Hotel occupancy rates are on track to approach pre-pandemic levels this year as travelers get back on the road and in the air to make up for two-plus years of deferred vacation plans; however, according to the J.D. Power 2022 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study released today, the surge in demand and climbing prices have not been met with a corresponding improvement in amenities or services. As a result, overall hotel guest satisfaction declined 8 points (on a 1,000-point scale) from 2021, driven primarily by dissatisfaction with cost and fees and guestrooms.
“During the fielding period of the study—June 2021 through May 2022—the average daily rate for branded hotels has risen 34.8 percent,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power. “Many hotel owners and operators are using this post-pandemic surge in travel to get back on a steady financial footing, yet they held back on investing in upgrades and improvements during the pandemic. Hotel operators must carefully balance a focus on recovery with the heightened guest expectations that come with higher room rates.”
Following are additional key findings of the 2022 study:
Pricing is up across all segments, but many travelers are not perceiving good value for money. The single biggest factor driving this year’s eight-point decline in overall satisfaction is hotel cost and fees. Another factor driving the decline is satisfaction with guestrooms, which suggests that hotel guests are feeling like they are paying more, but not getting more in return. On that note, while hotels still get relatively high satisfaction scores for guestroom cleanliness, scores for décor and furnishings, in-room amenities and quality of bathrooms declined from a year ago.
More guests are paying for Internet access: The one hotel amenity that guests can’t live without is Wi-Fi. A large majority (81 percent) of guests accessed the Internet in their hotel rooms but the percentage of guests who paid extra for that privilege has increased four points from 2019.
There are fewer staff interactions. After emerging as the heroes of the pandemic by helping to keep hotels up and running through one of the most challenging periods in history, frontline hotel staff are spread thinner this year due to the industry labor shortage. That said, while fewer guests are interacting with front desk staff and breakfast attendants this year compared with pre-pandemic 2019, they still give staff high ratings for courtesy.
Study Rankings
The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:
Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (885 and leading the pack for a second consecutive year), followed by Four Seasons (881) and Waldorf Astoria (881)
Upper Upscale: Hard Rock Hotels (883, leading the segment for a second consecutive year), followed by Canopy by Hilton (868) and Wyndham Grand Hotels (865)
Upscale: Hilton Garden Inn (868), followed by AC Hotels by Marriott (863) and Delta Hotels (858)
The 2022 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, now in its 26th year, analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions regarding branded hotel stay experiences and benchmarks the performance of 101 brands across eight market segments. This year’s study is based on responses from 34,407 hotel guests for stays between May 2021 and May 2022.
Source: J.D. Power
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