Bellagio Room Upgrade?
 

Has anyone ever received a complimentary room upgrade at the Bellagio by asking? We are not high rollers, but celebrating a 50th birthday. Hoping to try for a suite on them.
Any advice? Thanks

I was given a complimentary room upgrade at Bellagio in September, but we didn't ask for the upgrade. We had a suite reserved and it wasn't ready the two times we tried to check in. It was early, so we didn't complain. However, the desk clerk made a call and we were given an upgrade to a Cypress Suite. It was just unbelievable. I'm pretty sure we were given this great upgrade (one) because we already had a suite reserved and (two) because we were checking in on Labor Day (Monday) and only staying three nights. I'm sure this wouldn't happen during a busy period or on a weekend.

Good luck - you never know. It can happen!

If you really want a suite, you should "bite the bullet" and reserve one.

If it were as easy as you would like it to be, everyone would claim a birthday, anniversary, etc....sorry.

If you want a suite then book one.

It would be rare to get upgraded from a regular room to a suite anyway .. perhaps from a non-view room to a partial view, or partial view to fountain view at the Bellagio, but not to a suite. I know a couple of people who have worked at front desk jobs in Vegas and they all said they heard "it's my birthday or anniversary" so often it barely registers most of the time.

Here's an idea. Book a standard room. When you check in tell them it is a special 50th birthday and you'd like to make it special so ask if you can pay to upgrade to a waterview room or another type of "special room". Tell them you really can't afford a full suite, much as you'd like to. If you pay for one upgrade, they just might upgrade you further -- like to a suite.

Some swear by the $20 trick, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus, I don't think $20 is enough to get a suite, but you never know.

While the $20 trick does work in some situations...here is a thought:

Considering the location in this instance and the occasion AND the idea that the poster wants something special for little to nothing....

Flash the desk person a $100 bill, if they go for it, the upgrade is a bargain (how many nights are you staying). If they don't, no loss.

If you want a guarantee...ante up and pay for the upgrade.

Hotels will FIRE employees who take the "$20 trick" (bribe) and are caught. A friend of mine learned this the hard way in Chicago.

clavey, call the hotel and speak to reservations. Ask them politely if there is any chance of a free upgrade because of your husband's 50th birthday.

They will probably tell you they cannot do anything. Then, very politely ask them if they will note on your reservation the birthday.

When you arrive, very politely and nicely ask again noting that it is a 50th birthday.

GoTravel offers good advice. To it I would add to call and confirm once or twice even and just double check that they have the birthday noted.

Dan, did your friend work at a hotel in Las Vegas? If they fired all the clerks who took "tips" there, there would be NO ONE manning the desks! Las Vegas is a world apart from Chicago.

Seems to me that the hotel has those suites for two reasons:

1) to comp their high rollers
2) to rent to people who are celebrating special occations.

My advice is that you become a high roller.

Good, ethical advice from GoTravel. :)

Thanks to all for your sound advice. As for Dick, no need to be sarcastic. If I could have afforded a suite for 4 nights, I obviously would have booked it to begin with. As it is, the Bellagio is a stretch, but a nice one, for a special occasion. I am sure we will be just fine in our standard room.

Claveygirl, don't be too offended by comments. Honestly it's nice to be free to give personal opinions without offending someone.

As a frequent traveler, I am often upgrade by hotel staff without asking, but when I do ask - I expect to pay for it. If I'm not charged it's a bonus.

I think some of us who travel often and spend alot of money on standard rooms get a little annoyed when people get upgrades by "going around" the system so to speak. The upgrades are normally designated for frequent (or big spenders) and when we aren't able to take advantage of this privelege because someone has "jumped the line" it does ruffle our feathers a bit. Forgive us, we all want a nice room sometimes.

claveygirl..

You are being way too sensitive if you think my comments were sarcastic.

Perhaps you should compare the price of a suite for the duration of your stay to that of a standard room for the same number of nights. See how much of a "freebie" you are asking for in terms of dollars.

As to the advice to offer the desk clerk a bribe (yes that is what it is)....how come you didn't comment on that??

There's always this upgrade: Broadwaybox.com/lasvegas/hotels/bellagio_hotel.aspx - deluxe rooms for $159 a night.