Upgraded hotel room in Vegas?
Jan 1st, 2008, 06:22 AM
#2
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Just ask when you check in.
If you have been to the hotel before or have some sort of points, belong to one of the "clubs" ( we do) then your chances are better.
But you can ask, no one will smack you for asking
Good luck!!
If you have been to the hotel before or have some sort of points, belong to one of the "clubs" ( we do) then your chances are better.
But you can ask, no one will smack you for asking
Good luck!!
Jan 1st, 2008, 11:21 AM
#4
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What specifically are you looking to get in an upgraded room? It could be a view of ths strip, a quieter room, one that has recently been upgraded, has a bathroom you can play football in or a hot tub big enough for 10+1, etc.
At checkin, if you state a desire for __________, rather than just asking for a random 'upgrade' to a 'nicer'room they may be better able to accommodate you.
At checkin, if you state a desire for __________, rather than just asking for a random 'upgrade' to a 'nicer'room they may be better able to accommodate you.
Jan 1st, 2008, 09:26 PM
#7
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Well, I've been upgraded a number of different ways, but surprisingly, never with the $20 trick.
As noted, you could just ask. Sometimes, the hotel fills up their lower tier rooms, and you find yourself bumped up to a nicer room. I imagine that they do it sometimes just to be nice - say it's your anniversary or something, but people lie about that all the time, so I think it's probably pretty rare nowadays.
Now, bear in mind that what you consider an "upgrade" may not be what the hotel considers an upgrade. Most of the time, it's a bit bigger room. Some hotels, like the Bellagio, consider a room with a particularly nice view to be an "upgrade". For example, fountain view rooms at the Bellagio are no different than the regular rooms, but do have a view of the Bellagio fountains, which is very nice.
Upgrades to rooms like suites (i.e. rooms with separate living and sleeping areas) can also happen, but are rarer for free.
I've checked in for single nights when hotels were oversold and got upgraded to nicer rooms - happened at the Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and Monte Carlo. I didn't even ask - they just upgraded me. I've gotten upgraded rooms through promotions - fountain view room at the Bellagio - usually $25 a night extra.
I've also gotten upgraded as a Gold Starwood Preferred Guest member at the Planet Hollywood (was Aladdin). The owner of the Planet Hollywood also owns the Sheraton chain, so the Planet Hollywood participates in that hotel's rewards program.
As noted, another way to attempt to get an upgrade is to unobtrusively flash a $20 bill to the check-in person and ask for an upgrade. One method is to have a folded up $20 bill under your credit card when you slide it across to the clerk and flash it when you ask for an upgrade. Some hotels are really strict about this, and won't let the clerks just upgrade people. They'll usually just tell you that you can upgrade for a per night fee. Your mileage will definitely vary with this approach.
As noted, you could just ask. Sometimes, the hotel fills up their lower tier rooms, and you find yourself bumped up to a nicer room. I imagine that they do it sometimes just to be nice - say it's your anniversary or something, but people lie about that all the time, so I think it's probably pretty rare nowadays.
Now, bear in mind that what you consider an "upgrade" may not be what the hotel considers an upgrade. Most of the time, it's a bit bigger room. Some hotels, like the Bellagio, consider a room with a particularly nice view to be an "upgrade". For example, fountain view rooms at the Bellagio are no different than the regular rooms, but do have a view of the Bellagio fountains, which is very nice.
Upgrades to rooms like suites (i.e. rooms with separate living and sleeping areas) can also happen, but are rarer for free.
I've checked in for single nights when hotels were oversold and got upgraded to nicer rooms - happened at the Venetian, Mandalay Bay, and Monte Carlo. I didn't even ask - they just upgraded me. I've gotten upgraded rooms through promotions - fountain view room at the Bellagio - usually $25 a night extra.
I've also gotten upgraded as a Gold Starwood Preferred Guest member at the Planet Hollywood (was Aladdin). The owner of the Planet Hollywood also owns the Sheraton chain, so the Planet Hollywood participates in that hotel's rewards program.
As noted, another way to attempt to get an upgrade is to unobtrusively flash a $20 bill to the check-in person and ask for an upgrade. One method is to have a folded up $20 bill under your credit card when you slide it across to the clerk and flash it when you ask for an upgrade. Some hotels are really strict about this, and won't let the clerks just upgrade people. They'll usually just tell you that you can upgrade for a per night fee. Your mileage will definitely vary with this approach.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 02:23 PM
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Gave the check-in clerk at Paris a $20 bill and she acted like it was $1000. She upgraded me to a very large corner room with a view of the Eiffel Tower. I only paid $99 for the room and she said the room she gave me was a $50 a night upgrade. She apologized that there were no jacuzzi suites available or she would have given me one. I would consider Paris a credible hotel. We have also gotten an upgrade to a waterview room at Bellagio for a $20 tip although in that case I can't say for sure that I would not have gotten without the tip. I wouldn't try this anywhere other than Vegas.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 05:51 PM
#10
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I've been upgraded numerous times (3 weeks ago in fact). Only once or twice did I bribe my way. Regardless of what Mike T might think, money talks in Vegas. However, as noted above, an upgrade usually does not mean a suite or jacuzzi room. Traditionally an upgrade is a better / strip view.
Jan 2nd, 2008, 06:44 PM
#11
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I've never had to pay for an upgrade, and a couple of times I got it without even asking....for example, I once arrived at 11 or 1130 at night, so by that time the hotel could see what nice rooms were left, and suggested I take one. How nice!!! This last time, I got upgraded to a suite, but I didn't know it was a smoking floor. oh well.
Jan 3rd, 2008, 06:53 AM
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Jan 16th, 2008, 04:06 PM
#13
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Use promotion codes, you can get alot more then just a free upgrade...
try www.smartervegas.com
try www.smartervegas.com
Jan 17th, 2008, 02:59 PM
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Jan 20th, 2008, 07:36 PM
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A lot of the time you can book a deal that gives you a free room upgrade. Many of these deals are offered directly by hotels themselves. Try browsing through the deals at http://www.vegashotelhunt.com as you could probably find a free room upgrade on some of the deals listed there. Other than that, the $20 tip trick usually works well. Don't be bashful about doing it either 
As someone in another forum said, "worst that can happen is that you don't get a room upgrade -- consider it your first losing bet in Vegas!"
As someone in another forum said, "worst that can happen is that you don't get a room upgrade -- consider it your first losing bet in Vegas!"
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