Hotels are making their customers much happier across the board, especially when it comes to rooms and facilities, according to J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index released Tuesday.
Out of a 1,000-point scale, overall satisfaction with the hotel industry increased eight points to 825.
“Hotels in all price ranges have excelled at ensuring their customers have a top-notch experience,” says Jennifer Corwin, associate practice lead for the global travel and hospitality practice at J.D. Power. “Years of capital investment in offerings such as higher-end televisions and in-room tablets have left their mark.”
Now in its 22nd year, the study measures overall guest satisfaction across eight hotel segments, from economy to extended stay to luxury. It looks at key factors such as reservations, check-in/check-out, guest rooms, food and beverage, hotel services, hotel facilities, and cost and fees.
Some key findings:
- The greatest improvement in overall satisfaction was in the upper midscale segment, with a 12-point increase.
- The Ritz-Carlton scored 902, up 14 points from last year and the highest for the brand in the study’s history.
- Technology is increasingly important, especially in guest rooms. For instance, 77 percent of guests surveyed said they had a large flat-panel television in their rooms.
- Services such as check-in and check-out and food and beverage are improving at a slower rate. Guest satisfaction with cost and fees is also lagging.
Here were the hotel brands that ranked the highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:
- Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (for the fourth consecutive year)
- Upper Upscale: Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants
- Upscale: Hilton Garden Inn (for the third consecutive year)
- Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (for the 13th consecutive year)
- Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (for the fourth consecutive year)
- Economy: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham
- Upper Extended Stay: Staybridge Suites (for the second consecutive year)
- Extended Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton
This year’s study analyzed 70 officially ranked brands in eight market segments. It was based on responses from about 55,000 people who stayed at a hotel between May 2017 and May 2018.
