Thanks again Si,
re the $20 trick, do you just literally say "don't suppose you there's any chance of an upgrade is there?" whilst handing it over?
There's an awful lot written on this subject, and most of it is bunkum. Obv YMMV and the ultimate plan is to get a much better room without paying for it (apart from the $20 obv)
There's loads of stuff written about which clerk you should target, what you should say, how you should present the $20 etc etc.
My advice would be:
Do a little research ahead of time on the hotel. Are the rates still on offer? If so, probably not high occupancy and you have better odds. Are you staying 4 weeks or one night? 4 weeks is obv a tough nut to crack with $20.... one night (and not a Fri/Sat) all sorts of upgrades have been handed out.. alll the way up to the Penthouses.
My advice is not to offer a $20 sandwich with your ID and CC. Just simply ask if there are any complimentary upgrades available to you, whilst mentioning that you "love to tip for great service." It is as simple as that. They will know that you know that they know that you know the drill.. they will do what they can for you on the understanding that a $20 is going to be forthcoming.
So let's throw a hotel into it as an example... the Mirage.
Let's say you are booked into a Resort Queen room. Your upgrade possibilities are to a Resort Room (Pool View/Volcano View) Tower room (bit bigger bathroom, separate shower) and then to a Mirage Suite/Tower Suite/Penthouse Suite.
My advice would be to have already looked on the website to see what each of those are like. Then when the clerk asks you what you had in mind, or spouts off the name of a room to you, you insta-know how much of an upgrade is on the line.
Personally, I wouldn't pay to get a Volcano room, but if you are with family and they really want that, then no problem. But they have to put you in some room or other, usually with a pool view or a strip view anyway. If they really dislike you they can dump you in a room on floor 4 with a view of the catering dustbins....
All the rooms in this hotel have been recently renovated, so that doesn't come into it, but elsewhere, you could definitely;y ask for a "renovated room" if that hotel had some new rooms and some old rooms.
So, back to the check-in. (You may have already got a deal on a suite from an offer code so this would be redundant..)
"Hello, checking in for 1 night, I'm booked into a Tower Resort Room but I am with my family and wanted to see if there are any complimentary upgrades available to a Tower Suite please. I love to tip for great service."
The clerk is now going to say:
a) We are busy, here's your Tower resort Room key b) Certainly sir, let me make a call (and get your $20 ready, give it to them AFTER fixing you up) c) Can't get you into a Tower Suite, but I have a hospitality suite that you could have. d) I can get you a pool view.
Obv for c) the wrong answer is... "hmmm what does that look like" or "can I take a look at the room first before deciding" and the correct answer is.."YES" as you will have already taken the virtual tour online pre-trip and know that it is a very decent upgrade.
Obv for d) it is up to you, but I wouldn't be parting with $20 for it.
Typically, it will be hard to get upgraded more than one level, but it can and does happen on occasion.
Even if you aren't really getting a lot of co-operation from an arsey clerk, you can still normally make something happen. Let's say they have countered with a Volcano view, which the missus is fairly keen on. Before coughing up the $20, I'd still say something like how you are only here for one night and have a packed schedule, would it be possible to write out a few line passes... These will get you into the casual food outlets (buffet/cafe/deli etc) in the Invited Guest entrance and therefore save you a long wait in the regular line. Writing out a line pass doesn't cause the clerk any hassle, and if he knows it is the clincher for a $20, your odds are pretty good.
Hope that helps... ultimately the worse that can happen is you don't part with $20 and you get the room you originally booked... so ask away!