Earlier this week TripAdvisor released a major study into the average “bubble” rankings awarded by guests in hotels and B&B’s around the world (they analysed millions of traveller ratings given to hotel and B&B properties on TripAdvisor over the last ten years in 15 major tourism markets). The results are interesting and they tell us one thing very clearly: independent hotels and B&B’s in the UK are some of the best in the world, and their review scores show it!
But what does that mean?
Well, the numbers show UK properties with less than 25 rooms scoring an average of 4.4 (out of 5) when reviewed by their guests in 2015, compared to those with 26-100 rooms, where the average is 3.97! So, guests who stay in small, independent hotels and B&B’s, like yours, really do enjoy their stays more than those who stay in big faceless chains.
We don’t see this as a surprise!
A faceless chain is just that, faceless; there is nothing personal, quirky or fun about the stay. It’s in the small B&B’s and quirky independent hotels like yours that guests really learn about the area in which they’re staying, from people who live there. It’s where they make friends with the faces behind the places and where they get a personal service a large hotel couldn’t dream of providing.
We think this is great news for the independent properties across the country as it really shows that all the passion and hard work you all put in every day is paying off!
The industry has gone through big changes.
As David Weston from the B&B Association told us after the figures were unveiled: “If you translate TripAdvisor’s average scores into percentages, the score guests give British B&Bs is 89.6% – that is 8.8% higher than the score they give British hotels (80.8%).
“In the B&B Association’s 10th anniversary year, we are also especially proud to see that B&Bs and independents have over the past 10 years led a surge in the quality of British accommodation, which has taken Britain from the bottom of the tourism quality league table to a close second place.”
But what else did the study show us?
Well, there are three key findings we think you need to know:
- Business travellers are the most discerning, awarding the lowest average review rating to accommodation compared to other types of global travellers
- Couples are the most satisfied, giving hotels and B&Bs the highest average review rating amongst all types of travellers
- The most positive reviewers of UK properties, by nationality, are Americans – awarding an average review rating of 4.21 out of 5
So, there you have it, the quirky, small, independent properties are thriving and generating reviews that are the envy of chains like Hilton and Holiday Inn!
All we can say at eviivo is keep up the great work and stay quirky!