Stat: 67 Percent Say Inattentive Parents Are Most Aggravating Hotel Guests

Expedia has released the results of its inaugural Expedia 2015 Hotel Etiquette Study, which asked 1,022 Americans to rank frustrating 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 percent of Americans. 64 percent of Americans are frustrated by "Hallway Hellraisers," while 54 percent of Americans complained about "The Complainers," or guests who berate hotel staff over minor inconveniences.

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To Tip or Not to Tip

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

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

Hidden Hotel Habits

Americans do take discreet – and sometimes indiscreet – liberties when they stay at hotels, Expedia said. Among them:

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

In addition:

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

Source: Expedia