Do Hotel Attributes and Amenities Affect Online User Ratings Differently across Hotel Star Ratings?. Issue 5 (3rd September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Soifer, Inna; Choi, Eun-Kyong (Cindy); Lee, Euntae (Ted)
• Is Part Of: Journal of quality assurance in hospitality & tourism. Volume 22:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 539
• Page End: 560
• Publication Date: 2021-09-03
• Subjects: TripAdvisor -- hotel characteristics -- amenities -- customer satisfaction -- online user rating -- hotel classification; Hospitality industry -- Periodicals; Tourism -- Periodicals; Quality assurance -- Periodicals; 338.479105
• DOI: 10.1080/1528008X.2020.1814935
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1528-008X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the impact of hotel attributes and complimentary and emerging amenities on online user ratings and compares their effects across star ratings. By combining data scraped from TripAdvisor.com and hotel property information provided by the STR, a total of 763 hotel cases located in three metropolitan areas of New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles were used for data analysis. The results showed that five hotel attributes and amenities of a spa, swimming pool, on-site restaurants, hotel affiliation, and free Wi-Fi significantly influenced online user ratings. Additionally, these attributes affected online user ratings differently across hotel star ratings: free Wi-Fi, pool, and complimentary breakfast for 1–2.5-star hotels; free Wi-Fi, affiliation, and free breakfast, for 3–3.5-star hotels; free Wi-Fi for 4–4.5-star hotels. However, none of the hotel attributes and amenities included in this study had a significant impact on online user ratings for 5-star hotels.