Guests' satisfaction with hotels drops, annual survey finds
Guests' satisfaction with hotels is deteriorating, a new
survey released today finds.
Overall satisfaction with check-in and check-out, food
and other hotel services and facilities, such as pools and business centers,
has dropped to its lowest level in seven years of surveys, J.D. Power and
Associates' annual survey of North American hotel guests says.
The survey — based on online responses from more than
61,700 guests who stayed in a North American hotel June 2011 through May 2012 —
finds that overall guest satisfaction has declined from a year ago. It dropped
seven points on the survey's 1,000-point scale, to 757.
J.D. Power says guest satisfaction with "the
underlying experience" at hotels has deteriorated much more than the
seven-point decline indicates. Indicative is how satisfaction with rooms has
dropped within a point of its lowest level in the past six years.
A drop in satisfaction with check-in and check-out
services, and with food and beverage services, could be a result of the
continuing impact of cuts in staffing made during the economic downturn, says
Jessica McGregor, a J.D. Power senior manager.
Charging for Internet access also is a sore point. Guests
who were charged for access had an average satisfaction score of 688 for costs
and fees — 76 points lower than those who weren't charged extra.
"As the industry continues to recover from the
economic downturn, hoteliers need to get back to the fundamentals and improve
the overall guest experience," says Stuart Greif, a J.D. Power vice
president.
"Charging guests more and providing less is not a
winning combination from a guest satisfaction perspective, much less a winning
business strategy."
The survey also found that guests who book through an
online travel agency are more price-sensitive, report more problems, have less
satisfaction with their stay and are less loyal to hotel brands than guests who
book directly with a hotel.
Luxury hotel Ritz-Carlton had the highest guest
satisfaction score — 864 — of all hotel companies and brands.
This also was the third-consecutive year Ritz-Carlton
received the highest score in the luxury hotel category.
Missouri-based Drury Hotels finished No. 1 among midscale
limited service hotels. It was the seventh-consecutive year that Drury Hotels,
which has more than 130 sites in 20 states, had the highest score in its
category.
Among extended-stay hotels, Homewood Suites recorded the
highest satisfaction score for the third-consecutive year.
Hilton Garden Inn and SpringHill Suites tied for the best
score — 811 — among upscale hotels.
Other hotel brands receiving the highest guest
satisfaction score, by category:
- Upper upscale: Omni Hotels and Resorts.
- Midscale full service: Holiday Inn.
- Economy/budget: Jameson Inn.
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