An upgrade that's not really an upgrade

[Mattg]

When have you received an upgrade from an airline, hotel, car rental company or another travel-related business that wasn't actually better than what you originally booked?

I can think of a couple of examples with hotel bookings. E.g. I got "upgraded" at a hotel in Abu Dhabi from a corner room with city view to a standard room with a water view. Apparently the water view made this a superior room, but I actually wanted to look at the city.

I also recently got upgraded in Singapore from a standard room to a "premium loft" room which was larger and had a separate upstairs bedroom. While it was a nicer room, it didn't have a desk (whereas the standard room did) - and that was the main thing I actually needed.

 

[dajop]

When there’s one or two of you with very little luggage and you get upgraded from a fuel efficient compact to a gas guzzling truck that’s going to more difficult to park and take twice as much petrol. But I guess then you get to fit in with the locals. (No prizes for guessing which country).

 

[Flyfrequently]

Agree @Mattg and @dajop
These days I book what we want/need in hotels and cars.
More often than not, it's the car rental companies that almost always give the upgrade .....then again, am not game enough to book the very compact 2 door manual - in case I do get it - no upgrade!

 

[WilsonM]

Multiple have been "upgraded" to a view room but with 2 twin beds, rather than the 1 king that I booked - when I'm travelling alone it's fine, but when I've booked for 2 people feel like there's a reason I booked 1 king bed...

 

[Mattg]

In these kinds of situations, how does it generally go down if you return to reception and ask for your originally booked room back?

 

[Pushka]

Cruises do this. They base same size cabins on the deck level. Higher up = more expensive. It doesn't really matter which deck I'm on if it's the same style cabin. But people get so excited when they see they've been upgraded, simply to a higher deck. I never understood it.

 

[WilsonM]

In these kinds of situations, how does it generally go down if you return to reception and ask for your originally booked room back?

Most of the times that I can remember they keep the same category room (upgraded) but swap it to a king room, which is a bit bizarre. The others were fine to put me back in the original room booked

 

[SYD]

Car rentals - especially in the US do this. Sometimes it’s good (received a nice little Merc from AVIS CPT) but recently, in PDX they tried to give me a Camero (or Mustang etc) but room for an o/n bag in the trunk. We had two full size bags… Went back and given an armoured personnel carrier (or it seemed)…..

 

[SydneySwan]

Went back and given an armoured personnel carrier (or it seemed)…..

I would have asked for a Bushmaster.

 

[SYD]

I would have asked for a Bushmaster.

They’re RHD!

 

[Quickstatus]

But people get so excited when they see they've been upgraded, simply to a higher deck. I never understood it.

The Points guy discusses similar. Not sure how accurate.
Also once upgraded on a cruise, the original booking cabin dissapears because they gave it to someone else so you often cant have it back if you change your mind apparently (but Ive never been on a cruise longer than the spirit of tassie so what would i know).

But if Im upgraded for hotel room, i want to see it first.

Car rentals are particularly dodgy.
I booked a Chevy Suburban with 4WD pickup Hertz DEN.
At Hertz they said we upgraded you to a GMC Yukon
I know my vehicles. The Yukon is slightly shorter than the Suburban unless it is the Yukon XL
I said "is it the XL and is it 4WD?". He said yes and its a nicer car with better interior cabin which is true.
Being skeptical i asked to see it first. So went to see it and no its not the XL and it did not have a front diff so it is not a 4WD.
The agent could not believe why i did not want the nicer car - I said the suburban is longer and i wanted 4WD.
Now some would say yukon is still a massive SUV, but we had 5 in the party and it was on one of those trips where our baggage on the return LAX-SYD totalled 500kg just for the checked portion.

Often its better to keep to the original booking. The provider's motives to "upgrade" you are not necessarily charitable in your favour. Often its sold as an "upgrade" but in reality at best its a "sidegrade"

 

[Pushka]

The Points guy discusses similar. Not sure how accurate.
Also once upgraded on a cruise, the original booking cabin dissapears because they gave it to someone else so you often cant have it back if you change your mind apparently (but Ive never been on a cruise longer than the spirit of tassie so what would i know).

Yep, for cruises. It's why many cruise websites have a Do Not Upgrade selection.

 

[Lynda2475]

In these kinds of situations, how does it generally go down if you return to reception and ask for your originally booked room back?

