If you travel frequently, you might occasionally hear about other hotel guests getting treated to free room upgrades, and wonder how to enjoy this perk yourself. Although certain factors beyond your control -- such as the hotel's vacancy during your visit -- can influence your ability to enjoy a free upgrade, it's often possible to have your request fulfilled if you take the right approach. Whether you use these tips only on special occasions or try for this travel benefit frequently, here are three tips to use to your advantage.

Sign Up With The Hotel's Loyalty Program

The first step in your attempt to get a free hotel room upgrade is to ensure that you're a member of the hotel's loyalty program. A wide range of hotels, especially those that are part of large chains, offer loyalty programs for their guests. Signing up is typically free and you can do it online; when you stay with the hotel chain, you accumulate loyalty points that you can, in time, redeem for a free night's accommodation. Points aside, being a member of the program shows that you have loyalty to the hotel chain and can help you in your quest to get a free room upgrade.

Ask At The Right Time

If you ask for your free room upgrade too early, such as around the time you check in during the afternoon, there's a good chance you'll be denied. This is due to the fact that the desk clerk doesn't yet have a clear picture of how busy the hotel will be. Instead of being quick to ask, it's better to check in late and ask at that time. By the evening hours, the clerk will have a pretty accurate idea of how many rooms will be occupied versus empty for the night. If there are still a number of vacant rooms and the late hour suggests that they won't fill up that night, you have a better chance of getting your upgrade.

Know How To Ask

It's a simple point, but make sure to be polite when you ask. Use phrases such as "I was wondering if it might be possible" and "If it doesn't trouble you," rather than just bluntly asking if you can get a free upgrade. Additionally, it's a smart strategy to keep your voice at a low level. If your request is loud enough that other hotel guests hear it, the clerk might not want to give you the upgrade because he or she might expect that the other guests will ask the same question.

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