Travel2015

FEW THINGS give us greater satisfaction on holiday than getting something for nothing, that little bonus that makes you feel you’ve earned yourself a bargain through canny travel nous.

A room upgrade is the holy grail of such things, a bigger, better or quieter room that will make your stay that bit more enjoyable.

The bad news is luck doesn’t necessarily play a part in this elusive hotel bonus. The good news is that there are some simple moves you can make to maximise your chances of getting that corner room, away from the lift, overlooking the lake.

Here is the who, what, when, where, why and how of getting a hotel upgrade:

How you say it is just as important. The happy and polite guest is more likely to get the goodies. If you have a problem with the room, make it known immediately, before the one you don’t like needs to be made up again. In every likelihood, staff know which rooms are rubbish – all hotels have them – and have an action plan for when a guest calls them on it. When complaining, manners and accuracy are paramount.

Be subtle. If there are other guests around, you’ll be less likely to get any joy as they don’t want everyone asking to change their room.

Guests are a dime a dozen, the complimentary and entertaining ones are not. Make their day and they may make yours. If you had a great stay, say so and that you look forward to coming back.

If they come through for you, say thank you – in writing is even better, whether in a short e-mail or in the form of a review on TripAdvisor. Or make your point known on social media. – Daily Mail

RIGHT WAY: Getting the perfect hotel room is about being friendly and tactful. HOW?