TripAdvisor Survey Reveals Hotel Amenities Travelers Can and Can't Do Without – U.S. Travelers Want Hotels to Accept Their Credit Cards; Say "Meh" to Mini Bar

Newton, Massachusetts, USA – 13 December 2013 – TripAdvisor today announced the results of the TripBarometer Truth in Travel Survey1, which reveals the hotel amenities and services U.S. travelers find most and least important.

Free Wi-Fi, Parking and Breakfast in High Demand; But Travelers Not as Interested in the Mini-Bar or Spa

Most Important Hotel Amenities for U.S. Travelers

1.      Free In-Room Wi-Fi (89%)
2.      Free Parking (89%)
3.      Free Breakfast (84%)
4.      Free Personal Care Items (72%)
5.      Free Lobby Wi-Fi (71%)

Least Important Hotel Amenities for U.S. Travelers

1.      Mini Bar (21%)
2.      Spa/Beauty Treatments (23%)
3.      Business Center (34%)
4.      Laundry Service (39%)
5.      Free Pool-Side Wi-Fi (42%)

Accepting My Cards and Speaking My Language Top Traveler Wish Lists

“Accept my credit cards” (59%) and “hire staff who speak my language” (34%) are the top things U.S. travelers wish their hotels would do, as compared to 12 percent who wish hotels would “include typical food from my country in the menu.”

Meanwhile, there are some good signs hotels are answering the call. As a result of increasing numbers of guests from various destinations around the world, hoteliers have already put in place a number of measures to address the needs of international visitors. Fifty-two percent of global hotel respondents have made efforts to honor the credit cards that their guests prefer to use, as compared to 44 percent of U.S. hotels.

“The TripBarometer Truth in Travel Survey reveals some interesting findings about the hotel amenities that top travelers’ lists of must haves, as free in-room Wi-Fi remains a huge factor in guests’ considerations, while travelers have much less interest in the mini-bar,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications for TripAdvisor. “It’s also nice to see properties in the U.S. and abroad redoubling their efforts to accommodate travelers’ credit card preferences.”