8 tips for booking hotels for the holidays, including how to get last-minute deals and room upgrades

Travel this holiday season is expected to meet and potentially pass pre-pandemic levels. Nearly half of all Americans are planning to travel for the holidays this year, according to research released by professional services and consulting firm PwC.

The number of leisure travelers who plan to stay in hotels this holiday season is also on the rise. A survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that an estimated 28% of US travelers are looking to book a hotel over the holidays, up 5% from 2021.

Hotel prices have also increased, according to Hopper's 2022 Holiday Travel survey, which found the average nightly room rate over the holidays will be 32% higher than last year. The Hopper survey also found that budget-friendly travel is a top priority for travelers this year, as 67% of the survey's respondents said that finding a good deal was their primary concern when making travel plans.

Amid these concerns, there are ways to save when it comes to booking accommodations this season, as well as strategies to get the most out of your hotel stay. Insider asked nine hotel industry experts to share their best tips for getting the most value from hotel stays during the holidays. Here are the eight tips they shared.

No hotel wants to leave a room empty and many will negotiate a last-minute rate, said Chris Harvey, director of operations of Charlestowne Hotels in South Carolina.

If you're looking for something last-minute, even for a day-of or next-day stay, Harvey said there's a good chance of getting a discount if you call the hotel's reservations line or front desk and ask.

"If the desk team or reservations team has been trained properly, they'll often give a guest a break on the rate, rather than go down with an unsold room," Harvey said.

Some hotels around the country have seasonal experiences and special perks for holiday guests, such as free photos with Santa at the Plaza Hotel in New York, or a wreath-making workshop at El Encanto in Santa Barbara, California.

"For a holiday getaway that doesn't break the bank, consider booking a stay at a hotel that offers on-site holiday programming as part of the guest experience. You can enjoy a bit of festive fun without leaving the property," said Scott Gentile, director of sales and marketing of the Marriott Marquis Houston in Houston, Texas.

Gentile hotel's has an annual Texas Winter Lights celebration that's free for hotel guests, and includes a holiday light display with seasonally themed food and drinks at the hotel's rooftop pool and heated lazy river. Gentile says special hotel events like these can be a great way to fill empty time with kids or relax for a few hours after visiting family.

If you can't get enough holiday spirit, the experts say to look for hotels that have specially themed suites and rooms this time of year. Reserving one of these rooms may also come with additional free perks, like at The Curtis, a hotel in Denver, Colorado.

At The Curtis, guests can book the Hyper-Holiday Pop-Up Suite, which is a room decorated with presents, snowflakes, and holiday-themed pillows. The hotel's general manager, Lizzie Raudenbush, said that guests booking this suite receive free parking, a free holiday movie rental, and vouchers for food and a holiday-themed drink at the hotel's bar.

One way to take the stress out of holiday travel is to call or email the hotel before you arrive for trip-planning assistance, said Savannah Seaman, associate director of sales at InterContinental New York Barclay in New York.

"For example, guests can email or call our concierge team pre-arrival, or they can find a variety of itineraries already mapped out on our virtual concierge webpage," Seaman said.

Particularly during the busy holiday season, knowledgeable hotel staff can suggest alternatives to the most popular sites and experiences if they're sold out or too crowded, the experts said.

"Be sure to share some ideas with the hotels; let them help curate," said Ryan Parker, general manager at The Shay in Culver City, California. "You never know what you'll get: a pop-up holiday store across the street, a special tree lighting, [or] local caroling. These moments can create memories that last forever, and are much less stressful than a big queue elsewhere."

The experts that spoke to Insider all said that accumulating points in a loyalty program can make a difference when it comes to getting the best hotel perks.

"The easiest and most sure-fire way to secure an upgrade to your hotel room is by joining a loyalty program," said Marriott Marquis Houston's Gentile.

Hotel loyalty programs are similar to airline rewards programs in terms of what they offer. Guests who stay regularly at a certain hotel or chain can accumulate points by spending on stays or by other spending with a hotel credit card. These points can then earn guests perks like a free room upgrade or even a free night's stay.

Even if you're staying at a certain hotel chain for the first time this season, there can be other ways to rack up member points, according to the experts. Gentile said that Marriott Bonvoy members, for example, can link their account to the Uber app and earn hotel loyalty points on Uber rideshares and dining orders that can be redeemed for future stays or upgrades.

"Accumulating points and status all but guarantee you an upgrade if one's available," said Gentile.

And, once you've signed up to a loyalty program, one hotel expert recommended keeping an eye on your inbox for a potential upgrade offer. Mandy Wilson, director of sales and marketing at the Crowne Plaza HY36 in New York, said her hotel often sends out pre-arrival emails to guests with offers to upgrade their stay for a small premium.

Andrea Martin, director of revenue management at Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach, Florida, said that the front desk team at Margaritaville always tries to accommodate guests' early check-in or late check-out requests when possible, but the team's ability to do so "all depends on availability" of the rooms.

Travelers should also be aware that many hotels charge early check-in and late check-out fees, Martin said, in order to "accommodate their team's schedule to these special requests." For example, the Margaritaville Resort in Palm Springs, California, and the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, charge $50 for guests who want to check in early.

The experts said to indicate your preferred early arrival or late departure time on your reservation, either by adding a special requests note if making reservations online or by mentioning your arrival and departure times if booking over the phone. While doing so won't guarantee your request being fulfilled, it does help the front desk team in their planning, Martin said.

"They can assign you a room that is already clean, if available," Martin said, or, they can give you a room that isn't booked the night of your check-out date, which means there will be more flexibility to extend the checkout time.

Being a hotel loyalty program member also "helps a lot," Martin said, when it comes to check-in or check-out special requests. At Margaritaville, these guests "always get priority on early check-in and late check-out," she said.

"Hotels often categorize room types to specifically highlight those with views on their website, so it pays to do your research," said Daniel Borkowski, area director of revenue management at the InterContinental New York Barclay.

You can review picture galleries and virtual tours on hotel websites to judge which rooms have the best views, and call the hotel to request those rooms when booking directly, Borkowski said.

The experts also recommend reading hotel guest reviews on TripAdvisor. "Many [reviewers] will provide tips on their favorite rooms and sometimes they'll include photos of the views," said Charlestowne Hotels' Harvey.

Similarly, if the hotel is in a busy area and you'd like as much restful sleep as possible, the experts say to ask the front desk staff for a room that will be more quiet, like one on the side of the building that doesn't face a busy road.

The experts said a thank-you note or small gesture of appreciation from guests can be particularly appreciated by hotel staff dealing with an influx of guests during the holidays.

George Cook, director of guest services at the Deer Path Inn in Lake Forest, Illinois, said these acts can be logged on your guest profile for other staff to see in the future.

"The staff appreciate it when you put in an effort to show gratitude, and will be more likely to reciprocate with upgrades and special amenities," Cook said.

If your trip revolves around a memorable occasion or milestone in your life, like an anniversary or birthday, make sure to share your news with the concierge before arriving, said Deer Path Inn's Cook.

Armed with that information, "the front desk team will likely try to make your stay all the more special," Cook said. His hotel, for instance, provides complimentary sweet treats and spirits to help guests celebrate special occasions.

"If guests are able to share some more personal details about the event they are celebrating, we will work to customize the offer even further," he said.

Recently, he told Insider, a couple staying at the hotel to celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary were greeted with a wedding photo on the nightstand in their room. Since the team at the inn was told about the anniversary celebration when the couple booked their stay, they were able to have the photo printed and framed in advance, Cook said.

Read more: How to book holiday travel this year, from the best day to find cheap flights to snagging free hotel upgrades