It’s a good time to stay at a hotel. J.D. Power just released its annual North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, which measures how real travelers feel about different hotel brands, and the results are promising.
“Hotel hiring continues to increase, and leisure and hospitality is the ‘rock star’ among industries reported in monthly U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment figures,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power. “This boost in hotel staffing is showing up in the form of high customer satisfaction scores. Staff service is now the highest-scoring factor in this study across all hotel segments from economy to luxury, underscoring the critical role that frontline staff play in defining the guest experience.”
The survey evaluated 102 hotel brands on six factors: communications and connectivity; food and beverage; guest room; hotel facility; staff service; and value for price.
Factors like hotel staff and value for the price paid were among the most important elements of a good stay for guests. Another unexpected key aspect of a hotel stay? The lobby. A good experience starts when a guest walks into a hotel, setting the tone for the stay. According to J.D. Power, luxury hotel guests prefer a hotel that is “modern and unique.” For upscale or upscale extended hotel stay hotels, guests want a lobby that is “welcoming and inviting.”
The Best Hotel Brands for Every Travel Type
Luxury: Waldorf Astoria
Upper Upscale: Hard Rock Hotels and Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts (tied)
Upscale: Cambria Hotels & Suites
Upscale Extended Stay: Hyatt House
Upper Midscale: Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton
Midscale: Tru by Hilton
Economy: Americas Best Value Inn and Microtel by Wyndham (tie)
Economy Extended Stay: WoodSpring Suites
Despite the high demand for summer travel, you can still expect great service at hotels this year. “Only a small portion of guests (14 percent) indicate they experienced a problem with the hotel during the stay,” Stokes tells SmarterTravel. “This tells us that, despite continued high consumer demand for hotel lodging, hotels are keeping up with that demand while providing a satisfying guest experience.”
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