The rise in U.S. hotel rates in 2026 hasn't dampened guest satisfaction, as travelers report feeling that hotels are delivering value for prices paid, according to a new JD Power study.
The overall score among hotels in JD Power's 2026 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, released on Tuesday, was 665 on a 1,000-point scale, a 13-point gain from last year. The company surveyed more than 44,700 guests who stayed at a hotel between May 2025 and May 2026, covering 104 brands.
Guest perception of the value for prices paid rose 18 points year over year on a 1,000-point scale, according to J.D. Power. Satisfaction with food and beverage as well as hotel facilities each rose 14 points from last year's survey.
"Improvements in courtesy from front desk staff, responsiveness to guest requests and the maintenance and upkeep of shared amenities such as pools and fitness centers, among others, are all elevating perceptions of the guest experience," JD Power hospitality practice lead Andrea Stokes said in a statement. She noted that the improvement in satisfaction extended across all hotel segments.
This year's survey for the first time measured the share of hotel guests leveraging AI tools for hotel research and found that usage was concentrated among younger hotel guests, with Gen Y (born between 1977 and 1994) and Gen Z (between 1995 and 2008) accounting for 49 percent and 23 percent of all AI users, respectively.
"The study results reveal artificial intelligence tools are beginning to reshape the hotel discovery process," Stokes said.
The report noted that guests are prioritizing health and wellness, citing daily housekeeping (46 percent), filtered water stations (30 percent) and fitness centers (21 percent) as "need to have amenities." Smart TVs with streaming capabilities also are both becoming more available and being used more often by guests, according to JD Power.
