Hotels.com Crowdsourcing Campaign Reveals the Hotel Offerings Most Important to Travelers

DALLAS, June 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Cable TV, air conditioning and swimming pools were once among the most sought after hotel offerings, but today's travelers demand much more from their hotel amenities, services and features.  According to a recent crowdsourcing campaign conducted by leading online booking website Hotels.com, U.S. travelers are most intent on having access to free Wi-Fi, shuttle service and kitchenettes.

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After hosting a Twitter chat to compile a list of guest preferences, Hotels.com asked consumers to share their opinions through a series of polls in the categories of hotel services, on-site amenities and room features.

"For a long time, hotels offered a fairly standard set of amenities, but traveler preferences and expectations have evolved in recent years and the offerings from hotels have as well," said Taylor L. Cole, APR, travel expert for Hotels.com. "We set out to identify what guests want most out of their hotel stays and we will work with our hotel partners to continue to provide an excellent experience for our customers."

Hotels.com reaffirmed that the importance of free Wi-Fi, as 67 percent of respondents valued complimentary internet access over other hotel services such as free parking, noise-free zones and green products. In the category of on-site amenities, consumers chose shuttle service (42 percent) and complimentary breakfast (31 percent) over room service and kid-friendly amenities.

Bigger towels and green bath products represented a couple of bathroom amenities important to hotel guests, but most travelers valued kitchenettes or mini-fridges (53 percent) and smoke-free accommodations (31 percent).

To find the hotel that will give you the most out of your stay, visit Hotels.com and use the SUMMER13 coupon code to get 13 percent off your summer 2013 vacation*. For more information about the Hotels.com #Guest Census, please visit http://www.travelsmartblog.com/guestcensus and share your favorites with us at @hotelsdotcom.

Press contacts:
Pat Burek – Finn Partners for Hotels.com
Phone: (212) 715-1542
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @finnpartners

Taylor L. Cole, APR
Hotels.com North America
Phone: (469) 335-8442
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @TravelwithTLC

About Hotels.com^®

Hotels.com is a leading online accommodation booking brand. Through the Expedia Inc. global network of websites, Hotels.com, LP connects travelers with 205,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com, LP benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, obtaining the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 7 million Guest Reviews on the websites from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through Hotels.com, LP's industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards^®, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 85,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com, LP will refund the difference. Travelers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centers. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/ enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Hotels.comUS, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom* and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com, LP is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands. 

*Coupon valid for bookings made by July 4, 2013 and travel between June 24, 2013 to October 4, 2013. Bookings aren't eligible for Welcome Rewards® nights when you use this discount coupon. Most major chains are excluded - see full exclusion list here.  Full coupon T&Cs can be found here.

Hotels.com, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2013 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved. CST # 2083949-50

SOURCE Hotels.com