Here is our second posts on upgrades. Today we are listing ways you can improve your chances of being upgraded at your hotel. While an upgrade is rarely guaranteed, these few tips will certainly improve your chances of getting a nicer room!

1. Book Direct: While you may not have a choice in the matter if your company is booking the room for you, contacting the hotel directly may increase your chances of receiving an upgrade when you arrive. Why? Because hotels need to pay a commission to large clearinghouses like Orbitz, Expedia and Hotels.com if you use one to reserve your room. If the hotel is already receiving 100% of your room rate you’ll be considered a prime candidate for an upgrade.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask: Hotels are often under booked, and simply asking if there is an available upgrade may secure one for you. If you visit the hotel frequently, mention this as well; you may be rewarded with a larger room or better view that would otherwise sit vacant.
3. Be friendly: Whether you travel for business or fun, if you find yourself visiting the same hotel again and again, make it a point to make friends with the hotel staff. If the front desk staff, concierge or General Manager gets to know and recognize you, you’ll stand a good chance of getting a great room.
4. Complain in a nice way: If there is something wrong with the room you have been assigned, or you are uncomfortable with the location or condition of the room, say so. If the hotel has some vacancies, you may be moved to a better room; smaller properties are more flexible than large ones when it comes to accommodating requests like this.
5. Be loyal: Many hotel chains, even small independent ones, offer frequent guest rewards programs. These are usually free to sign up for and may entitle you to a room upgrade after a certain number of visits. Simply having the card and presenting it may be enough to reward you with a room upgrade, whether you have used it before or not.
6. Use a partner card: If you have a credit card that partners with a hotel chain, you may be rewarded with an upgrade when you use your card. Check with your credit card rewards program to learn more. American Express, for example, partners with hundreds of high-end resorts worldwide, and simply using the card when you check in with a partner can score you an automatic upgrade.