Upselling without being pushy: what guests actually buy
Late checkout outsells everything else, and it costs you almost nothing.
Upselling has a bad name in hospitality because it is usually done at the worst moment — at the desk, in front of other guests, by someone who has been told to hit a target.
Offer it before they arrive
Pre-arrival upsells convert several times better than desk upsells, and they do not create an awkward moment. The guest is planning, has a card to hand and can say no without looking anyone in the eye.
Sell time and space, not things
Across the properties we work with, late checkout is consistently the highest-converting add-on, followed by early check-in and a room upgrade. All three cost the hotel inventory rather than goods, so the margin is close to complete. Airport transfers and breakfast follow. Branded merchandise almost never sells.
Price it so it is obviously fair
A late checkout priced at a quarter of the room rate feels reasonable. Priced at half, it feels like a penalty for a slow morning, and it produces complaints that cost more than the revenue.