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Wednesday 7 August 2019

How much would you pay to upgrade to a hotel suite?

How much would you pay to be upgraded from your tiny hotel room to a palatial suite?

Upgradus is a new, free on-line service that allows hotel guests to show an interest in an upgraded room at a heavily discounted rate.

Fullerton Hotel suite, Singapore
Getting an upgrade usual comes down to your status with the hotel chain, or perhaps successfully flirting with the check-in staff.

Most of the time it’s just pure luck if you succeed.

But the fact is that premium rooms and suites down the corridor often remain vacant.
What if there was an option to upgrade to one of those rooms at a fraction of its original cost?

Designed to act as the communicator between the customer and hotel, Upgradus is an on-line service that allows guests to bid for an upgrade.

Most hotels currently don’t offer a paid upgrade for several regions, including being anxious not to downgrade the value of their suites.

At check-in most hotels want to process guests quickly and efficiently, so they often don’t have time to discuss an upgrade and even so, an upgrade requires a significant decision by the guest as to the benefits and costs.

That takes time for explanation and a decision, which often neither the guest nor hotel staff have.

Despite that hotels are now grasping the huge potential revenue unrealised every day.Ultimately, it would be better for the hotel to receive some money and enhance their customer's stay instead of leaving a premium room empty.

Upgradus allows hotels to offer upgrades direct to their guests in advance, during the ‘silent period’ between booking and arrival. This allows the customer to spend time on a full consideration of the offer in private, without the embarrassment of a public discussion at check-in.

Customers simply log on, type in where and when they are staying and then Upgradus gets to work. It contacts the hotel, lets them know a customer is interested, and if the hotel wants to offer a heavily discounted upgrade just before the stay because the room is still empty, it can.

The customer can then choose to accept or decline the offer before they arrive, paying at the hotel as normal, so the process remains the same and everyone is happy.

Guy Ratcliffe, CEO and founder of Upgradus, said: “I have travelled regularly for both business and with family and, when the budget allows, I like to stay in interesting hotels with great rooms, especially when on vacation.

"I often found myself thinking that there were even better rooms or suites above my budget that were empty, sometimes even the room next door. An offer for a discounted upgrade to a better room or suite would have been appreciated and likely taken if the price was right.

“Globally hotel occupancy is around 67%. Occupancy for premium rooms and suites is generally much lower, with some suites having occupancy rates of less than 25%. This means that most hotels have empty premium rooms for most of the year.

"I built the technology in Upgradus to make it happen and I’m now inviting other people who like to travel in comfort and luxury to join me.”

For more information visit www.upgradus.com

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