Hey folks. I stumbled upon a link via Kid Dynamite recently that I thought I would share with you. It’s an article about a journalist who took $2,000 in $20 bills and proceeded to see what he could get by tipping. The article is located HERE.
It reminded me of a trick I read from Lucypher a while ago. Basically, he said that he likes to slip hotel check-in clerks the old $20 and ask for a room upgrade. I had adopted this routine after having honed the more advanced, but more limited free upgrade technique at Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City. On my first and only try of the $20 room upgrade move, I was utterly successful, scoring a junior suite (a $50/night room upgrade) for two nights. Of course, when the clerk saw it was “only” a $20, she said, “You know this is a $100 upgrade.” And I said, “Yes, thank you.”
I’m in the process of booking this year’s X-mas in AC, and I already look forward to trying the $20 tip routine. I have a feeling that the economy will likely help my chances, since (a) the clerk could probably use the $20, and (b) the hotel probably will not be full.
One word of advice, though. If you are going to try this technique, be ready to lose $20. There are no guarantees. Just consider it a $20 bet.
Until next time, make mine poker!
November 3rd, 2009 - 5:01 pm
Seems like that level of palm-greasing takes a certain amount of intestinal fortitude. I'm not sure I've got the guts for it.
November 3rd, 2009 - 5:06 pm
As always, thanks for the pimpage!
November 3rd, 2009 - 6:14 pm
Did it both times I was in Vegas. At the Imperial Palace, it got me a quiet room (considering how loud it gets when you're next door to that crazyness of whatever that is in between the palace and Harrah's, its a definite plus), a free rollout bed (3 of us were sharing a room and its normally another $10/night) and 3 free breakfast buffets. At the Luxor it got us a free upgrade to the towers from the pyramid.