Hotel Guests Are Happier, but Their Expectations Keep Growing
The 2026 JD Power study finds improvements in guest rooms, service and hotel upkeep are driving higher satisfaction, even as travelers expect more from their stays.
The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok. Photo: Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton
Hotel guest satisfaction is rising across North America, even as room rates continue to climb, according to the 2026 JD Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. The annual study found year-over-year improvements across every hotel segment and each of the seven dimensions measured, from staff service and guest rooms to food and beverage and value.
Overall hotel guest satisfaction increased 13 points on a 1,000-point scale to 665. Perceptions of value for prices paid posted the largest gain, rising 18 points, followed by 14-point increases for both food and beverage and hotel facilities. The improvement comes as the average daily rate for a U.S. hotel room increased approximately 1 percent year over year.
“This year’s study results show that hotels are firing on all cylinders. In every hotel segment, guests are having better experiences due to positive interactions with hotel staff, higher quality food and beverage, and guest room improvements,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at JD Power. She added that greater courtesy from front desk staff, responsiveness to guest requests, and better maintenance of shared amenities such as pools and fitness centers are contributing to improved perceptions of the hotel experience.
Those gains, however, are also raising the bar for what travelers consider standard. Smart TVs with streaming capabilities are now available to 74 percent of surveyed guests, and 62 percent report using them. Daily housekeeping was identified as a “need to have” amenity by 46 percent of guests, followed by filtered water stations at 30 percent and fitness centers at 21 percent.
The study also found that artificial intelligence is beginning to influence hotel discovery, particularly among younger travelers. Of guests who use AI tools during hotel research, Gen Y accounts for 49 percent and Gen Z for 23 percent.
Among luxury brands, the Ritz-Carlton ranked highest in overall guest satisfaction for the second consecutive year, earning a score of 785. Kimpton led the upper upscale category with a score of 738. Now in its 30th year, the JD Power study surveyed 44,787 branded hotel guests about stays completed between May 2025 and May 2026 and benchmarked 104 brands across nine hotel segments.
