Hilton Leads Customer Satisfaction in 2023 J.D. Power Study
Joe Cortez July 26, 2023
The ratings come from the 2023 J.D. Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index, released on July 26, 2023.
Travelers Reward Low Incident Rate, Perfect Lobbies, and Value for Amenities
With hotel occupancy rate reaching the highest level since before the pandemic, the researchers at J.D. Power discovered the top hotel brands in the world had three things in common: Low problem incidence, excellent lobby experiences, and value for the amenities reached.
Hilton Hotels took top honors in three categories, leading all hotel brands. In the Luxury category, Waldorf Astoria took the honors with a score of 788 out of 1,000. Hilton’s Home2 Suites earned the award for the Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay, while Tru by Hilton won in the Midscale category.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Choice Hotels took awards in two different categories. Trademark Collection by Wyndham was the top brand in the Upper Midscale category, and Microtel by Wyndham shared honors in the Economy category with America’s Best Value Inn. Choice hotels had two brands rated as the best in their category: Cambria Hotels & Suites won the award in the Upscale category, while Woodspring Suites earned the top spot among Economy Extended Stay hotels.
Two themed hotels tied for the Upper Upscale category’s top award: Hard Rock Hotels earned a trophy for the third consecutive year, sharing the reward with Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts. Hyatt Hotels only earned one award in this year’s survey, as Hyatt House took the top spot in the Upper Extended Stay category.
Overall, customer service was the highest rated factor in the 2023 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index, with an aggregate rating of 701 out of 1,000 total. Researchers say that having the right staff in place is critical to a good customer experience, as 86% of guests telling J.D. Power they did not experience an issue during their stay.
“This boost in hotel staffing is showing up in the form of high customer satisfaction scores,” Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power, said in a release. “Staff service is now the highest-scoring factor in this study across all hotel segments from economy to luxury, underscoring the critical role that frontline staff play in defining the guest experience.”
Other keys to high scores revealed by the study includes creating a good lobby experience for the category and offering good value for the amenities and customer experience at each level.
Which hotels are you most satisfied with when you stay? Share your thoughts on the FlyerTalk Forums.
The Hilton bashing here based on personal, anecdotal evidence, is what makes the internet what it is. "Late check out begging"? As I Diamond I let the front desk know if I will be using my late checkout benefit. I've NEVER been refused late checkout (which is guaranteed for Diamonds).
J.D. Power? Ha.
All above comments correct as far as my few dozen stays per year in pacific.
sorry below comments from readers
I agree with the people who say Hilton's loyalty program is not good. Marriott Bonvoy hands-down beats them. I only stay at Hilton when my company requires it.
At first, I was like....no way. Then, after looking at the brands that did well. It makes sense. You arent seeing any of the Hilton, HGI or Hampton properties winning any awards because they are dumps. Sure, the Waldorf properties do a pretty good job at the luxury end. TRU and Home2 are relatively new in most places. Most of the older Hilton properties are dumps though. I stay away from them for the most part.