An Investigation into the Perceived Importance of Service and Facility Attributes to Hotel Satisfaction

Abstract

In a complex service environment such as the hotel sector, assessing the perceived importance of services and facility attributes provides management with information not only to benchmark their service level provision, but also to retain and increase their customer base. The present study examines the perceived importance of the service and facilities attributes provided by a 3-star hotel. Results of the self-administered survey of 101 guests of three 3-star hotel properties in Perth (Western Australia) indicated that 13 of the 18 attributes were perceived as important. The 18 services and facility attributes were factor-analysed and three components emerged: physical facilities, service experienced and services provision. These three components were found to significantly contribute to the overall importance rating of the hotel attributes. Statistically significant differences were noted for age and residence on the physical facilities and services provided components. Results were discussed and implications with further research opportunities were suggested.

An Analysis of Word-of-Mouse Ratings and Guest Comments of Online Hotel Distribution Sites

“…Researchers found friendly front office staff, efficient check-in and check-out, and restaurant and bar availability to be influential factors in hotel satisfaction. Factors found to be the least influential hotel features included the presence of recreational amenities, business services, and an in-room minibar (Shanka &Taylor, 2003). Lockyer (2003) found a direct relationship between cleanliness of a hotel and the guest's intent to return.…”

Does hotel attribute importance differ by hotel? Focusing on hotel star-classifications and customers’ overall ratings

“…The mentioned attributes, in particular, were emphasized by the survey participating travelers regarding hotel experiences in their study. In addition, Shanka and Taylor (2004) categorized 18 service and facility factors including friendly front office staff, efficient check-in and out, and the Internet connection into three attributes such as physical facilities, room amenities, and reception service experienced. Among the three, reception service experienced was considered to be the most important by the guests of Australian three-star hotels.…”

Classification of Customer Satisfaction Attributes: An Application of Online Hotel Review Analysis

“…It is an evaluation formed by customers based on the expectations of what customers would receive from a product or service and on their perceptions on the performance of a product or service they actually received. Prior literature has attempted to identify the attributes which generate customer satisfaction as well as to identify the importance levels of different attributes in enabling user satisfaction [15]. Much of the literature researches on customer satisfaction from the lens of service quality [16].…”