After two years of high satisfaction with hotels, North American hotel guests aren’t satisfied anymore, according to J.D. Power’s 2022 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study.
Published last Wednesday, the 2022 satisfaction study shows an overall satisfaction score of 882 out of 1,000, an 8-point decrease compared to the past two years. The study found cost and fees to be the two main issues. Prices have increased, and many travelers are not satisfied with the value for their money.
Satisfaction with hotel costs and fees dropped by 18 points from 2021. According to Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power, this dip is unusual as the results are normally pretty stable year to year. Speaking with CNN, Stokes explained that the hotel industry is still seeing the effects of the pandemic, but also of inflation. She added that the ADR (Average Daily Rate) for branded hotels rose by 34.8% between May 2021 and May 2022.
We don’t often see double digits because our study is pretty stable usually year to year, but we’re not in a normal time. We’re still I think seeing the pandemic effects but also, of course, inflation.
Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power
Satisfaction with guest rooms also declined by 10 points in 2022, contributing to the overall decrease.
The study surveyed 34,407 hotel guests for stays between May 2021 and May 2022. It analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions and takes into account the performance of 101 hotel brands across different segments, from luxury to economy.
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.
Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power
Top hotel performers
The top performer for the luxury segment was The Ritz-Carlton (885 points). The Hard Rock Hotels (883 points) ranked first in the upper upscale segment. Hilton Garden Inn (868 points), Hyatt House (857), and Drury Hotels (877) ranked first in the upscale, upscale extended stay, and upper midscale segments respectively.
With 852 points, Sonesta Simply Suites ranked first in the upper midscale/midscale extended stay, while Wingate by Wyndham (849) received the highest score in the midscale category. Finally, the economy segment’s best performer is WoodSpring Suites (798 points).
