Hotel guests consider complimentary Wi-Fi to be the most important amenity, according to a recent survey.
This is the case in nearly every hotel segment, with the exception of the mid-scale limited service segment, in which the most important amenity remains complimentary breakfast. That is according to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, which is based on responses of more than 53,000 guests who stayed in a hotel between May 2009 and June 2010.
The survey indicates that hotel brands get into trouble when they are not providing a quality Internet connection and one which is widely available throughout the property. The issues are further compounded if a guest is paying for the Internet, as expectations are greater.
With the wide availability of the Internet and Wi-Fi seemingly everywhere—at Starbucks, McDonalds and Denny’s—it may appear unwise to charge for Internet, but it is still an important revenue stream at the upscale and luxury segments.
While charging for Internet may come at a satisfaction cost, the revenue streams likely outweigh that trade-off, at least for now, says J.D. Powers and Associates. As long as a leading brand does not break rank, guests are likely to keep on paying for Internet service at hotels even if they don’t like it.
