Zagat Releases 2009 U.S. Hotels Survey

November 12, 2008 at 12:29 PM | by Jenna | Comment (1)

Zagat released their 2009 U.S. Hotels, Resorts & Spas Survey today, and, really, there are no huge surprises here. The usual-suspect brands, like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, nabbed top honors in the burgundy bible (which is apparently grey this year in celebration of their 30th anniversary), while NYC was named the Favorite Destination.

The guide, which covers 1,001 hotels, resorts and spas nationwide based on feedback and insight gathered from 14,049 frequent travelers and travel professionals, noted this year's biggest trends: people are digging green initiatives (48 percent of the survey group said they were more likely to stay in an eco-friendly property) and booking hotels and flights online (76 percent of surveyors reported booking travel on the interwebs).

Read more on the top honors from Zagat after the jump.

Earning top honors:

· Favorite Destination: New York City
· Best Chain: Four Seasons
· Best Websites: Expedia and TripAdvisor
· Best Value Chains: Homewood Suites, Embassy Suites and DoubleTree
· Best Value for Small Lodgings: Disney's Fort Wilderness in Orlando
· Best Value for Large Lodgings: Timberline Lodge in Oregon
· Best Large Hotel: Ritz Carlton, Dallas
· Best Large Resort: Four Seasons, Hualalai
· Best Small Hotel: Vermont's Twin Farms
· Best Newcomer: Palazzo Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

As far as lovin' and hatin', the Zagat folks reported their main grievance about the hotel industry is poor service (so said 48% of surveyors). Also: 25% hated crappy room conditions and 15% were annoyed by noisy fellow guests. On the flip side, 56% were into in-room Wi-Fi (duh) and 29% adored in-lobby flight check-in.

Does this list have any major surprises for you? Are we all surprised that anyone can still afford the Four Seasons? Any major misses or glaring omissions? Sound off in the comments!

Comment (1)

Return to » Zagat Releases 2009 U.S. Hotels Survey

Why is it that UK hotel owners and hotel chain owners make as much advertising noise as their American counterparts?

The Uk has some beautiful locations from the idyllic secluded Lake district Victoria hotels with roaring log fires and big leather arm chairs to the super sleek 3 star London Hotels offering capital City center locations and affordable accommodation for travelers.

We just seem to lack the energy that the Americans put into getting themselves noticed by Joe public. I think it’s high time that the UK woke up and started showing the World what it has to offer.

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