North American hotel guests are less satisfied. Here's why

LTC Eugene Chu
..."Balancing act for hotel operators
“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,” Stokes said in a statement.

“Hotel operators must carefully balance a focus on recovery with the heightened guest expectations that come with higher room rates.”

Last year, while overall satisfaction was higher, hotel guests were not happy about the breakfast situation – as many hotel segments that would typically offer a hot breakfast scaled back or eliminated that offering because of the pandemic.


“But this year, it seems like it’s less about food and beverage because a lot of breakfast has come back … but this year it’s about the cost and the value for money,” Stokes said.

In 2021, guests were largely pleased with their interactions with hotel staff. They also felt good about the value they received, which J.D. Power said reflected the rate reductions that many hotels used to stimulate demand.

Cleanliness scores reached a record high in 2020 as hotels ramped up measures to bolster Covid safety and reassure potential guests. Proactive communication with guests also contributed to satisfaction in 2020.

The study analyzes hotel guest responses to more than 150 questions about their stays and looks at the performance of 101 brands across market segments from luxury to economy."