Last year i was having a girls weekend with my bestie in Brisbane. I booked a twin room with 2 queen beds and a walk in shower because i dont do shubs.

At check-in and i was a bit late as flight was delayed, im informed due to be diamond id been upgraded to a suite. Get to the suite to find it has an uneeded kitchenette, 1 king bed, a smaller bathroom with shub and a lumpy sofabed made up for one of us in the loungeroom.

Back down to reception to explain not acceptable for either of us to sleep on a sofa bed given i had paid for 2 proper beds and concerned about trip hazard of a shub. Night manager comes out, says to go back up to room and he will sort something out.

Comes up and explains when he "upgraded " us someone else was also "upgraded' to the room i carefully selected. So we end up moving to a lesser room 1 double bed and 1 single with a walk in shower and a move to the room type i booked for the second night.

By way of compensation he gave us free coughtails (2 each night), sparkling water for the room (was offered wine but didnt want it), and 50% refund on the first night.

Now i am sure to leave a note on bookings re must have walk in shower (i never book a room type without one). And note that two adult friends not a couple to ensure always 2 beds if travelling with friemd not a partner orr alone.

Had the original room still been available im sure would have been no problem to get it back.

 

[Forg]

Car rentals - especially in the US do this.

I think it’s everywhere!

Oddly, Brussels Zaventem (work’s HO is there so have rented a few times) seem on the ball, but renting a couple of times in France they wanted to “upgrade” us to a full-sized people-mover, useless for tiny parking spots & narrow roads & expensive fuel. Able to get what we wanted by waiting.

Also, SUV’s are for turds, I don’t wanna be a turd; so Australian car rental companies keep “upgrading” me to some horrible SUV. Like a Renault Koleos, MrBishi ASX or Infiniti QX30. Truly awful vehicles, I booked a 3cyl 1L automatic car … you know you’ve made an awful vehicle when it’s significantly worse than a 3cyl 1L automatic car!!!

 

[Quickstatus]

Now i am sure to leave a note on bookings

i wonder if a "do not upgrade" note will be significant enough for a hotel to not upgrade?

 

[RooFlyer]

When have you received an upgrade from an airline, hotel, car rental company or another travel-related business that wasn't actually better than what you originally booked?

Many times I've declined a hotel room upgrade because it’s inevitably in a noisier spot than the room I’ve either pre-selected or asked for from previous stays or simply "away from elevators, vending - end of corridor ideal if not on the street or overlooking a bar".

Over the years my experience of upgrading rooms is that they are the coughpiest in that room class.

Car rentals - especially in the US do this.

again, I’ve declined car upgrades in Europe many times because the larger cars will be more expensive to run and much more difficult to park in the tiny spots they give you over there. Edit: @Forg and I are on a unity ticket on this one.

 

[daft009]

I also recently got upgraded in Singapore from a standard room to a "premium loft" room which was larger and had a separate upstairs bedroom. While it was a nicer room, it didn't have a desk (whereas the standard room did) - and that was the main thing I actually needed.

Sounds like the Mercure in Bugis?
I did get an upgrade too but to a suite which was good with a 2.5yo

 

[Mattg]

Sounds like the Mercure in Bugis?
I did get an upgrade too but to a suite which was good with a 2.5yo

It's close to there but a short MRT ride away and a different hotel chain

 

[Pushka]

I guess it's similar to Qantas assuming we want to sit together when we'd carefully selected solo seats for better access etc.

 

[bussyboy]

When there’s one or two of you with very little luggage and you get upgraded from a fuel efficient compact to a gas guzzling truck that’s going to more difficult to park and take twice as much petrol. But I guess then you get to fit in with the locals. (No prizes for guessing which country).

Opposite with me in Auckland a couple of weeks back with Europcar

Booked intermediate vehicle - Cerato or Similar - which is perfect boot space for 2 suitcases plus hand luggage
"Double upgraded" to a Premium compact vehicle (Stonic) which realistically fits one suitcase in the boot, forcibly got two in :|

I won't go into details here about the poor service at the AKL Int'l counter, but couldn't get vehicle category I'd requested, or anything even close, and had the potential to ruin plans for the 3 days I had in NZ.

Later in the evening we likened it to being vegetarian, ordering the Family size Margherita pizza, and getting given a more expensive Large Pepperoni
Sure, it might be worth more, but completely unsuitable.