LARKSPUR, Calif. – August 31, 2011 –Guest satisfaction with hotels edged upwards in the second quarter of 2011 (+0.2 to 84.5).  Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts (+6.3 to 97.9) posted the top customer satisfaction score among hotel brands.  Most industry segments reported higher satisfaction scores with Upper Midscale Hotels (+1.0 to 84.0) and Luxury Hotels (+0.9 to 89.4) posting the biggest gains. 
 
Across the industry more people are selecting hotels because of guest loyalty programs.  Loyalty programs, with improved benefits and more guest friendly rules, now rank fourth among reasons why consumers select a hotel (the top three reasons are "Location", "Price", and "Past Experience").  More people are joining these programs and the percentage of members who have "Elite" status has increased (+5.0% in 2011).  This is good news for hotels because loyalty club members spend more per room, are less sensitive to price increases, and are more satisfied with their hotel experience.
 
Performance across the Hotel Industry
Luxury hotels received the highest satisfaction scores (89.4) led by Jumeirah Hotels (97.9).  Baglioni Hotels also showed marked improvement compared to 2010 (+11 to 96.6).  Timeshares ranked second (86.7) with Disney Vacation Club retaining the top spot despite lower scores compared to 2010 (-3.7 to 88.1).  Hyatt Summerfield Suites posted a big gain over last year (+8.9 to 94.0) and led the Upscale hotel segment (+.1 to 85.6)
 
Among Casinos, customer satisfaction remained stable (-0.1 to 83.2) with South Point Hotel Casino Spa (-1.1 to 88.0) taking first place.  In this segment Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower (+3.5 to 84.4) showed the biggest improvement compared to 2010.  Upscale Casinos were unchanged (+0.0 to 84.7) with The Palazzo Resort & Casino (+1.0 to 90.4) getting the highest evaluations from guests.  Wynn Las Vegas (+2.3 to 90.3) posted the biggest gain over last year.

About MMHI

Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today.  Our annual MMHI Awards are coveted by lodging and travel enterprises around the world.  These benchmarks, delivered through our flagship product Customer Metrix™, enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to competitors by STAR segment, AAA classification, Brand, SMSA, industry averages, performers in the top 10% and other classifications.   The MMHI is also available by subscription.
 
About Market Metrix
Market Metrix provides the leading guest and employee feedback systems to the worldwide hospitality industry.  With award-winning research and powerful technology, Market Metrix helps clients make the right business decisions.  Our Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products are used by more hospitality companies than any other, supporting thousands of businesses in 70+ countries.  Market Metrix has been helping hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996.  For more information, visit www.marketmetrix.com.