Booking.com partner Habitat Apartments, Barcelona

Most-desired accommodation features: we reveal what travellers look for

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In a recent survey of global travellers, Booking.com asked respondents which accommodation characteristics most influenced their property choice. We delve into the results

Once a guest has landed on the destination they wish to travel to and the budget they have at their disposal, the factors that inform their decision-making process become all the more varied and personal. At the end of 2019, we asked over 22,800 global travellers about the accommodation and in-room facilities that had motivated the decision-making process for their last trip. Here’s what they had to say.

Accommodation facilities

Free wifi

No huge surprises here, free wifi remained the top accommodation facility that most travellers looked for when booking their last trip. Access to a good connection is really now a standard expectation so it’s worth ensuring you can offer guests this service, ideally at no extra cost.

Free breakfast

For most travellers, the second most popular facility was the provision of free breakfast - in fact, Brazillian respondents actually ranked this the most important above free wifi. Nothing starts the day better than a delicious spread, whether you offer a classic Continental menu or a more unusual local delicacy. Interestingly, for travellers from Mexico and the UK access to a swimming pool was more important, while French travellers were particularly keen on the availability of soundproof / quiet rooms.

Free parking

The third most sought after facility saw a lot more variety depending on the respondents’ location, but creeping into the top place was access to free parking. The availability of a swimming pool was also popular, followed by privacy. Travellers from the UK were fans of on-site bars or restaurants, while Mexican tourists were keen to find professional and helpful staff.

In-room facilities

Private bathroom

While unique accommodations that may feature shared facilities have been growing in popularity in the last few years, the majority of global travellers are still keen to find accommodations that offer private bathroom facilities with their room, particularly European guests. Travellers from India meanwhile were more interested in properties that offered room-service.

In-room air-conditioning

In second place in terms of the number of markets prioritising this service, but the number one in-room facility overall, air-conditioning within the guest rooms themselves was highly preferred by travellers - particularly those from the US and LATAM.

Room with a view

As with accommodation facilities, the regional preferences in third place varied - but four of the 12 markets opted for room view as their preference. In addition to the aforementioned features, access to a patio or garden, bed size options and the availability of non-smoking rooms also made an appearance.

 

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Takeaway
  • Research was commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who had taken a trip in the last 12 months / planned to take a trip in the next 12 months
  • The sample comprised <3,000 from the US, <2000 each from Australia, Brazil, Mexico, the UK, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Russia, India and China
  • Respondents completed an online survey between September and October 2019