How You Too Can Charm Your Way Into An Ocean-View Room
Our Smart Cookie Ang – was living her rather factor out in Hawaii last week. Learn how she enjoyed luxury in style for less than you think. All is takes is a few Smart Cookie secrets that you can read here. Ang covers the whole story in this week’s Globe and Mail, so be sure to check it out too.
I’m writing this column from a balcony overlooking the ocean. The only reason I’m staring at sandy beaches – and not at a parking lot – is because of a few e-mails I sent a week ago.
After I’d booked us into the basic rooms at the three hotels we’re staying at, I set out to try to get an upgrade in each hotel. About a week prior to arrival, I e-mailed each general manager directly and told them why I was travelling to their hotel, which room I was currently booked in, and the specific name of the suite I’d ideally like to be in. I then added a few things I could do in return for such a generous upgrade: post a positive review on tripadvisor.com, recommend the hotel to colleagues, friends and family, agree to return if possible in the future, etc.
The key with most requests is to be gracious. Kindness goes a long way in getting more for less. Also, if you’re part of the hotel’s preferred guest program you should make that clear, but it’s certainly not essential.
The lesson I learned: Don’t wait until you check in to ask for upgrades. The first hotel wasn’t able to upgrade us, but did give us a free brunch; the second bumped us up to an ocean-view room; and the third gave us an ocean-view suite and sent a bottle of bubbly to our room.
If you’re traveling soon and would like an outline of the letter I’ve been using, watch for it in tomorrow’s bite sized.
Aloha!
What do you think, would you send a letter before hand, if it meant some sweet upgrades? Leave your Cookie opinion below.
And if you’re hungry for more, dig into:
