Dive Brief:
- Customer satisfaction is up across the hotel, airline, car rental and online travel industries, with hotels seeing the highest increase (6%) from last year, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index Travel Study 2022-2023.
- All seven of the largest hotels by market share posted satisfaction gains, led by Hyatt with a 10% increase.
- Despite ongoing challenges such as staffing shortages and supply chain issues, the guest experience at hotels is improving, with guest satisfaction for amenities and quality of food service up 10% and 9%, respectively.
Dive Insight:
“After two years of decline, a sweeping surge in guest satisfaction with hotels could signal that the industry is moving past the pandemic,” Forrest Morgeson, director of research emeritus at the ACSI, said in a release. “Concurrent with a wave of pent-up demand, the positive momentum is widespread as all hoteliers increase satisfaction year over year.”
Following Hyatt, Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts saw notable increases in guest satisfaction, up 4% from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, Marriott International and InterContinental Hotels Group saw 3% increases, and Best Western and Choice Hotels each received a 1% boost. The category of “All Others,” comprising a group of smaller hotels, saw an 11% jump in customer satisfaction.
When ranking specific hotel brands, guests put Marriott and Hilton in the top five spots. Marriott’s AC Hotels received the highest score (82 out of 100), followed by Hilton Garden Inn (81), Marriott (80), Marriott’s Aloft Hotels (79) and Hilton Hotels & Resorts (79).
Guests also feel they are getting more value for their stays, according to the study. In addition to hotel amenities and quality food services, extras like internet services and in-room entertainment — both with 7% increases in customer satisfaction — received much higher ratings than in years past.
A 2021 Expedia Group study also found guests were prioritizing amenities amid the pandemic, with 70% saying they were willing to pay extra for properties that have their favorite amenities and services. Specific amenities guests would pay more for included an in-room Jacuzzi, high-speed internet and upgraded room service, the Expedia study found.
