hotel loyalty programs

JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study

The J D Power Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index is probably the largest annual hotel brand ranking system based on a consumer survey of over 53,000 hotel guest comments from May 2009 through June 2010. The data included in this post is from the J D Power report while the commentary is my Loyalty Traveler thoughts and analysis based on the 2010 study. My purpose is to view the hotel brand rankings with regard to choosing a hotel loyalty program based on the merits of the hotel brands in addition to the hotel loyalty program.

This initial post is an overview of the JD Power 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study.

Additional posts will follow to look more closely at the hotel brands ranking in the different market segments of luxury brands, upscale, midscale, economy/budget, and extended stay.

JDPower.com 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study link and press release

This is the 14th year of the North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction study. These are the 2010 hotel brand market segment leaders according to J D Power.

The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction within their respective segments:

  • Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton
  • Upscale: Omni Hotels & Resorts
  • Mid-Scale Full Service: Hilton Garden Inn (for a second consecutive year)
  • Mid-Scale Limited Service: Drury Inn & Suites (for a fifth consecutive year)
  • Economy/Budget: Microtel Inns & Suites (for a ninth consecutive year)
  • Extended Stay: Homewood Suites

An interesting result is guest satisfaction increased across all market segments in 2010 compared to last year’s index, particularly with regard to cost and fees. Now this tells me something about the impact of the unprecedented hotel rate drops of the past year in North America. 

Still only 58% of hotel guests make reservations online and that is a 4% rise from last year’s study. The good news is most guests book through the hotel brand website rather than through online travel agencies. Loyalty program benefits are probably a significant factor in this choice. The study states twice as many guests had reservation problems with a third party online site compared to guests booking through the hotel’s own websites.

The top five “must-have” amenities for hotel guests in 2010 are

  1. wireless Internet access;
  2. complimentary breakfast;
  3. bedding and pillow choices,
  4. pillow-top mattresses; and
  5. free parking.

The hotel chain standouts in the hotel loyalty program category are Hilton HHonors and Marriott Rewards with top 3 brands in most categories.

Hotel brand rankings in the different market segments for each major hotel loyalty program:

Best Western Rewards

  • Midscale Full Service (Best Western #7) 

 

Carlson Hotels Goldpoints Plus

  • Upscale (Radisson Hotels #12)
  • Midscale Limited Service (Country Inn & Suites #7) 

 

Choice Privileges

  • Midscale Full Service (Quality #9; Clarion #10)
  • Midscale Limited Service (Comfort Suites #8; Sleep Inn #10; Comfort Inn #13)
  • Economy/Budget (Econolodge #6; Rodeway Inn #10)

 

Hilton HHonors had no brands included in the luxury category. Conrad and Waldorf-Astoria Collection apparently are too few in number for inclusion in the study.

  • Luxury (none) – Conrad and Waldorf-Astoria have too few hotels for ranking
  • Upscale (Embassy Suites #2; Hilton Hotels #7; Doubletree #11),
  • Midscale Full Service (Hilton Garden Inn #1),
  • Midscale Limited Service (Hampton Inn #3);
  • Extended Stay (Homewood Suites #1)

 

Hyatt Gold Passport

  • Luxury (none) – Park Hyatt has too few hotels for ranking
  • Upscale (Hyatt Regency/Grand Hyatt #10)
  • Midscale full service (Hyatt Place #2)
  • Extended Stay (none) – Hyatt Summerfield Suites has too few hotels for ranking

 

InterContinental Hotels Group Priority Club Rewards

  • Luxury (InterContinental Hotels #5)
  • Upscale (Hotel Indigo #8; Crowne Plaza #13)
  • Midscale Full Service (Holiday Inn #6),
  • Midscale Limited Service (Holiday Inn Express #6)
  • Extended Stay (Staybridge Suites #2; Candlewood Suites #4)

 

Marriott Rewards brands earned a top three rank in every category from

  • Luxury (Ritz-Carlton #1; JW Marriott #3)
  • Upscale (Renaissance #3)
  • Midscale full service (Courtyard #3)
  • Midscale with limited service (SpringHill Suites #2; Fairfield Inn #5)
  • Extended stay (Residence Inn #3; TownePlace Suites #5).

 

Starwood Preferred Guest

  • Luxury (W Hotels #6) – St. Regis and Luxury Collection have too few hotels for ranking
  • Upscale (Aloft #4; Westin #6; Sheraton #14)
  • Midscale Full Service (Four Points #4),
  • Midscale Limited Service (none)
  • Extended Stay (none) – Element is Starwood’s extended stay brand but still only seven hotels)

Wyndham Rewards

  • Luxury (none)
  • Upscale (Wyndham Hotels & Resorts #9)
  • Midscale Full Service (Wyndham Garden #5; Ramada #8; Howard Johnson Hotels/Plaza #11),
  • Midscale Limited Service (Wingate #4; Baymont Inn & Suites #12)
  • Economy/Budget (Microtel Inn & Suites #1; Howard Johnson Express/Inns #2; Super 8 #4; Days Inn #5; Travelodge #7; Knights Inn #11)
  • Extended Stay (none) 

Wyndham Rewards is obviously the economy/budget market leader. Wyndham Rewards also has a great points-to-miles exchange rate for getting cheap airline tickets from your hotel stays. 

I will continue my analysis of the JD Power North America Guest Satisfaction Survey with commentary on the hotel brands ranking in the different market segments in one or two other posts to follow. 

Related Posts: Loyalty traveler comments on JD Power Luxury Segment and luxury hotel brands     (Aug 11, 2010)

Loyalty traveler comments on JD Power Upscale Segment Hotel Brands

Loyalty Traveler Comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Full Service Brand Ratings (Aug 13, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Midscale Limited Service Brands (August 15, 2010)

Loyalty Traveler comments on JD Power 2010 Economy/Budget Hotel Brand Ratings (August 16, 2010)

Comments on JD Power 2010 Extended Stay Hotel Satisfaction Index (Aug 17)

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