A savvy traveller and self-described 'personal finance nerd' has shared a remarkably straightforward hotel strategy that she claims saves her family hundreds of pounds on every holiday. The tip, which involves a direct email to the hotel's general manager, has gone viral on social media after numerous followers confirmed its success.
The Ten-Minute Email That Yields Big Rewards
Azar, a travel enthusiast with over 16,000 followers on TikTok, detailed her method in a video viewed more than 153,000 times. She explained that before any stay, she dedicates roughly ten minutes to online research. Her mission is to find the name and email address of the general manager at her booked hotel. "You might have to do a little internet sleuthing, or you can just call the hotel and ask," she advised.
Once she has the contact details, Azar composes a polite, appreciative email. She includes her booking confirmation number, expresses excitement about her stay, and mentions if they are celebrating a special occasion like a birthday. The key part is a gentle, non-demanding request: "I’m just wondering if there’s anything you could do to make our stay extra special, such as a room upgrade and/or a free breakfast or club access."
Proven Results: From Better Views to Full Suites
According to Azar, this simple outreach has a 100 percent success rate for her. At the very least, she reports receiving upgrades to a slightly larger room or one with a superior view. The benefits can be far more substantial. On a recent family trip to Turkey, this strategy secured her a suite upgrade.
The financial savings are particularly significant when free breakfast or executive lounge access is granted. "They also gave us free breakfast for my family of five, so we saved hundreds of dollars over the course of the week just in food costs," she revealed. Such club access often includes complimentary snacks and drinks throughout the day, further reducing holiday expenditure.
Social Media Users Validate the Hack
The comment section of her viral video is filled with testimonials from followers who tried the hack with impressive results. One user excitedly reported: "Omg I got an email today. Our hotel on our trip is giving us a huge room upgrade, champagne and it sounds like they are going to throw rose petals at us or something."
Another shared their success story: "I want to thank you! I did this for our Niagara Falls trip... and the manager upgraded our room to a falls view suite with a bottle of wine." Interestingly, one commenter noted they used AI tools like ChatGPT to help find the manager's contact information, streamlining the process further.
Azar's final piece of advice is to cast aside any hesitation. "Whether you’re paying for your hotel on points or cash or whatever, do this little trick," she concluded. "The worst they can say is no. And if they say no, you’re staying in the room you booked anyways. Ask for what you want and see what you get." For budget-conscious travellers, a ten-minute email seems a small investment for potentially major upgrades and savings.
