TROY, Michigan—Hotel guests in every segment feel they are getting better value for their travel dollar, and according to the J.D. Power 2025 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study, key drivers of that improved perception of value are higher satisfaction with guestrooms, including condition, cleanliness, and room amenities such as smart TVs.
“We’re at an important inflection point in the travel marketplace where several years of record-high hotel demand and the pace of room rate increases is starting to slow,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power. “Hotel owner and operator investments in guest room décor and furnishings, in addition to bathroom updates, are paying off in higher satisfaction. One area in which hotels can significantly influence guest satisfaction without massive capital expense is with technology like smart TVs and updated room temperature controls. Travel is becoming more complex with the potential for flight delays or increased road traffic, so guests want hotels to provide the comforts of home.”
The following are additional key findings of the 2025 study:
- I want my smart TV: When asked what hotel amenities they consider “need to have” (vs. “nice to have”), 40 percent of guests selected “smart TV/ability to stream my entertainment,” up from 21 percent in 2019. Nearly three-fourths (72 percent) of guests indicated their room included a smart TV (up from 39 percent in 2019), and 60 percent said they used the smart TV during their stay.
- Capital investments paying off: Guest satisfaction significantly improved year over year in investment-heavy areas such as condition of guest room furnishings and décor (+.05 points); condition of bathroom fixtures (+.05); and comfort of bed (+.04).
- Value in the eye of the beholder: Hotel guest perceptions of value received for nightly rate paid increases in every hotel segment in this year’s study, with the most significant year-over-year gains coming in the upscale, midscale, and economy segments.
- Hotel app users are more satisfied: The overall satisfaction score among hotel guests who have their hotel’s mobile app downloaded on their mobile devices is 699 (on a 1,000-point scale), 68 points higher than those who do not use their hotel brand’s mobile app.
- Problems, while rare, can crush guest satisfaction scores: The average rate of guests experiencing a problem, such as an odd odor or housekeeping issue, excessive noise, or check-in dispute, is just 12 percent across all hotel stays evaluated. When problems occur during the stay, however, guest satisfaction falls 217 points to 460 from 677.
Study Rankings
The following hotel brands rank highest in overall guest satisfaction in their respective segment:
- Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (779)
- Upper Upscale: Omni Hotels & Resorts (731)
- Upscale: Drury Hotels (738)
- Upscale Extended Stay: Hyatt House (705)
- Upper Midscale: Hampton by Hilton (694)
- Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton (711)
- Midscale: Tru by Hilton (723)
- Economy: Microtel by Wyndham (619)
- Economy Extended Stay: WoodSpring Suites (600)
The North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study was redesigned for 2025, so scores are not comparable with previous-year studies. Now in its 29th year, the NAGSI Study measures overall hotel guest satisfaction based on performance in seven core dimensions (in alphabetical order): check-in/check-out; connectivity; facilities; food and beverage; guest room; staff service; and value. The 2025 study benchmarks the performance of 102 brands across nine hotel segments and is based on responses from 39,219 branded hotel guests for stays between May 2024 and May 2025.
