Another way to increase your chance of a hotel upgrade is planning your vacation or stay strategically.  Try planning your travel away from holidays and other times people typically vacation, and if you can arrange your stay for a week night, even better. Additionally, if you only reserve the room for one night, you’re more likely to get a better room for the asking, as the hotel won't have to worry about it being tied up in the event they can sell it the next day. Another tip is to show up an hour or so past check-in time, hotel staff will have a better handle on which rooms are likely to be empty, and therefore more inclined to offer you the bump. Just don't be too late, or the manager who might need to approve the move could be gone for the day, or even worse, you might find your room given to someone else.