What gets our blood boiling when staying at hotels?

EVERYONE loves to get away, but there is a long list of things that make Aussies’ blood boil when they are staying at hotels.

Unsatisfactory Hotel

EVERYONE loves to get away, but there is a long list of things that make Aussies’ blood boil when they are staying at hotels.

Three out of four said dirty rooms was their major hotel bugbear, while more than half of Australians despised having noisy neighbours, according to a survey by customer satisfaction research company Canstar Blue.

The study also found that 30 per cent had asked to swap rooms after checking into a hotel and being left unsatisfied with what they found.

Other things that ticked off holiday-makers were hidden costs (54 per cent), unhelpful staff (46 per cent) and expensive accommodation (42 per cent).

Other bugbears included Wi-Fi charges, hard or uncomfortable mattresses and deceptive online pictures.

Unhelpful hotel staff are a major bugbear for Aussies.

The survey of 1200 adults who had made a booking through an accommodation website in the past 12 months also revealed that we are partial to swiping hotel goodies.

Toiletries are the most common items taken from hotels, followed by drinks and toilet paper. Pens, writing pads, slippers, shower caps and even pillows are also commonly taken.

But it’s not all bad news for hotels, with the survey also asking what they loved about staying away from home.

More than half of the respondents elected comfortable beds as their favourite thing about hotels, while others gave the thumbs-up to pools and amenities (51 per cent), free goodies (51 per cent), room service (29 per cent) and knowledgeable staff (22 per cent).

A comfy bed is our favourite thing about staying away from home.

The questionnaire also found that more than half of Aussies prefer international holidays to domestic travel. That number rose to 70 per cent for generation Y.

When booking accommodation online, customers rated Booking.com highest in terms of value for money, ease of bookings and overall satisfaction.

This is the third year in a row that Booking.com has won Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award for online accommodation booking, ahead of Agoda.com and Expedia.

“Consumers are looking for easy-to-navigate websites and the best deals possible, and with plenty of choice on offer, they don’t mind shopping around,” Canstar Blue spokesman Simon Downes said.

“Four in five survey respondents told us they use numerous websites to try and find the best accommodation deal possible, while 70 per cent said that after finding offers, they check directly with the provider to see how the price compares.

“In such a competitive market, consumers have the power to take their business elsewhere with just a couple of clicks.”

Aussies are not afraid to shop around to get the best deal on hotel accommodation.

Least favourite things about hotels

1. Dirty rooms: 72 per cent

2. Noisy neighbours: 55 per cent

3. Hidden costs: 54 per cent

4. Unhelpful staff: 46 per cent

5. Expensive rooms: 42 per cent

Favourite things about hotels

1. Beds: 53 per cent

=2. Pool and amenities: 51 per cent

=2. Included extras, such as welcome gifts, free desserts, etc: 51 per cent

4. Room service: 29 per cent

5. Hotel staff knowledge: 22 per cent

What annoys you when staying in a hotel? Vent your spleen in the comment section below or join the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ.