Okay, so you want to upgrade your hotel room but you're too cheap, so what do you do? You could pay the upgrade fee, or you could tip the front desk! For those that have never heard of this trick, it's pretty popular, just keep in mind that it doesn't work all the time.
I'd say about 80-90% of the time you'll be successful.
Essentially, what you do is tip your front desk concierge when you check in, or for you higher rollers, tip your casino host or hostess when you meet them and they'll make sure to take care of you.
Just keep in mind this doesn't work 100% of the time, but I'll say 80-90% of the time you'll be successful.
So here's how you do it, when you check in, you do something called a "sandwich".
When they ask you for your ID and credit card, you slip a $20 in between.
I like to make sure that it sticks out a little.
When you give them the "sandwich", you casually ask them if there are any complimentary upgrades available.
What should happen is that they'll see your $20 and start furiously typing on the keyboard to find you an upgrade.
They may also ask what you're looking for.
From my personal experience I've tried at the following hotels and all have been successful for the most part.
Trump Hotel This was my first try.
I checked in rather late, there was nobody around, so I put the $20 on the counter when I checked in.
The clerk immediately smiled, asked what I was looking for.
Before I could respond, the $20 had already disappeared.
Anyways, I asked for higher floor and bigger room.
Keep in mind I just booked the crappiest room off of Priceline.
com, I received a massive 1 bedroom suite with a partial view of the strip on the 38th floor! There were 3 TV's, 2 washrooms, and double shower head! For the first time being so successful, I was definitely hooked.
Planet Hollywood So again, I booked another crappy room on Priceline.
com.
This time, it was a lot busier so I wasn't so blatant with the $20.
Instead when the clerk asked me for my ID and CC, I sandwiched the $20 and asked if there were any upgrades available.
When he looked at the $20, he looked a little puzzled, but then quickly understood what I was looking for.
He put the $20 out where everyone could see it, then started looking through the hotel.
I managed to get a bigger room, with a beautiful view of the Bellagio fountains.
It was well worth the extra $20.
Rio I forgot where I booked this, but this one was a little unusual.
When I tried the "sandwich", the clerk knew what I was doing, but said he couldn't accept it.
However, he did upgrade me to a much larger room that he specified was only for Player's Club Members.
So he basically handed me the $20 back and upgraded me anyways.
I've heard of other Rio front desk clerk's accepting the $20 but I'm not sure why he didn't.
I had some friends who stayed at the same hotel during the same time, and their room, same as the one's I had originally booked, was horrible.
Their room was smaller, and had a view of a roof.
I had a very high floor with a beautiful view of the mountains.
Paris(1st Time) This one was a good one too, although not as good as I'd hope although my expectations were a little high.
Clerk called me up, did the usual "sandwich", asked for a complimentary upgrade, looking for a suite.
She took the $20, smiled and started typing away.
She couldn't get me a suite, but got me a corner room that was much bigger, and had a beautiful view of the Bellagio Fountains and the Eiffel Tower.
Again, not what I wanted, but nonetheless, incredibly happy.
Paris(2nd Time) This time I wanted to try something a little different.
I really did want a suite, but again, I'm too cheap so I didn't really want to tip too much to get it.
Instead when she asked for my ID and CC, I simply took some cash and started dangling it in front of her and asked for a complimentary upgrade.
I don't think she saw my cash, and just flatly rejected me.
However, she typed away for a little bit and did give me a strip view room, with a nice view of the pool.
I slipped her $5 in appreciation anyways.
So, all this may seem a little scary, but truthfully, it's pretty easy, and how the economy in Las Vegas is these days, a very accepted practice.
Worst case scenario, they say no, and give you your money back.
Very very worst case, which I've never heard of, is they take your $20 and say no, which all in all, isn't too bad.