The perfect timing: when and how to present upselling offers to your guests
In the complex and competitive world of hospitality, the art of upselling has evolved far beyond simply offering a higher-category room.
Today, an effective upselling strategy focuses on enhancing the entire guest experience by selling additional services and experiences.
Maximizing RevPAM² (Revenue Per Available Square Meter) has become essential, and achieving this requires a deep understanding not only of what to offer, but more importantly, when and how to present these opportunities to maximize both revenue and guest satisfaction.
The key to successful upselling lies in presenting the right offer, to the right guest, at the most receptive moment.
Every touchpoint in the guest journey—from the initial search to post-stay—represents a unique opportunity to weave in value propositions that elevate the perceived experience.
The guest journey: a mosaic of opportunities
The guest journey is not a straight line but a rich path filled with moments where upselling can meaningfully resonate.
Identifying and capitalizing on these touchpoints is critical.
1. Before Booking
Even before the guest finalizes a reservation, interest can be sparked by highlighting premium services, unique experiences, or exclusive packages on the hotel’s website and social media. This builds anticipation and prompts guests to think early on about how to make their stay more special.
2. During Booking
Integrating upselling options directly into the booking engine is an effective way to showcase add-ons at the final stage of the main purchase. While the guest’s focus remains on the room selection, simple offers like breakfast, parking, or transfers can be easily added.
3. Pre-Arrival
This phase is often considered the most strategic and profitable for upselling services and upgrades. The guest has already confirmed their booking and is now more open to spending to enhance their expected experience.
4. At Check-In
The front desk represents a golden opportunity for upselling.
Though guests may be tired from traveling, a well-trained agent can identify immediate needs and offer solutions that boost comfort.
- Revenue potential:
Front desk upselling can generate 5–9 times more revenue than pre-arrival upselling.
However, combining both is the most profitable strategy. - The human interaction:
Staff must be trained, informed, and attentive.
Automated systems can support staff by providing real-time recommendations based on guest profiles and current availability.
5. In-Stay
Upselling doesn’t stop after check-in.
Using in-room technology (tablets, smart TVs), hotel apps, or contextual communications (e.g., suggesting a spa treatment during a relaxing moment or room service during bad weather), hotels can offer:
- In-room breakfast
- Evening wellness treatments
- Restaurant reservations
Contextual upselling based on real-time data like weather or time of day makes offers feel like intuitive, thoughtful service.
6. Post-Stay
Even after checkout, upselling opportunities remain—such as loyalty program invitations or special offers for future stays.
Optimal timing
When to send pre-arrival communications is crucial and varies by property type:
- Resorts: ~20 days before arrival achieves the highest CTR (57%). Leisure guests plan ahead.
- City hotels: ~7 days before arrival works best (34% average CTR). Urban travelers tend to book closer to the travel date.
- Airport hotels: ~21 days before arrival yields a 39% CTR. Business travelers typically plan in advance.
- Non-city hotels: Also ~21 days out is optimal, with a 47% average CTR.
Frequency
Follow-up emails sent 3 days before arrival can reach CTR of 42–43% and a conversion rate of 12%.
Channels
Personalized emails, WhatsApp messages, or mobile check-in integrations are highly effective for delivering targeted upsell offers during this phase.
How to present offers: the art of persuasion and relevance
Regardless of the timing, how the offer is presented is key.
The goal is for the upselling to be perceived as a value-added enhancement, not just a sales pitch.
Hyper-Personalization
- 74% of travelers are more likely to book with a brand that offers personalized recommendations.
- Using guest data (stay history, stated preferences, browsing behavior) is critical for tailored offers.
- AI and Machine Learning can process large volumes of data to predict preferences and deliver offers targeted to specific segments (families, couples, business travelers, digital nomads, solo female travelers).
Focus on Benefits, Not Features
Describing the experience is more powerful than listing specifications.
Instead of saying “room with balcony,” say:
“Enjoy the serenity of breakfast on your private balcony with a stunning view.”
Psychological Strategies
- Anchoring: Present the upgrade as a small extra relative to the original price.
“For just €20 more per night, enjoy a more spacious room…” - FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out): Create urgency or scarcity with time-limited or limited-availability offers.
“Only 2 superior rooms left for your stay dates.” - Social Proof: Include positive reviews or testimonials from past guests who enjoyed the same upgrade or service.
- “Sandwich” Strategy: Offer three choices (basic, mid-tier, premium) to make the middle option appear more attractive in terms of value.
Use of Visuals
High-quality images are essential to showcase the value of the offer.
When presenting a room upgrade, include at least three images, one of which should show the bathroom.
It’s crucial that images are realistic to avoid creating false expectations.
Persuasive, Non-Aggressive Language
Avoid pushy sales tactics. The goal is to offer enhancements, not force a decision.
Examples of soft phrasing:
- “Would you be interested in a superior room category?”
- “We wanted to let you know about an opportunity to elevate your stay…”
Incentives
Adding a small bonus to the upsell (e.g., a welcome drink or minibar access) can make the offer more enticing.
Technology as the enabler of timing and delivery
Managing upselling across multiple channels and guest journey stages—while personalizing offers—requires dedicated software.
Upselling platforms integrate with PMS (Property Management System) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to:
- Automate the timing of personalized offers
- Manage data on guest preferences and offer performance
- Enable dynamic personalization, selecting and pricing offers based on real-time availability and guest profiles
Support multi-channel communication: via web, email, app, mobile check-in, and front desk
The human factor: listening and training
Even with the best technology, staff remain crucial, especially at the front desk.
Training on how to present offers, recognize opportunities (e.g., by listening to the guest), and handle objections is essential.
Incentivizing staff with bonuses or commissions is a powerful way to keep them motivated.
Conclusion: From Transactional to Guest-Centric Upselling
Timing and delivery method are vital in transforming upselling from a transactional tactic to a guest-centric, high-impact strategy.
By leveraging multiple stages of the guest journey—from pre-arrival anticipation to in-person interactions at check-in, and contextual in-stay offers—and presenting these offers in a personalized, value-driven, and tech-supported way, hotels can:
- Significantly increase ancillary revenue (+10–30%, Accenture)
- Boost guest satisfaction and loyalty (+75% customer retention, Gartner)
This is an integrated approach that brings value to every part of the hotel and every guest interaction, building memorable experiences that drive long-term success.