Hotel Perks or Upgrades: What’s Available & How to Get Them

Surprise—you’ve just been upgraded to a suite with a view! That’s what we all hope to hear when checking into a hotel. This actually happens more frequently than you think, but only if you know the rules, tips, and tricks to get there. Room upgrades are just one of many hotel perks you can receive. These perks not only help hotels achieve their goal of guest satisfaction but also deliver more value to guests during their stay.

Find out what hotel perks guests just like you are enjoying during their stay and why booking hotels directly is your secret key to unlocking these amazing upgrades.

What Are Hotel Perks and Upgrades?

Hotel perks are additional amenities and services that guests receive during their stay to enhance their overall guest experience. Perks and upgrades vary depending on the hotel you stay at. However, they all have a goal of providing additional value to the hotel’s customers.

Commercial real estate analysis at CoStar traces the rise of hotel perk offerings with the emergence of hotel loyalty programs in the 1980s. These programs established a standardized approach to offering perks, such as room upgrades and complimentary nights. Today, hotel perks are more widespread and can be available to all guests under the right conditions.

How Do Hotel Perks and Upgrades Work?

So, how do you obtain hotel perks during your stay? The good news is that it’s easier than ever to get the most common perks. Many hotels offer certain perks to all guests, such as free wifi and free parking. These common perks are standardized amenities displayed on hotel websites or hotel booking sites. 

Other perks, such as room upgrades and flexible check-in and check-out times, are available upon special request or included with certain hotel status in rewards programs. More premium perks are revealed only after achieving a higher hotel status.

Common Free Hotel Perks and Upgrades

Here is a list of common hotel perks available to the everyday guest. These are the easiest to obtain, and many don’t even require you to participate in the hotel’s loyalty program.

1. Room upgrades

These can look like a switch from a single bedroom to a double bed suite, from a courtyard view to city view, or from a standard room layout to a room with a pull-out couch and kitchenette. Room upgrades are always a welcome surprise when checking in. This hotel perk is based on availability, and there are many ways to score a room upgrade.

2. Early check-in

Most hotels have standard check-in times in the afternoon to allow previous guests to check out and housekeeping to prepare the room for the next guest. Early check-in enables guests to arrive in the morning and make the most of their day at their destination.

3. Late check-out

No more rushing in the morning to pack your bags, get dressed, and make it down to the lobby for check-out. Late check-out can be extended until the afternoon or later. It grants guests a couple of extra hours to sleep in or spend the morning crossing off the last items from their bucket list before checking out of the hotel.

4. Welcome gifts

You’ll feel like a VIP the moment you arrive at your hotel to check-in. Complimentary water and snack baskets are among the most common welcome gifts guests can receive at the reception desk or awaiting them inside their hotel room.

5. Complimentary breakfast

Maximize your travel budget by enjoying a free breakfast at your hotel before embarking on your day’s travel adventures. That’s one less meal you have to plan for, and it is just an elevator ride away! Complimentary breakfast may include hot items such as scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and potatoes. Other hotels offer to-go items, such as snack bars, fresh fruit, and cereal.

6. High-speed wifi

You never appreciate the joys of wifi until you’ve experienced being without it. If you’re traveling abroad or plan to use your laptop on a business trip, high-speed wifi will be your best friend. Most hotel wifi networks require login details, which are typically only offered to guests, to ensure connectivity during your stay.

7. Free or discounted parking

Finding parking in major city destinations like New York, Los Angeles, and London can be time-consuming and expensive. Hotels offering free or discounted parking for guests let you enjoy the benefits of a rental car without the hassle of parking it.

High-End or Luxury Hotel Perks and Upgrades

The best hotel perks are reserved for loyal guests with status or frequent stays. Here’s what you could be missing out on if you don’t book directly.

8. Dedicated check-in line 

Skip the line with a dedicated counter to check in to your hotel room. Most guests are ready to relax the moment they arrive at their destination, so these expedited lines provide a fast track to getting into your room and starting your vacation!

9. Contactless check-in

The future is here. Hotels with upgraded technology allow guests to skip the reservation counter altogether. Contactless check-in includes mobile check-in via your mobile device and digital key cards displayed through the hotel’s dedicated app. No more worrying about losing your hotel key, and the check-in process is as easy as the tap of a button. Also, check for mobile check-in kiosks.

10. Dining credit

Dining credit is an upgrade to complimentary breakfast. It’s typically offered at hotels with onsite restaurants and snack shops. Guests can use dining credit for any meal or even grab a late-night snack.

