{"id":19561,"date":"2016-07-12T16:00:02","date_gmt":"2016-07-12T16:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=19561"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:53:21","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:53:21","slug":"hotel-hacks-maximize-stay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-maximize-stay\/","title":{"rendered":"Hotel hacks: 7 ways to MAXimize your stay as a hotel guest"},"content":{"rendered":"

As someone who spends a good part of each year in hotels<\/a> around the world\u2014perks of my travel writing gig!<\/a>\u2014I\u2019ve learned how to maximize standout stays in small and big ways. Forget looking for a property to provide the \u201ccomforts of home.\u201d Instead, I like to turn my time away into a treat (where I can pick up the phone and order croque madame<\/em>\u00a0any time or sleep with 10 pillows cocooning me).<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s the \u201cearly check-in trick\u201d or learning the names of the people who work at the hotel, here are seven tried and true ways I use to maximize my nights away.<\/p>\n

1. Arrive early, stay late<\/strong><\/p>\n

The arrive early\/stay late trick is elementary to elongating the time you get to lounge in your hotel’s<\/a> lap of luxury. It works exceptionally well for \u201cthe overnight\u201d\u2014making it seem, length-wise, like a weekend away\u2014as well as when you’re traveling abroad and hopping between inns every two or three nights.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: If you have loyalty with a hotel group, they will usually oblige\u2014based on availability\u2014when you ask about extending your stay by a few hours on each end. If you are not part of any loyalty program, just remember, early check-ins and late check-outs are not<\/em>\u00a0odd requests. To prime staff of your extension, give the front desk a heads up that you\u2019re thinking of coming early and staying late. While they\u2019ll often say, \u201cWe can\u2019t guarantee this request in advance,\u201d they will at least make a note in the system, and most smart properties will try and accommodate the request. Whether you gain one hour or four, you\u2019re winning.<\/p>\n

2. Celebrate good times<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good hotels know that aside from lodging, they are in the business of surprise and delight. With this, you must<\/em>\u00a0tell them in advance<\/em> if you\u2019re celebrating something\u2014think: birthday, anniversary, babymoon, night away from the kids, etc. This gives the property a reason and<\/em>\u00a0opportunity to gift you with perks they have at the ready, whether it\u2019s chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of bubbly, a cheese plate, an early check-in\/late check-out, or a coveted upgrade to the lounge level.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: Call the hotel in advance and let them know what you\u2019re celebrating! If they don\u2019t mention it at check-in (sometimes information gets lost in the shuffle),\u00a0casually let the front desk agent know how happy you are to be staying at their property to celebrate your occasion.<\/p>\n

3. Know what\u2019s what<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arrive educated! Don\u2019t show up to reception with zero idea of what amenities are included and what fees or incidentals are extra. Do your research in advance to avoid any surprises, and to hit the ground running.\u00a0(Read: Run to the spa\u2019s eucalyptus steam room, sign out a bike for local exploration, or take advantage of the hotel\u2019s nightly wine and appetizer hour.)<\/p>\n

MAXimize: Look into the hotel\u2019s perks and incidentals before you get there, confirm all the amenities you\u2019re excited about with the agent you\u2019re speaking to when you arrive, and ask for any insider information or best practices to employ during your hotel stay.<\/p>\n

\n

Viewfinder Tip: Use the “Do Not Disturb” sign to your advantage. Hang it on your door for some extra morning shut-eye, during an afternoon nap, or if you feel like being messy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

4. Talk the talk<\/strong><\/p>\n

When requesting an upgrade or a room change, or lodging a complaint, make sure you talk the talk. Using hotel verbiage such as occupancy, satisfaction, loyalty, or guest profile reinforces your status as a frequent traveler who is aware of your rights.<\/p>\n

For example, when asking about a room upgrade, determine if the hotel\u2019s occupancy will even allow the enhancement. If not, try a better room in your category with a more desirable location, a king versus two doubles, or more square footage. Just remember: It\u2019s all about who<\/em>\u00a0you talk to and how<\/em>\u00a0you talk to them. Finally, if you\u2019re not happy with the result of your ask or complaint, suggest a solution you feel is fair.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: All requests should start with the person you\u2019re talking to. If you\u2019re unhappy with the result, escalate to a manager. For complaints, ask to speak directly to a manager.<\/p>\n

5. Loyal = royal<\/strong><\/p>\n

When it comes to travel, unless you book the presidential suite or throw money at the hotel like you\u2019re Kim Kardashian, it\u2019s mostly loyalty that equals royalty. Furthermore, knowing the details of your loyalty program, and how it relates to redemptions or perks for your stay is very important as far as augmenting your experience.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: Double check if you\u2019re a member of the hotel\u2019s rewards program or Expedia+ Rewards<\/a> for complimentary nights, vouchers, or extras while you\u2019re there. Alternatively, check to see if your travel credit card has available cash or points you can apply to the room, or use for add-ons such as hotel breakfast.<\/p>\n

6. Ask and you shall receive<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to ask for extras. In four-star hotels and above, minor requests such as slippers, extra conditioner, ear plugs, additional coffee, a pint-sized robe for your little tyke, an iPhone cord, or a pillow menu are often complimentary. Just ask. Forget your toothpaste or razor? Again, just ask.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: Just ask\u00a0because\u00a0most of the time hotels have basic sundry\u00a0items available (they just aren\u2019t advertised).<\/p>\n

7. Get to know the staff + tip well<\/strong><\/p>\n

Friendliness goes a long way at hotels where the occasional\u00a0guest can treat staff poorly. Rule no. 1: Call them by name. Rule no.\u00a02: Ask staff for their local insights. I often get to know hotel employees, and friendliness combined with tipping well (see my hotel tipping guide here<\/a>), makes all the difference from a service (to you) point of view.<\/p>\n

MAXimize: Get to know staff for local tips and insider picks.<\/p>\n

Want more hotel hacks? Check out our series:<\/strong>
\nEtiquette guidelines for guests<\/a>
\n7 hacks for booking the perfect hotel room in Vegas<\/a><\/p>\n

Let’s build this list! How do you maximize your stay\u00a0at standout properties?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Making the most of your stay away<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1786,1859,1780,1797,1787,1802,1781,1776],"tags":[1328],"authors":[2232],"class_list":["post-19561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company","category-hotels","category-inspiration","category-luxury","category-news","category-top-lists","category-travel-tips","category-type-of-vacation","tag-boutique-hotels","authors-trip-styler","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHotel hacks: 7 ways to MAXimize your stay as a hotel guest | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-maximize-stay\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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