23 Amazing Hotel Hacks To Boost Your Travel Experience

If you Google “best hotel hacks,” you’ll find a bunch of clickbait articles that are all the same, offering “hacks” that are mediocre at best. That’s not what we’re about here at Upgraded Points. We want to help you save money and have an awesome hotel experience.

For this post, we’ve compiled our best expert tips to make your next hotel stay amazing — we’re talking upgrades, free breakfast, and even free hotel nights.

Let’s get started!

Hotel Booking Hacks

1. Get Special Perks and Bonuses

When you book a hotel room, it’s nice to know you’ll get extra perks and bonuses. Thankfully, there are ways to guarantee these perks at the time of booking by using a specialty travel portal or travel advisor.

Check out the benefits you’ll get when you book through these channels:

American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts

American Express Hotel Collection (Benefits Valid on Bookings of 2+ Nights)

• Once per year $200 statement credit when using the Amex Platinum card
• Room upgrade (when available)
• $100 experience credit (varies by hotel)

Hot Tip: The annual $200 prepaid hotel credit that comes with the Amex Platinum card can be used on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through AmexTravel.com when you pay with your card.

Virtuoso

Virtuoso is a network of travel advisors and agencies that specialize in luxury travel. Booking a hotel through a Virtuoso agent will get you the following benefits:

Hot Tip: To access these perks, contact Upgraded Points’ own Leigh Rowan, who is a Virtuoso agent, at leighrowan@upgradedpoints.com.

Four Seasons Preferred Partner

While Four Seasons Preferred Partner benefits can vary by property, many of them are consistent.

Hilton Impresario

Hilton Impresario offers benefits at 3 luxury Hilton brands: Conrad, LXR Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria

Marriott Luminous

Marriott STARS

Hot Tip: Marriott STARS and Marriott Luminous are similar but separate programs. Our guide shows you some of the best properties to get these free perks at!

Hyatt Privé

The Hyatt Privé program allows select travel agencies to offer extra perks and bonuses at more than 200 Hyatt properties.

Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (LHRC)

The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection is Chase’s luxury hotel program. When you book one of these properties, you can expect the following benefits:

Bottom Line: You can get extra perks on your next hotel stay such as free breakfast or hotel credit when you book through a specialized travel portal or travel agency including American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, American Express Hotel Collection, Virtuoso, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Marriott Luminous, Marriott STARS, Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection, and Hyatt Privé.

2. Sign Up for the Loyalty Program

Even if you have no intention of ever staying at the hotel brand again, sign up for the loyalty program. That’s because many hotel loyalty programs (like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt, and IHG One Rewards) offer member pricing and perks that you can take advantage of even on your first stay.

Plus, you can often transfer hotel points to a travel partner. While this is often not the best way to use hotel points, if you have a small number of points in a program that you won’t use, you might as well transfer them.

3. Get Club Lounge Access

Having access to your hotel’s club lounge is a great way to save money on food and drinks. Hotel club lounges vary in size and quality, but at a minimum, they usually provide free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Great club lounges can offer enough food for a full breakfast and dinner. Here are a few ways to gain access to your hotel’s club lounge:

• Book a room that includes lounge access
• Earn a hotel elite status level that includes lounge access (Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, or Hyatt Globalist)
• Earn a club lounge access certificate (these are given as Milestone Rewards in the World of Hyatt and IHG One Rewards programs)

4. Look for Extra Deals to Stack Before Booking

Before booking a hotel, see if there are any deals and discounts you can use. Many of these can be used even when you are booking directly with the hotel and can sometimes be stacked for even more savings. Check out Chase Offers and Amex Offers, as well as shopping portals such as Rakuten.

5. Get Hotel Elite Status With Your Credit Card

Having hotel elite status can really help to make your next stay as awesome as possible. But getting hotel elite status is easier said than done, right? Well, not always. There are actually some hotel elite status levels you can get just by having the right credit card. Note that some statuses require enrollment through your credit card portal, so be sure to check your card benefits to get the full value.

*All information about these cards has been collected independently by Upgraded Points.

6. Ask for an Upgrade

If you’d like an upgraded room, it never hurts to email the hotel before your trip to ask for one. Let them know how much you’re looking forward to your trip and be sure to mention any special occasions that you may be celebrating. Be specific when asking for an upgrade — mention the exact room category or feature you’re looking for, such as an oceanfront room, a room with a balcony, or adjoining rooms.

