Expedia 2015 Hotel Etiquette Study Reveals That "Inattentive Parents" and "Hallway Hellraisers" Are the Most Aggravating Hotel Guests

Study examines hotel guest behaviors that most rankle Americans, such as loud revelry, indiscreet romance and drunken hotel bar misbehavior; hidden habits like tipping practices and toiletry-hoarding also observed

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Expedia.com

Oct 05, 2015, 08:01 ET

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia.com^®, one of the world's largest full service online travel sites¹, today released the results of the inaugural Expedia 2015 Hotel Etiquette Study, which asked 1,022 Americans to rank the frustrating, sneaky, sometimes quirky behavior exhibited by their fellow hotel guests. The study was commissioned by Expedia and conducted by GfK, an independent global market research company.

By a slight margin, "Inattentive Parents" – parents who let their kids run wild – are the most aggravating hotel guests, having been called out by 67% of Americans. 64% of Americans are frustrated by "Hallway Hellraisers," while 54% of Americans complained about "The Complainers," or guests who berate hotel staff over minor inconveniences.

The full list of hotel etiquette violations, from most to least annoying, follows:

Inattentive Parents – 67%
The Hallway Hellraisers – 64%
The Complainers – 54%
The In-Room Revelers (noisemakers nearby) – 52%
The Bickerers – 26%
The Poolside Partiers – 22%
The Loudly Amorous (indiscreet lovemakers) – 21%
The Hot Tub Canoodlers (amorous couples in a public hot tub) – 20%
The Business Bar Boozer (sloshed business travelers) – 12%
The Elevator Chatterbox – 6%

A full analysis of the 2015 Hotel Etiquette Study can be found at Expedia's Viewfinder blog.

"While etiquette violations differ, they tend to come down to the same behavior: whether or not guests respect the strangers in close proximity to them," said John Morrey, vice president and general manager, Expedia.com. "The same is true for flying, or for driving. A modicum of consideration for your fellow travelers can go a very long way and may ultimately enhance your overall travel experience."

To Tip or Not to Tip
Americans are divided on hotel tipping habits. A full 27% report that they "do not tip" hotel employees at all. 3% have attempted to tip a hotel employee to secure a room upgrade. 51% of Americans tip their housekeepers (who are tipped more than any other employee). 40% tip for room service deliveries. 31% tip the valet. 21% tip the porter, just 10% tip the concierge and 7% tip cabana attendants.

Americans may be split on whether to tip the housekeeper in part because of personal organizational habits. 80% of Americans profess that they keep their hotel room "tidy," versus 20% of guests who rely entirely on housekeeping.

Hidden Hotel Habits
Americans do take discreet – and sometimes indiscreet – liberties when they stay at hotels. Among them:

26% of Americans have hoarded toiletries to take home with them;
9% have shoehorned multiple people into their room overnight without telling the hotel;
8% have secretly taken items from their hotel room;
6% sneak down to the pool first thing in the morning to "reserve" a spot by placing towels on chairs;
5% have smoked in a non-smoking room; and
2% have deliberately eavesdropped on guests in a neighboring room.

In addition:

74% of Americans consider room service to be "a luxury," versus 26% who consider it "a necessity";
54% of Americans do use their towels multiple times for environmental reasons, at the hotel's prompting; and
6% haggle with the hotel over their room rate at check-in.

About the Survey
The study was conducted online using the GfK "KnowledgePanel," an online probability-based panel designed to be representative of the US general population, not just the online population. The study consisted of 1,022 interviews of randomly selected U.S. adult residents, conducted between August 7-9, 2015, among adults aged 18+.

About Expedia.com
Expedia.com is one of the world's largest full service travel sites*, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (https://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide the latest technology and the widest selection of top vacation destinations, cheap tickets, hotel deals, car rentals, destination weddings, cruise deals and in-destination activities, attractions, services and travel apps. With the Expedia® Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com customers can get the best rates available online for all types of travel.

Expedia, Expedia.com, Expedia Rewards, Find Yours, Vacation Deprivation and the Airplane logo are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners © 2015 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50

¹Based on a comparison of other full-service online travel agencies, defined as those providing booking and services related to air, hotel, cruise, car and activities to a global customer base. Data based on comScore Media Metrix for Expedia, Inc. Sites, Worldwide, Average Monthly Unique Visitors, Oct '12-Sept '13.

About GFK
GfK is one of the world's largest research companies, with more than 13,000 experts working to discover new insights into the way people live, think and shop, in over 100 markets, every day. GfK is constantly innovating and using the latest technologies and the smartest methodologies to give its clients the clearest understanding of the most important people in the world: their customers. In 2012, GfK's sales amounted to €1.51 billion. To find out more, visit www.gfk.com

GfK Public Affairs & Corporate Communications is a division of GfK. The group specializes in customized public affairs and public opinion polling, media and corporate communications research, and corporate reputation measurement in the US and globally, in addition to delivering a broad range of customized research studies.

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SOURCE Expedia.com