The average daily rate for a hotel guest room in the United States is the highest it’s ever been, at $158.67 in 2024. Despite this, hotel guests feel they are getting the best value they’ve ever received.
According to the J.D. Power 2025 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study, guests are perceiving more value for their dollar with guest room amenities such as in-room smart TVs and mobile hotel apps.
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“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 [are] starting to slow,” said Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at J.D. Power.
“Hotel owner and operator investments in guest room decor 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 key findings from the study:
- “Smart TV/ability to stream my content” is considered a “need to have” by 40% of guests, compared to 21% in 2019. Seventy-two percent of guests noted their room included a smart TV, up from 39% in 2019; 60% used their smart TV during their stay.
- Perception of value for nightly rate paid increased in every hotel segment; the most significant gains came from upscale, midscale and economy segments.
- Overall satisfaction score among hotel guests who use the hotel’s mobile app is 699 out of 1,000, 68 points higher than those who don’t use the hotel’s mobile app.
- Across all hotels ranked, the average rate of guests experiencing a problem, such as an odor or housekeeping issue, is 12%. Although rare, when problems do occur, guest satisfaction falls 217 points from 677 to 460.
