The “treat yourself” mantra is a good one on vacation, and I personally have no qualms dropping some extra cash on an upgrade if it maximizes my well-earned time off.
In terms of hotel-specific upgrades, some opt-ins are absolutely worth it. I always go for early check-in after a long flight, and I’ll choose a superior view that ensures I’m not looking at an ugly building next door. That feeling of swinging open the curtains and beholding a gorgeous view never gets old.
Other upgrades, however, end up being a total bust, using up travel funds for no good reason. Save yourself some cash (and disappointment) by skipping any of the following add-ons, which I’ve found are never really worth the spend.
In this article
Celebration Packages
Usually, during the hotel booking or check-in process, a property will offer you the chance to add on a celebration package of sorts, usually in the form of a special beverage or treat.
But unless you’re trying to impress someone the second you arrive and walk through your hotel doors, I find that these packages usually don’t provide enough bang for your buck to be worth opting into.
A romance package might involve a random bottle of wine, flowers, and/or a box of chocolates sitting in the room when you arrive. Personally, I’d rather select those things myself and bring them as a surprise. That way, I can bring brands I love, and also avoid paying a huge markup on what are often lower quality items.
If you still like the idea of this service, a better strategy is to tap the concierge, specifying exactly what you want. Or, buy the items yourself and have them sent to the hotel along with a request to arrange the items in your room.
Pool View Room
Pool view rooms almost always cost extra, and in my experience, the added price is never worth it. I mean, if you love overlooking a pool to the point where you’d willingly pay extra for the view, go for it. But for me, it’s a miss almost every single time.
If you have the choice between that and other scenic views, like a buzzy city, tropical gardens, or gorgeous beach, then all the others win out every time. Even if the pool view is my only option, I’ll still skip it because, unless you’re up really high, it ends up being a pretty noisy room with all the coming, going, and splashing.
This is especially true if it’s an active pool, there are big pool parties being thrown, or the pool’s open really late. Your preferences may vary, but I find this to be a weak upsell.
Resort and Spa Credits
Sometimes, these are advertised as incentives to get you to book at a particular hotel, and in that case it may be a little “nice to have” bonus.
That said, adding this onto your hotel room bill usually doesn’t pan out the way you think it does.
Usually, you’ll pay extra for it anyway baked into the rate, and the credits are rarely enough to give you a full service or meal, which means you’ll end up spending even more just to “take advantage” of the deal.
Also, if the credit goes toward food, it forces you to eat at the hotel which may be okay, but it’s often more fun to dine out elsewhere.
Late Checkout
I’m not saying to skip a late checkout. But I am saying you should never pay for this in advance.
In my experience, about 75 to 80 percent of hotels give you a free late checkout if you simply ask for one the night before or the morning of departure. This is something I do routinely. It’s usually a good hour or two extra, which is plenty to buy you the time you need, and it won’t cost extra.
Also, if you’re just in need of a place to store your bags, know that most hotels will store them for you at no cost and for as long as you need on the day of checkout. You can take advantage of this service too if you arrive early and need to store your bags before check-in time.
Fancy Bathtubs
When planning for a vacation you somehow imagine yourself as a completely different person than who you are... I’ve been the girl who packs four books and maybe flips through three pages of one. Or, someone who buys and packs that one cool outfit but, come vacation, has zero interest in actually wearing it.
Well, unless you’re a soaking tub sort of person, there’s a solid chance you’re not going to use the fancy bathtub you paid extra for. If it comes with the room for no extra fee, it’s nice to have the option. But otherwise, I don’t find this to be a great use of funds.
The Shortcut
Tap the hotel's concierge in lieu of purchasing a less-than-stellar celebration package.
Crunch the numbers before buying into a bundle or credit package. These can often force you into spending even more in order to utilize the credits.
Some perks are given away for free, like early check-in or late checkout. It’s worth asking the hotel staff before opting to pay extra for it.
