Tips for blagging 'upgrades'

[raceboy]

Read some utter tosh the other day about a 'premium' watch opening doors to the executive washroom and having ladies throw themselves at you.
But it got me thinking, are there any little things that can make that hotel stay a little better, that flight a little less 'cattle like', etc, without actually paying for the premium.
I'm not a regular traveller, maybe half a dozen weekends away in this country, an annual extended weekend city break abroad with the Mrs once a year, maybe another 'family' holiday.
Had a few 'upgrades/freebees' due to issues of complaint, got a cupcake in my room when it was my birthday, two would have been nice, I don't share cake.
Is there a limit to how many times you can try and pull off honeymoon/anniversary/birthday when checking in, without it actually being the truth. Smart suit instead of jeans and trainers? Premium luggage instead of a Nike holdall?
What's worked and what's been your best 'upgrade'.
Getting a room upgrade in the Radison Blu in Rome was nice, I think they realised their idea of 'child' wasn't the same as ours as we stood at reception with a 12 year old, the 'family' room got upgraded to a nice suite.

[raceboy]

I was thinking more Hotel blags than Airline blags, if I turn left on most of the planes I find myself in I'd be flying the thing.

[raceboy]

Truckosaurus said:

In cultures where tipping is popular eg. USA then I believe slipping the desk clerk $20 when enquiring about upgrades does the world of good.

Got NYC booked for next March.....
Not sure it'll have any effect in the Leeds Marriott next month though.

[raceboy]

Floptimus Prime said:

Truckosaurus said:

In cultures where tipping is popular eg. USA then I believe slipping the desk clerk $20 when enquiring about upgrades does the world of good.

This worked for me in Vegas.

The tricky thing with this for me would be the whole etiquette of slipping someone a $20, in my mind I'd be as smooth as Bond, and be guaranteed an endless supply of Bolly to my Suite, but in reality I'd end up fumbling $20 into the hand of the cleaner that happened to be behind the desk at the time, and was just about to finish work for about the length of my stay there.