7. Get a Free Night

Using points to pay for your hotel room is a great hack, but there are other ways to get a free hotel night! Here are some of our favorites.

Credit Card Free Night Certificate

Many hotel credit cards come with a yearly free night certificate. Here are some great options:

You can also spend your way to a free night certificate on these credit cards:

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card

An excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and up to $200 in Hilton credits every year.

Welcome Offer

Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.

165,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$825

Annual Fee

$150

APR

20.49%-29.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status to up to $200 in Hilton credits every year, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12x points per $1 at Hilton hotels
• 6x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
• 4x points per $1 at U.S. online retail purchases

Cons

• Annual fee of $150 (rates & fees)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
• Get up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
• Earn 12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
• Earn 6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
• Earn 4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
• Earn 3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
• Earn a Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors ™ Gold Status with your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass^® Card.
• Spend $40,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn Hilton Honors™ Diamond Status through the end of the next calendar year.
• Enjoy complimentary National Car Rental^® Emerald Club Executive^® status. Enrollment in the complimentary Emerald Club^® program is required. Terms apply.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
• $150 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Hilton Honors

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

The World of Hyatt Credit Card

The World of Hyatt card offers a fast track to Hyatt elite status, an annual free night, and up to 9x points per $1 on Hyatt stays.

Welcome Offer

Earn 5 free nights at any Category 1 - 4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* These nights could be worth up to 90,000 points.

5 Free Nights

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes your Hyatt stays more rewarding and helps you get coveted World of Hyatt elite status faster. This card is a must-have for any traveler who regularly stays at Hyatt hotels, or even for anyone who’s able to take advantage of the card’s annual free night certificate.

When you factor in all the benefits the World of Hyatt card offers, it’s easy to see why it is one of the best co-branded hotel credit cards on the market.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• 2x points per $1 at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, rideshares, and fitness clubs/gym memberships
• 1x point per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 5 free nights at any Category 1 - 4 Hyatt hotel or resort after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.* These nights could be worth up to 90,000 points.
• Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
• Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
• Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
• Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
• Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
• Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays – 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
• Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

World of Hyatt

Hot Tip: Free night certificates can also come as part of a credit card’s welcome bonus. Be sure to check out our current best hotel credit cards to see what bonuses are available.

Hyatt Milestone Rewards

If you’re a fan of the World of Hyatt program, you’ll love that you can earn additional free night certificates through Hyatt Milestone Rewards. As part of this program, you’ll earn a Category 1 to 4 free night after staying 30 nights or earning 50,000 base points and a Category 1 to 7 free night after staying 60 nights or earning 100,000 base points.

Hyatt Brand Explorer

Another way to earn a free hotel night is through the Hyatt Brand Explorer program. After staying at 5 different Hyatt brands, you’ll earn a Category 1 to 4 free night certificate.

Hotel Hacks

8. Get the Digital Key (Don’t Forget Your Room Number!)

When you check in to your hotel, be sure to grab a digital key from your hotel program’s mobile app. Even if you don’t plan on using it, it can be helpful if you tend to forget your room number — just open up your digital key and you’ll have it right there.

9. Unpack Quickly With Packing Cubes

When you pack using packing cubes, you’ll be able to unpack your suitcase in a snap. Just move the cubes to a drawer and unzip. Now you’re unpacked and ready for your vacation.

10. Get Water From the Gym

While many hotels provide bottled water for guests, plenty do not. If you’re not eligible for free bottled water through a hotel elite status, there’s another hack you should know about: you can often get water from the hotel gym. Some gyms may provide bottles of water, but if they don’t, there’s almost always a water bottle filling station that you can use.

11. Bring a Hanging Toiletry Bag

To save on bathroom counter space, bring a hanging toiletry bag. This is a great way to keep your bathroom essentials organized and out of the way. Most hotels will have a hook or towel bar that you can hang these on.

12. Get Free Breakfast

What better way to start your day than with free breakfast? There are a few travel hacks you can use to get free breakfast during your next hotel stay:

• Stay at a hotel brand that includes free breakfast, such as Springhill Suites by Marriott, Hampton by Hilton, or Hyatt Place.
• Get lounge access. You can gain access to your hotel’s lounge by booking a lounge access room or by having elite status.
• Get elite status. You’ll be eligible for a free breakfast or food and beverage credit by holding hotel elite status including Hilton Gold and Diamond, Marriott Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite, Hyatt Globalist, and IHG Diamond statuses.
• Book a special rate that includes breakfast through a program such as Virtuoso, Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Hyatt Privé, Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection, Marriott STARS, or Marriott Luminous.

