How to Talk Your Way into a Better Hotel Room
You’ve survived the flight from hell, your Uber driver got lost twice, and now you’re staring down the possibility of a hotel room that makes a college dorm look spacious. Time to work some front-desk magic.
Illustration via Getty Images
What to Say
“I’m a [Hotel Brand] member—anything available?”
Loyalty programs aren’t just for frequent fliers. Sign up for Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, or whatever program your hotel runs. Status gets you noticed, and noticed gets you upgraded. Glenn Bornstein, president of Cleveland Circle Travel, watched his daughter—who had a higher loyalty status—score a late checkout while he got the boot at 11 a.m. “Me, being the travel agent, I got nothing,” he says.
“Is there any chance of an upgrade tonight?”
Simple, direct, polite. The person behind that desk controls your fate for the next few nights. Treat them like the gatekeeper they are, not an obstacle to overcome. “You get a lot more by being sweet,” Bornstein says.
“What would it cost to upgrade?”
If charm doesn’t work, cold hard cash might. Sometimes the incremental cost is surprisingly reasonable, and you’ll get a better deal than if you’d booked the premium room originally.
What Not to Say
“Do you know who I am?”
Bornstein says he’s heard this time and again. Unless you’re literally Taylor Swift, no one cares. This phrase is the fastest way to ensure you get the room next to the ice machine.
“I deserve an upgrade because…”
“Nobody deserves an upgrade,” Bornstein notes. You deserve exactly what you paid for. Everything else is a bonus.
“I booked the cheapest rate, so…”
If you treated them like a commodity by booking on Priceline, they’ll return the favor. Book direct or through an agent if you want them to care about your experience.
The Bottom Line
Be nice, be loyal, and remember that “no” usually isn’t personal—it’s inventory.
This article was first published in the print edition of the September 2025 issue as a sidebar to the feature, “How to Grab the Golden Egg.”
