To get the best-possible stay at the world's best hotels, you need to be a clued-up guest: from securing the best room rates to hitting the spa at exactly the right time of day. As the world awaits the reveal of the first-ever list of The World’s 50 Best Hotels on 19th September, some of the industry’s most-seasoned travel experts share tips on how to make the most of any high-end hotel stay
Sign up for upgrades
Loyalty pays, whether it’s signing up for a reward programme, or just a mailing list, or even using a credit card like Amex to book. “It's the brands' biggest fans who are often among the first in line for upgrades and other perks,” says John O’Ceallaigh, former luxury travel editor of the Telegraph Media group, now a consultant for luxury-travel hotels and brands, and the founder of the consultancy LUTE. “You may not be saving money necessarily, but you'll be getting much more bang for your buck.”
It’s no longer about being lastminute.com
If you’re super flexible on destination and dates, you might be able to hold out for a last-minute deal, but it’s a risky business. These days, hotels are more likely to reward early bookers with discounted rates, says Jim Robertson, head of product at Scott Dunn. “With the rise of revenue managers at hotels across the world, lower rates often get closed out as the hotels starts to fill up and you’ll find yourself paying much more than someone else for the same room.”
Shoulder the extra value
The old traveller’s adage is right. In most areas, the travel sweet spot is ‘shoulder season’ – meaning the time of year that’s least booked as destinations await the big influx of tourists. As a rule of thumb, the best combination of good weather, lighter crowds and palatable prices in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australasia and the Americas can be found between March and June, and September to October.
Make the most of monsoon
Working out seasonal peaks and troughs is more complex in Asia, thanks to local variations in the weather, which can send prices sinking or soaring outside the traditional peak- and off-peak times. However, this does mean you’re more likely to pick up a good deal. “Asia always offers excellent value with exceptional quality accommodation at much lower rates than elsewhere in the world,” says Robertson. “It’s about knowing the right spots at the right time.” If you do some thorough desk research (or speak to a good agent), pick your way around the meatiest parts of monsoon season (roughly June to September) and pack a poncho, you can book a top-end hotel at mid-range rates where the weather is only like to be inclement for a portion of the day, if at all, if you’re lucky.
Go against the flow
Be smart about your dates. “If a hotel caters mostly to business travellers, try to stay on a weekend when their rates and occupancy will be lower. This will also increase your chance of bagging an upgrade,” suggests Carolyn Addison, head of product at Black Tomato. “Likewise, if you’re staying in an area that tends to be busy on weekends, go mid-week. When we have clients in northern California, we always try to have them in San Francisco at weekends and in Napa or Sonoma mid-week.” 
Match up the global calendars
Keep an eye on holiday periods in other parts of the world. A month that’s off-peak for UK guests might be peak for travellers from China. “Mid-January might seem quiet for travel from Western markets, but if it coincides with Eastern Orthodox Christmas or Chinese New Year you may be inadvertently booking at an extra expensive time,” says Addison. “This is particularly true of Indian Ocean destinations like the Maldives, where clientele tends to be a mix of European, American, Middle Eastern and Asian.”
Get them on the phone
Call up a hotel and ask what discounts they offer on advertised rates for direct bookings. “Given these hotels often pay astronomical rates of commission to online travel agents, they're occasionally happy to offer discreet deals to ensure you book directly,” says O’Ceallaigh. “Ask for the reservations. I’d just say I was interested in booking direct and ask if there are any incentives, or ‘anything they could do’ to help with that.”
Don’t be shy
As pioneered by the likes of Will Guidara, one-time co-owner of Best of the Best restaurant Eleven Madison Park, high-end hospitality is getting personal. The more a luxury hotel knows about you, the more they can do to make your stay extra special, so feed them a lot of detail about what you like – from your favourite tea to pillow preferences – and why you’re coming. Then allow them to wow you. “One of our favourite London hotels always does a fabulous personalised welcome. When we had a client taking her nephew to Harry Potter Studios, they set up an adorable ‘potions’ mocktail table with juices in beakers and vials surrounded by whisps of dry ice,” says Addison. A good agent should make the effort to get to know you and your preferences so that they can do this on your behalf. 
Never wait until check-in
“As far as I'm concerned, you're a guest of the hotel from the moment you make your booking,” says O’Ceallaigh. “Don't be afraid to call up the reception desk or email the concierge before your arrival, to make your requests and secure reservations for whatever you want far in advance so you can focus on just enjoying yourself from the moment you check in.”
Take cash to tip early
For best results, show your appreciation right away. “There’s an old rumour that TIP stands for ‘To Insure Promptness’,” says Addison. “Whether that’s true or not, it’s always helpful to tip concierges and other staff early in your stay rather than at the end, so they know you value them and are more motivated to help you in future.”
Get the inside track
No matter how helpful the front desk and guest guides, it can take at least a couple of days to orientate yourself at luxury hotel. Don’t waste valuable time wondering. Instead, tap all the intel from the people who know the property inside out: the staff. “Ask for their tips for the quietest time to use the spa or where the best seat in the bar is; they’ll know the latest ins and outs of a property better than any website reviewer ever can,” says Addison.
Explain at the start (don’t complain at the end)
If something’s not right, let the hotel team know sooner rather than later. “Top hoteliers live to make their guests happy and will bend over backwards to clients who are gracious about things they can do better,” says Addison. “It’s key to do this as early in a stay as possible – the later you leave it, the more difficult it’ll be to make things right, and the less credibility you’ll have if you’ve not spoken up sooner.”
Think like a seasoned luxury hotel guest
The number of the concierge should already be saved in your phone well before you arrive. How can they make life easier for you? If you’re out shopping and you don’t want to take your bags for lunch, call and ask to have them picked up. If you want to go for a run but don’t have a clue where you’re going, ask for someone to accompany you. Perhaps you’ve forgotten your swimsuit, or your shih tzu needs a haircut. You know who to call. In high-end hotel territory, if you don’t feel like you’re gliding – frictionless – through every day, you’re simply not doing it right.
The first list of The World’s 50 Best Hotels will be announced on 19th September 2023. Bookmark theworlds50best.com/hotels and follow the Instagram channel @50Best_Hotels, our Facebook page and Twitter account for all the latest news and results.