11. Premium wifi

While other guests occupy the standard hotel wifi with web surfing and streaming shows on Netflix, guests with access to premium wifi can enjoy even better speeds. This upgraded hotel perk is ideal for remote workers hosting uninterrupted Zoom calls, travel influencers uploading their latest travel vlogs, or guests who simply enjoy having the best services available.

12. Executive guest lounges

Not all hotel amenities are open to all guests. If you want more privacy from the hotel lobby and bar, step into the executive guest lounge. These stylish lounges feature more comfortable seating, complimentary drinks and snacks, views, and more.

13. Concierge services

High-end hotels offer personalized services to guests via a dedicated concierge. It’s like having your very own onsite assistant available around the clock to book tours, make restaurant reservations, order transportation, and other specialized services.

14. Airport shuttle transport 

Arrive at your hotel in style using the hotel’s dedicated airport shuttle services. Look for the hotel personnel holding a sign with your name at the baggage drop. They’ll take care of carrying your luggage, provide a comfortable vehicle (sometimes with complimentary drinks), and transport you directly to the hotel’s front door. Similarly, you can request this service to transport you from the hotel back to the airport in time for your departure.

How to Request Hotel Upgrades and Increase Your Odds of Getting Them

Now that you’re aware of the common perks and upgrades available to guests, it’s time to learn the best strategies to make them part of your next hotel experience.

Book hotels directly

Hotels love it when guests book directly—and according to the 2024 report by Phocuswright, so do consumers. More than two-thirds of hotel booking revenue comes from direct booking channels. Hotels reward guests who book directly by offering perks that are not available to guests who opt to book through online travel agencies (OTAs) or other third-party platforms.

Booking directly with hotels is the best way to unlock extra perks and personalized experiences. It also ensures hotels aren’t paying high commissions to third-party platforms, and these don’t often translate into better rates or upgrades for you.

DirectBooker is developing tools that make this process even easier by integrating direct hotel data and perks into conversational AI platforms. Soon, travelers will be able to search for and compare hotels that offer perks such as free Wi-Fi, airport shuttles, and flexible check-in, then book directly with the property through these AI-powered assistants.

Obtain hotel status with Hotel Rewards Programs

Travelers benefiting from hotel rewards programs continue to skyrocket, growing more than 14.5% from 2023 to 2024 to 675 million travelers, according to CBRE’s travel insights. 

Hotel perks like complimentary gifts and early check-in/late check-out are drivers for guest satisfaction. Guests can earn status with their favorite hotel chains through frequent stays or by accumulating points with hotel-branded credit cards.

Ask nicely

Being nice never goes out of style. You’ll be surprised how far a “please” and “thank you” can get you when checking into a hotel. It never hurts to ask the hotel receptionist about room upgrades or call the front desk in the morning to request a late check-out. It may be your lucky day!

Book during the off-season

Upgrades and perks are more difficult during peak travel seasons when hotels are more likely to be fully booked. Hotel perks, such as room upgrades, are based on availability, and the arrival of incoming guests makes it harder to accommodate late check-out requests. Off-season stays allow more flexibility when the hotel has less occupancy.

Enhance Your Next Stay with Hotel Perks

Hotel stays are an integral part of the travel experience, and hotel perks help enhance guest satisfaction. As new travel tools emerge, booking directly is becoming even easier and more rewarding. DirectBooker is at the forefront of this shift and is building AI-powered integrations that help travelers find hotels offering perks like upgrades, flexible stays, and exclusive rates, all through the conversational platforms they already use.

Sources

• CBRE. “Hotel Loyalty Programs Continue to Prove Their Value: Key Findings from 675 Million Members.” CBRE, 10 Apr. 2025, https://www.cbre.com/insights/articles/hotel-loyalty-programs-continue-to-prove-their-value-key-findings-from-675-million-members.

• Phocuswright. Europe Travel Market Report 2023–2027. May 2024, https://www.phocuswright.com/Travel-Research/Market-Overview-Sizing/Europe-Travel-Market-Report-2023-to-2027.

• Watkins, Ed. “The History and Evolution of Hotel Loyalty.” CoStar, 11 Aug. 2013, https://www.costar.com/article/154996602/the-history-and-evolution-of-hotel-loyalty.

Bryan Shelmon

Bryan Shelmon is a travel writer with bylines in Lonely Planet, Midwest Living, and Wanderlust, known for immersive storytelling shaped by long-term travel across 25+ countries. He combines a background in business with nearly a decade of freelance experience, collaborating with tourism boards and capturing culture through art, language, and local exploration.

Our editorial process: DirectBooker curates insights from global hospitality experts and our network of industry insiders. Articles undergo rigorous fact-checking and quality review before publication, ensuring authentic, actionable advice for savvy travelers.