Aussies spill the beans on the white lies which scored them a hotel room upgrade including dressing up in a motor racing uniform and casually mentioning working for the UN.
According to lastminute.com.au ‘Living lastminute’ survey, many Australians are willing to push the boundaries of truth to secure a hotel room upgrade, with one in five (21%) people claiming to have spun a white lie to score an upgrade.
From claiming to work for the United Nations, to checking out accommodation ‘for the Royal Family’, of those who fabricated the truth, three quarters (75%) said their interesting excuses worked.
One guest claimed to be checking out the accommodation for a member of the Royal Family.
The survey of 3300+ Aussies showed that Gen Y (18 to 34 years) are the most common age group to fib to get an upgrade (29%), however they are also the least believable, with only 67% of people securing their upgrade.
Those aged 54+ are the least likely to request an upgrade based on a lie, however they are the most likely to be granted an upgrade when they spin the truth, with 82% of excuses working amongst this age group.
One person said he dressed in a replica motor racing team uniform and was granted a free upgrade.
According to lastminute.com.au travel expert, Kate Norris, the survey revealed people are fairly sneaky when it comes to bagging a room upgrade, with many willing to tell a ‘porky pie’ to enjoy the luxury of a more extravagant room or a better view, minus the price tag.
“The more common white lies people admitted to included the usual birthday, engagement, anniversary or honeymoon excuses, however the research showed Aussies will go to great lengths to secure an upgrade, including making up pseudo names and fake job titles”.
Kate Norris, lastminute.com.au travel expert
Some of the more creative white lies (which worked!) include:
- I said I was a Diplomat
- I told them I was checking out the accommodation for a member of the Royal Family
- I casually mentioned I worked for the United Nations
- I had the same surname of the owner of the hotel, so I said I was a relative
- I said I was a manager of an Australian travel company
- We said that our baby wakes up multiple times a night and that she has a very loud scream so could we have a larger room so we don’t disturb other guests – however in reality, our baby never wakes through the night and is as quiet as a mouse
- I mentioned on check-in that I was a travel writer
- I dressed in a replica motor racing team uniform (the real racing team was in town) and I booked into the same hotel and said I was with them, and was granted a free upgrade
- I said I just found out I’m pregnant and want a beautiful room to surprise my partner
