How Hotel Brands Rank for Online Reputation

Image: Businesswoman relaxing at her hotel suite bed. (photo via bogdankosanovic / E+)

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 7:30 PM ET, Thu December 7, 2023

As most hotel brands clearly understand, a single negative review online can make the difference between a traveler booking a stay or opting for other accommodations.

The good news for Hyatt and Hilton Garden Inn is that both have landed in the top spot when it comes to online reputation among guest reviews.

That’s according to a recently released ranking from SOCi, a tech company that helps large brands manage their online presence.

SOCi’s ranking identifies the top US hotel chains based on the brand’s online reputation among consumers. To develop its list, SOCi analyzed more than 100 “reputation signals” across Google, Yelp, and Facebook. That effort took into consideration such things as the rate of new reviews, average number of reviews per location, positive vs. negative feedback, response times, and aggregate ratings. In total, the analysis spanned thousands of hotel locations.

"In an industry as customer-centric as hospitality, satisfaction and referrals hold paramount importance," Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi said in a statement. "The digital footprint of a hotel is increasingly becoming the cornerstone of decision-making for travelers."

After crunching the data for every location in each hotel chain that was studied, SOCi awarded Hyatt and Hilton Garden Inn with the ranking’s leading scores of 69 out of a potential score of 100.

The two hotel brands beat out Marriott, which earned a score of 68 and InterContinental, which also earned a 68. Westin rounded out the top five brands in the U.S. with a score of 67.

So, which brand did worst in the ranking? Super 8 placed dead last with a score of 39. A major factor contributing to the hotel chain’s dismal score is it’s practice of “ghosting” consumers who provided negative online reviews of their experience at a Super 8 (meaning the hotel simply ignores the feedback).

Clearly, Super 8 hasn’t gotten the memo about the importance of responding to online criticism from past guests.Also among the poorest ranked hotels were Baymont by Wyndham, with a reputation ranking score of 44, and Econo Lodge, which received a paltry 33.

Consider this critical information as you prepare to make holiday hotel reservations. Here are some of the ranking’s additional takeaways:

Struggles in the Value Segment

The mean score for value segment hotels, such as Super 8, Econo Lodge, Motel 6, and Days Inn, stands at 45.5. This score contrasted with the premium hotels' average of 67.4.

“It suggests that economy brands in the value segment have difficulties in effectively managing their local reputation when compared to their premium counterparts,” says the study.

Mixed Performance of Wyndham

The Wyndham group earned varied results across its brands in the ranking. La Quinta by Wyndham, for instance, received a somewhat respectable score of 56, while Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Baymont by Wyndham trail with scores of 55 and 44, respectively.

Within the Wyndham group, Motel 6 and Days Inn, both categorized in the study's value segment, scored 52 and 41, respectively.

“This discrepancy within the same group underscores the necessity of bespoke local visibility management strategies for diverse brands,” says the ranking.

Performance of Mid-Scale Chains

Mid-scale chains (think: Holiday Inn Express, Radisson, and Comfort Inn & Suites) received decent scores in the SOCi ranking, ranging from the mid-sixties to the low fifties.

“This implies that these brands, in addition to certain premium chains, have exerted efforts to manage their local reputation successfully, eliciting positive customer feedback,” says the study.

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