How to get an upgrade, and other tips to read before booking a hotel room
1. What to eat—and what to skip—at the breakfast buffet
Plan your breakfast like a pro. Start with whole fruits—they are a lot fresher than cut fruits, which are usually chopped hours before the breakfast buffet is thrown open. Follow up with a fibre-rich cold porridge and a handful of nuts thrown in, and finish off with a freshly cooked hot meal—an egg preparation or a South Indian dish to stack up on protein. Though the cheeses and cold cuts may seem tempting, they carry the risk of contamination unless served at the right temperature.
2. Beware of the noisy rooms
Travelling solo? Ask for a room near the check-in desk on a club floor, ideally close to the elevators or the fire exit. Avoid rooms located near the service pantry; the all-day buzz in the vicinity could be a killjoy even in the best of soundproofed rooms.
3. How to get a room upgrade
Push your luck when you check in, and request for a room upgrade. Most hotels offer a complimentary upgrade if you are celebrating a special occasion. The ones that don’t will still work in your request for a small surcharge based on last-minute availability
4. What to ask for when you’re travelling with family
For that annual big fat family holiday, where kids and elders unite, ask for a two-bedroom suite with interconnected rooms for privacy. Book well in advance as most hotels have few rooms in this category. Make sure they have wheelchairs on request and a doctor on call 24/7. Also, share special dietary requirements of children and the elderly with the staff to avoid hassle later.
5. How to get the best perks
Club rooms are typically an expensive category, but they come with cool perks, such as limousine airport transfers, flexible check-in and check-out, and daily laundry. The easy access to the lounge also means you can make an easier grab for snacks and beverages, especially if you are travelling with small humans who mysteriously tend to develop the devil’s appetite away from home.
6. Best time to hit the pool
Get into the pool early in the day (before the kids with poor bladder control jump in). Also, not too many people muster up the eagerness for a morning swim; you can do your glide and float without the splash and noise all around.
7. When travelling with babies
Infants are more vulnerable to germs than adults. Request for a deep cleaning of the room prior to check in. If you are travelling with an infant, book a cot beforehand and have it placed away from the AC vents. Ask for kid-friendly toiletries and linen, and tick off that all-important checklist of feeding pillow, extra connection for plugging in the steriliser, and a side unit for nappy change beforehand.
