Former FBI special agent Tom Simon, who spent 26 years investigating financial crimes and national security matters across the U.S., says he has a straightforward philosophy when it comes to business travel: The people who deserve recognition the least often get it the most, while those who deserve it most are routinely overlooked. And so, through much practice, Simon says he’s developed a trick to getting some of the best rooms in any hotel, which he calls a “gift” for frequent travelers.
His method for securing premium hotel accommodations, which he shared in a TikTok on Oct. 27, revolves around just a few things: genuine appreciation, recognition of the hospitality industry’s most glaring inequity, and a $20 bill, which, he says, “will pay for itself.”
Simon says if you walk into any hotel—reservation or no reservation, booked online or over the phone, it really doesn’t matter—go straight up to the front desk and chat up the staff there.
“You got your suitcase, and you go, ‘I am checking in, but before I do, I just want you to know I travel on business all the time. I’m always on the road. And it’s never ever made sense to me that everyone in the entire hospitality industry is being taken care of except for you people at the front desk,’” Simon said.
