Hotel guests have a lot of options when it comes to where they are going to stay, and with so many different options out there, it is hard for any hotel brand to stand out from the crowd.
A new study has revealed that there is a divide in opinion when it comes to which is more important to guests, the hotel brand or the room price. The study was conducted by UNWTO, the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and Accor Hotels.
The research focused on hotel guests across Europe and Asia-Pacific, with around 3,200 people participating in interviews from all over the world.
It found that the majority of guests were more concerned with their experience than they were with the price. Most would choose a high-quality property if they could afford it, but if they could not afford it at all then they would not mind paying less for something ‘plain’ but still functional – even if this meant sacrificing quality or location.
In fact, when asked which factors are most important to them when booking their next trip, nearly half of respondents cited comfort (54%), cleanliness (48%) and value for money as factors that need consideration before booking—and only 10% said the price was foremost in their minds.
It found that the majority of guests were more concerned with the brand than they were with the price.
Hotel brand is important to hotel guests. In fact, it’s more important than price, location or customer service.
The survey found that the majority of guests were more concerned with the brand than they were with the price. The reason for this is simple: when you book a hotel room online or over the phone and receive details about your stay like “free internet access,” this information can be easily researched by other travelers who are looking for similar accommodations in their area.
If you are looking for something cheaper but don’t know where to look—or worse yet if you are just looking at random places on Google Maps—then there is no way for these travelers to tell whether or not these amenities exist unless they talk directly with someone at that establishment first-hand.
In Europe, 83% of guests said they would pay more for a hotel they trust while in Asia-Pacific this figure was slightly higher; 86%.
The survey also found that the most important factor when choosing a hotel was their ability to provide good customer service.
This result is consistent with our own findings. In terms of brand perception and awareness, Marriott Rewards has consistently ranked as one of the best loyalty programs in recent years.
Hotel safety and security.
In terms of what is most important to them, again both in Europe and Asia-Pacific, the number one factor is hotel safety and security. The second most popular category is room quality (which includes comfort), followed by location, then price.
In terms of room quality, in particular, Europe has a higher priority than Asia-Pacific does—but not by much. When it comes down to it though: if you are going for luxury or comfort on your next staycation (or business trip), you can be sure that European hotels will provide better amenities than those elsewhere on this list!
Other important factors include good customer service (60%), loyalty benefits (55%) and free internet access (54%).
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when determining what a hotel’s room price should be. But the most important factor is customer service—and that is something hotels need to provide as much as possible.
The best way for hotels to ensure their guests have good experiences and return again is by offering excellent customer service. This means that they should offer free Wi-Fi (or at least free Wi-Fi in all rooms) and loyalty benefits like free breakfast or happy hours when you stay longer than three days in a row at their establishment.
To ensure your customers get the best experience possible, you can hire a hospitality and service management company to look after the details of your customer service plan.
Location is the key.
When it comes to choosing where to book their stay, 37% of European hotel guests say that price is their main driver and 33% say that location is key. Other factors that influence European hotel guests’ choice of the hotel include brand, customer service, loyalty benefits, free internet access and more.
Interestingly 27% said a high level of customer service would encourage them to book while 22% said they look at ratings; an area where hotels are performing badly.
For hotels, it is about delivering exceptional hospitality service and building customer loyalty. This means being accessible, flexible and friendly — all things that guests love.
Hotels need to enhance their online presence
With competition in the hospitality and management market fiercer than ever before, it seems as though hotels need to do more online to show customers why they should be booking rooms at their properties. Hotels need to improve their online presence, customer service and reviews.
Hotel brands are also investing in new technology that will help them make better use of data from their guests’ reservation processes, like the ability to track repeat visits and address specific issues related to specific rooms (for example: “The AC didn’t work well”).
Final word
This research has shown that guests are increasingly aware of the power of their choices when it comes to choosing a hotel room and they have become more focused on what makes up a good experience. This will help hotels in their quest for customers by encouraging them to offer more customer service, value for money offers and other perks that can make guests feel valued as well as being able to book online with ease!
