hotel upgrades

Whenever a front desk agent tells me we’ve been upgraded, I smile, say thank you and head to the room. Then, almost as soon as the door closes, I turn …

When people check into a hotel, you’d think everybody is equal. After all, whether you’re staying in a standard room or the presidential suite, everyone has to stop at the …

Most travelers assume hotel room assignments are pretty simple. You check in, they hand you a key, and that’s that. In reality, assigning rooms can be a daily puzzle involving …

For most people, the American Express Platinum Card’s “headline” perks are the obvious ones: airport lounge access, credits, and the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FH&R) program. But one of the …

When you read angry posts from Marriott Bonvoy elites, the complaint is usually the same: “I didn’t get upgraded.” What people forget is that Marriott’s upgrade benefit is availability-based at …

I’ve scored a surprising number of hotel upgrades using one simple trick. It’s perfectly legit, easy to do, and it doesn’t mess with my moral compass. Even if you’re the …

I have to admit that I can be a bit of a nerd when it comes to certain topics (Note from Joe’s wife, Sharon: Yes. Yes, he can). That’s why …

Regardless of where you go, there’s an unwritten (although sometimes it’s indeed written) list of rules – things they should and shouldn’t do – people are expected to follow. Some …