Dirty bedsheets most likely reason for hotel guests to walk out, poll claims

Dirty bedsheets, hair in plugholes and unidentifiable smells are some of the top factors likely to cause Britons to walk out of their hotel and never return, according to a new poll.

Research into hotel guests’ experiences claims cleanliness is crucial to improve online ratings and customer loyalty.

A study of 2,000 Britons who regularly stay in hotels found that dirty bedsheets were most likely to make participants to walk out, followed by a dirty bathroom or a room which smells.

Almost all the participants – 97 per cent – said they would be disturbed by evidence of previous guests in their room.

And 66 per cent cannot bear finding a stranger’s hair in the plughole of the hotel shower.

The study was commissioned by P&G Professional to highlight the importance of cleanliness in the hotel industry.

Greg Elmore, UK & Ireland country sales manager at P&G Professional, said: “It is clear from this research that for hotels, the key to guest happiness is maintaining a high level of hygiene.

“An unclean experience can damage a hotel’s reputation, from negative reviews to the risk of losing repeat business.

“It is critical to ensure cleanliness is the starting point of a great guest experience.”

Three quarters of those polled would leave a bad review online if their hotel stay was unclean.

The study claims online reviews are important to a hotel’s business, given that 93 per cent of respondents read online reviews before booking.

And, on finding a dirty room, three quarters said they would ask for a discount or even a refund.

SWNS