Every guest arriving at your hotel has needs you could meet: a parking space near the entrance, a room with a view, a late check-out, dinner on the first evening, a transfer from the station. If you don't offer it, they often won't ask. And that revenue goes elsewhere, or never exists.
Hotel upselling isn't "pushing" guests to spend. It's offering, at the right moment, something that improves their stay. Done well, it increases revenue and satisfaction. Here's how.
What to offer: the most common extras
- parking (or a reserved/covered space);
- room upgrade: view, balcony, bigger or newly renovated room;
- early check-in and late check-out;
- breakfast (if not included), breakfast in the room;
- dinner or half board;
- transfers from station or airport;
- rentals: bikes, e-bikes, equipment;
- wellness: spa, massages;
- local experiences: excursions, tastings, attraction tickets (through partners);
- special occasions: cake, flowers, a bottle in the room.
When to offer them
| Moment | What to offer | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| During booking | Parking, breakfast, half board, upgrade | Booking engine |
| After confirmation | Transfers, dinner, experiences, special occasions | Confirmation email |
| 3–7 days before arrival | Upgrade, early check-in, spa booking | Pre-arrival email or WhatsApp |
| At check-in | Available upgrades, late check-out | Reception |
| During the stay | Dinners, experiences, extensions | Reception, messages, in-room materials |
How to offer without being pushy
- relevance: offer what that guest needs (a family values parking near the door, a couple a sea-view upgrade);
- right timing: don't offer everything at booking; spread offers out;
- few options: two or three targeted offers, not a catalogue;
- clear value: "Room with sea-view balcony, +€20 a night" beats "Upgrade available";
- service tone: "If it helps, we can…" rather than "Grab it now!";
- no pressure: accept a "no" with a smile.
Upgrades: an underrated lever
Your best rooms often stay free until the last moment. Offering a paid upgrade a few days before arrival at an attractive price turns an empty room into revenue and frees a standard room for other sales.
Technology helps
- a booking engine with selectable extras;
- automated pre-arrival emails with personalised offers;
- digital check-in with offers (upgrade, early check-in);
- a digital concierge with destination information and service suggestions that go through reception.
At our hotels in Rimini we use an AI concierge that gives local information and suggests services such as taxis, beach and theme parks: bookings go through reception, with more margin for the hotel.
Train your staff
Upselling works when staff:
- know the extras and their prices well;
- can recognise guests' needs;
- are comfortable making suggestions;
- have a small incentive or shared target (where appropriate).
Measure results
Every month: total extra revenue, extra revenue per occupied room, offer acceptance rate, best-selling extras. It tells you what to offer more and what to drop.
Frequently asked questions
Does upselling hurt reviews?
If it's pushy, yes. If it's relevant and polite, it often improves them: guests remember the extra service, not the sale.
Should I offer extras to OTA guests too?
Yes, after booking (within the limits of permitted service messages) and during the stay. It's a way to increase margin on commission-laden bookings.
Which extras earn most?
Often upgrades, parking and services with low variable cost. It depends on your hotel: measure and compare.
Want to increase your hotel's extra revenue?
With our free marketing audit we analyse the extras you offer and how you present them, and suggest tools and moments to sell more. We can also build custom tools, like the AI concierge we use at our own hotels.
