“I’ve stayed at this hotel a couple of times, but never in a room like this,” Guerrero said, as she toured the massive, newly renovated suite.

Tomsky also said it helps to join a hotel’s loyalty program, because it will help you get an upgrade.

Guerrero put that advice to the test at the W Hotel in Times Square.

“Would it help get an upgrade if I join the loyalty program?” Guerrero asked the front desk clerk at the W Hotel.

“Yeah, sure,” the clerk said.

Another success! We were upgraded to a higher class of rooms, but didn’t have to pay a penny extra.  And, the benefits didn’t end with a great room. We also received free internet by joining the W’s loyalty program.

“This is a better room than the one I originally booked,” Guerrero said, as she checked out the upgraded room and its amazing views of Times Square.

Tomsky said another secret for getting an upgrade is to tell the front desk that you’re in town on business and need more space for meetings.

“Bringing up a special request or special occasion is always helpful at check-in. It lets the front desk know that you need something specific,” he said.

Guerrero tried those tips at the St Regis Hotel in New York, and it worked!

“Although I paid for the least expensive room, I got an upgrade to a bigger room,” Guerrero explained. “All I had to do is tell the woman at the front desk that I was here on business, and she gave me a better room.”
 
Tomsky gave INSIDE EDITION these additional tips for getting upgrades and other perks at any hotel:

-    Create a personal relationship with the front desk. It can help you get upgrades, late checkouts and different amenities.
-    Call ahead to the hotel and introduce yourself, even if you booked the room online. So, you can figure out what room you’ve been assigned to, and can check to see if there’s something better.
-    It never hurts to ask for a bigger room, even if the hotel appears to only have one room type. Tomsky says there is usually something bigger.
-    Join the loyalty program before you get to the hotel, because loyalty members are always taken care of first.
-    Tipping the people at the front desk can help.  Tomsky said, in some cases, a $10 tip can get you an upgrade equal to $100-150 and more attention.