Although the ADR for a U.S. hotel room climbed to a record high of $158.67 in 2024, hotel guests in every segment from economy to luxury feel they are getting better value for their travel dollar. 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 in-room 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, J.D. Power. “Hotel owner and operator investments in guestroom 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.”
Additional key findings of the study include:
- When asked what hotel amenities they consider “need to have” (vs. “nice to have”), 40% of guests selected “smart TV/ability to stream my entertainment,” up from 21% in 2019. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of guests indicated their room included a smart TV (up from 39% in 2019) and 60% said they used the smart TV during their stay.
- Guest satisfaction significantly improved year-over-year in investment-heavy areas such as condition of guestroom furnishings and décor (+.05 points); condition of bathroom fixtures (+.05); and comfort of bed (+.04).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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% 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) (for a fourth consecutive year)
Upper-midscale: Hampton by Hilton (694)
Upper-midscale/midscale extended-stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton (711) (for a third consecutive year)
Midscale: Tru by Hilton (723) (for a third consecutive year)
Economy: Microtel by Wyndham (619) (for a third consecutive year)
Economy extended-stay: WoodSpring Suites (600) (for a third consecutive year)
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; guestroom; 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.
