We probably don’t need focus groups to tell us hotel stays are all about the bed but a recent study by J.D. Powers concurs- it’s all about the bed.
OK, we can skip the feet on the bed, or should we? We all sat on those cattywampus chairs with that one shorter leg and it’s not a fun ride.
But we’re guessing most have not experienced this on a bed. Especially in a hotel room. So let’s get down to the nuts and bolts of what makes sleeping dreamy.
According to the survey, it starts with the quality of the bed and includes the linens, pillows, the ambient sounds in the room, and even the temperature.
Isn’t the thermostat control the first thing we gravitate to when checking in? A hotel room is an eco-system of our own little perfect world- we set the temperature, fluff the pillows, and check if the sheets are “scratchy.”
If everything is just so (think of Goldilocks picking the middle room) then you can expect a great night’s sleep.
Pillow before the mint- not the other way around.
Unfortunately, most hotels don’t deliver. From a 2019 study, only 29% of guests experienced a better than expected quality sleep.
Satisfaction scores for quality of sleep are also higher when hotels offer beyond-the-basics items, such as white noise/sound machines, earplugs, robe/slippers, and authentic local decor.
Goldilocks was well-traveled and knew how to pick a room, so let’s find that room that’s just right. The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:
- Luxury: The Ritz-
- Carlton (for a fifth consecutive year)
- Upper Upscale: Hard Rock Hotel
- Upscale: Best Western Premier
- Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (for a 14th consecutive year)
- Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (for a fifth consecutive year)
- Economy: Microtel by Wyndham (for a second consecutive year)
The 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions regarding their overall experiences and includes 85 officially ranked brands in six market segments.
This year’s study is based on responses from approximately 44,890 guests who stayed at a hotel between June 2018 and May 2019.
For more information about the 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, visit the site here.
Whether you’re looking to book a room in the city that never sleeps or you’re heading over to catch the Wimbledon finals, the hotel management finally gets it. It needs to be about the bed too.
