What is Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index?
A hotel guest satisfaction survey measures how well a property meets guest expectations across the full stay experience: booking, check-in, room quality, amenities, staff interactions, food and beverage, and check-out. The JD Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index found that overall guest satisfaction reached 815 out of 1,000 points in 2024, with the largest gaps between top and bottom performers appearing in the "hotel facilities" and "communication" factors. Structured surveys identify which specific touchpoints are driving satisfaction or dragging it down for a given property.
Why This Matters
Direct booking and loyalty impact
JD Power data shows that guests who rate their stay above 850 on the satisfaction index are 4x more likely to book directly on their next visit and 3x more likely to join the loyalty program. Satisfaction at this level reduces dependency on OTA commissions (15 to 25% per booking) by converting guests into direct-booking repeat customers.
Review score correlation
According to JD Power, a 50-point increase in the satisfaction index correlates with a 0.3-point increase in the average online review score across major platforms. Since each 0.1-point increase in review scores drives a 5 to 9% increase in revenue per available room (per Cornell Hospitality Research), survey-driven improvement has a measurable top-line impact.
Staff training prioritization
JD Power identifies 6 satisfaction factors, each weighted differently by guest segment (business, leisure, family). Survey results broken down by factor reveal whether a property's staff training budget should prioritize front desk interactions, housekeeping consistency, food service speed, or some other area. Without survey data, training investments are guesswork.
Common Mistakes
❌ Surveying only at check-out
By check-out, dissatisfied guests have already left negative reviews or decided never to return. Mid-stay pulse surveys (a single question delivered via text on the second night) catch problems while they can still be fixed. JD Power data shows that service recovery completed during the stay increases satisfaction by 20% over post-stay apologies.
❌ Asking too many questions
Survey completion rates drop 50% when the survey exceeds 10 questions. A focused 5 to 7 question survey targeting the most actionable factors produces higher response rates and more reliable data than an exhaustive 30-question instrument that only the most motivated guests complete.
❌ Collecting data without closing the loop
Hotels that survey guests but never act on the results train guests to stop responding. JD Power recommends publishing monthly improvement actions based on survey feedback to staff and communicating specific changes to guests who reported issues. The closed feedback loop is what separates data collection from guest experience management.
Industry Benchmarks
| Category | Good | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy and midscale hotels | Satisfaction above 825/1000, 4.2+ online rating, 30%+ survey response rate | Satisfaction 780-825, 3.8-4.2 rating, 15-30% response rate | Satisfaction below 780, below 3.8 rating, under 15% response rate |
| Upper midscale and upscale hotels | Satisfaction above 860/1000, 4.5+ online rating, 35%+ response rate | Satisfaction 820-860, 4.2-4.5 rating, 20-35% response rate | Satisfaction below 820, below 4.2 rating, under 20% response rate |
| Luxury hotels | Satisfaction above 890/1000, 4.7+ online rating, 40%+ response rate | Satisfaction 860-890, 4.5-4.7 rating, 25-40% response rate | Satisfaction below 860, below 4.5 rating, under 25% response rate |
Source: JD Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index
Benchmark data sourced from JD Power North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index.