- Hotels lead in use, not in joy.
- Hostels see widest gap between interest and trial.
- Hotels linked to privacy, rentals to comfort.
HOTELS REMAIN THE most-used lodging option among U.S. travelers, but they do not lead in joy, according to marketing tool Brand Joy Lab. Hotels, vacation rentals and hostels deliver similar levels of joy among people who have stayed in them.
The August study surveyed about 484 adults and found that firsthand experience narrows the gap between expected and experienced joy. Among people who had stayed in each format, all three scored within two points of one another, around 75 on the 100-point Joy Index.
Hotels had the widest reach, with 69.4 percent of respondents saying they had stayed in one during the past five years. Vacation rentals reached 36 percent and hostels 9.1 percent; 23.8 percent had stayed in none of the three.
Consideration exceeded trial for all three lodging types. Some 87.6 percent would consider a hotel, compared with 71.3 percent for a vacation rental and 41.6 percent for a hostel. The report said this gap gives alternative lodging room to grow, as vacation rentals and hostels could gain share by converting more prospective guests into first-time users.
Experience also shapes traveler expectations. Hotel guests expect secure storage, quiet, Wi-Fi, safety, private bathrooms and privacy. Vacation-rental guests expect comfortable common spaces, storage, quiet, local experiences and opportunities to meet people.
Hostels showed the largest shift in expectations. Among people who had stayed in one, expectations of low prices fell 17 points and of no hidden fees fell 14 points, while expectations for comfortable common spaces and a central, local setting rose.
More than 90 percent of people who had stayed in each format said they would consider it again, the report said, adding that expectations before booking do not always match the experience after check-in.
Lodging operators should show travelers what to expect before booking, the report said. Hotels are linked to privacy and security, vacation rentals to togetherness and comfort, and hostels to convenience and community.
The report's central message: "Sell the stay, not the tier." It said operators should focus on the experience they provide rather than on price and perceived quality.
Separately, a J.D. Power study found that guest satisfaction at branded hotels managed by third-party companies rose 14 points to 696 in 2026, from 682 in 2025. Scores improved across all operational areas, with guest rooms showing the largest gain.
