AH&LA has released the results of its 2010 Lodging Survey, which polled 9,000 U.S. hotels on a range of topics, including in-room amenities, technology, F&B, guests services, and sustainability. The survey, which is conducted every other year to track trends in all hotel segments, revealed key findings:
- For the first time hotels were asked if they utilize social networking sites for marketing purposes; 75 percent say they do.
- Wireless internet access rose to 94 percent, up from 91 percent in 2008.
- The number of hotels with exercise equipment in rooms rose to 17 percent, up from 6 percent in 2008. In addition, 83 percent have an exercise room/health and fitness facility, up from 63 percent six years ago.
- More than half (56 percent) of respondents offer non-smoking rooms, an 18 point increase from 2008. The availability of allergy-free rooms has risen from 24 percent to 38 percent.
- Properties using energy-efficient lighting jumped from 68 percent in 2008 to 88 percent.
- Forty-four percent of participants said they have or are working toward a green certification-the first time the survey inquired about such information.