13. Picky About Coffee or Tea? Bring Your Own Keurig Cups or Tea Bags

Most hotel rooms offer in-room coffee makers with basic coffee and tea provided. If you’re picky about what you drink in the morning, be sure to bring your own tea bags or K-cups so you can have exactly what you want to start your day.

14. Use the Hotel’s Credit Card

In many circumstances, you’ll earn the most points by paying for your hotel stay with a hotel-branded credit card. If you used points to pay for your room, charge incidentals such as food purchases to your room and you’ll earn lots of points too.

• For Choice hotels, you’ll earn up to 15x points with the Choice Privileges card
• For IHG hotels, you’ll earn up to 17x points with the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card and up to 26x points with the IHG Premier card
• For Hilton hotels, you’ll earn 7x to 14x points using one of the Hilton co-branded credit cards
• For Hyatt hotels, you’ll earn a total of up to 9x points per dollar by using the World of Hyatt card or the World of Hyatt Business card (4 Bonus Points per $1 on qualifying purchases at Hyatt + up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member)
• For Marriott hotels, you’ll earn 6x to 14x points using a Marriott Bonvoy credit card
• For Wyndham hotels, you’ll earn 3x to 8x points using one of the Wyndham co-branded credit cards

15. Use the Bathroom Cups for Your Toothbrush

Keep your toothbrush clean and off the counter by using one of the cups usually provided in the bathroom as a toothbrush holder. If there isn’t a cup in the bathroom, grab one from the coffee station.

16. Get More Counter Space

If your hotel room is tight on space or you just need a little additional counter or workspace, grab the ironing board from the closet and you’ve got additional counter space in an instant.

17. Earn Airline Miles While You Sleep

Did you know you can earn airline miles by staying in a hotel? Yes! If you prefer to earn airline miles instead of hotel points, you can do so with many hotel programs such as Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards. Just switch your earning preference to miles in your account.

Even better, with Hyatt hotels, you can earn American Airlines miles in addition to World of Hyatt points for your stay if you have World of Hyatt elite status. Just be sure to link your accounts first.

18. Don’t Unpack Your Suitcase on the Bed

When you first get to your hotel room, you may be inclined to put your suitcase on the bed to start unpacking. Don’t do this! You’ve been dragging your suitcase all over airports and on an airplane or 2 so it’s bound to be dirty. Instead of putting that dirty suitcase on the bed, use a luggage rack to prop up your suitcase so you can unpack quickly. These can usually be found in your hotel room closet.

19. Charge Your Devices

If your hotel room is short on charging stations, check the back of the TV. You’ll often find extra USB charging ports that are ready to charge your devices.

Family Hotel Room Hacks

20. Make a Toddler-Approved Bed

If you’re traveling with small children, you’ll love this kid-friendly travel hack. If your hotel room has a small couch or loveseat, turn it around so the open part faces the wall and you’ll have an instant bed that your little one won’t roll out of.

Hot Tip: For more tips on family travel, check out our guide on (almost) stress-free traveling with kids.

21. Big Family? Get Adjoining Rooms

If you’ve got a large family, chances are you’ll need to book more than 1 room. In that case, adjoining rooms might be preferable to 2 rooms that aren’t connected. With most hotels, you can only request adjoining rooms. However, Hilton allows you to guarantee adjoining rooms at the time of booking.

22. Find a Hotel Where Kids Eat Free

Many family-friendly hotels offer free kids’ dining which can save parents a lot of money. There are even entire hotel chains, such as Holiday Inn, that have a kids-eat-free program.

23. Book a Suite

Yes, a suite is a luxury, but if you’re traveling with young children who go to sleep early, it can be a lifesaver. With a suite, you’ll be able to put the kids to bed early and you can stay up without disturbing them. It may cost a little more, but it’s a splurge worth considering.

Final Thoughts

There are lots of tricks of the trade that seasoned travelers know about when it comes to booking and staying in a hotel. With these smart hacks, your next hotel stay will be much more comfortable from start to finish.

If you plan on flying to your destination, be sure to check out our awesome flight hacks, too.