by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:10 PM ET, Wed August 12, 2026
Two of the country’s most well-known hotel brands are tied at the top of a new YouGov hotel ranking of places Americans are likely to book a hotel over the coming year.
Based on YouGov Brand Index data from more than 10,000 U.S. adults, Marriott and Hilton lead a hotel “consideration” list among Americans which ranks a total of 25 hotel brands.
Marriott scored highest overall in the consideration category at 45.3%, narrowly ahead of Hilton at 44.9%. Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express round out the top five ranked hotels.
JW Marriott Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee (Photo Credit: Courtesy AdobeStock)
The YouGov poll also shows meaningful differences in what travelers value and reveals which hotel brands are actively gaining ground among the American public.
Holiday Inn, for instance, posted the biggest year-over-year gain, rising 2.2 percentage points, followed by Hyatt (+1.9) and Marriott (+1.6).
Results also vary significantly between business and leisure travelers. Hilton leads among business travelers (46.5%), while Marriott ranks first among leisure-only travelers (39.3%). Hilton’s Consideration score is 9.4 points higher among business travelers than leisure-only travelers.
Some of the additional takeaway from the YouGov survey include:
- Many upscale brands skew toward business travelers: Hyatt Place, Grand Hyatt, Four Seasons, Sheraton and JW Marriott all score at least 7 points higher among business travelers than leisure-only travelers.
- Some more value-oriented brands lean toward leisure travelers: Comfort Inn scores 5.0 points higher among leisure-only travelers, followed by Best Western (+4.8) and La Quinta Inn (+4.2).
- Value and quality produce different winners: Holiday Inn Express leads on Value with a Net score of 34.5, while Hilton tops Quality at 51.9, narrowly ahead of Marriott at 51.0.
- The top 10 ranked hotels are concentrated among four major hotel groups: Every brand in the top 10 is owned by Marriott, Hilton, IHG or Hyatt.
The survey’s findings suggest that while familiar hotel giants continue
to dominate among Americans, travelers weigh brands differently
depending on trip type, perceived quality and value for money.
The
soaring cost of living that Americans have experienced since Donald
Trump returned to office, is also playing a role in hotel booking
decisions.
“While the hotel industry has experienced a recovery
since the days of the pandemic, a rising cost of living is causing many
consumers to think more carefully about their finances and spending
habits,” the report explains. “With operating costs rising and travelers
becoming more selective about where they spend, competition for hotel
bookings is as intense as ever in 2026.”
JW Marriott Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee (Photo Credit: Courtesy AdobeStock)
The top 10 ranked hotels
Here’s
a closer look at the 10 hotels that are the “most considered hotel
brands” among U.S. adults likely to book a hotel stay over the coming 12
months.
1.Marriott: 45.3%
2.Hilton: 44.9%
3.Courtyard by
Marriott: 37.8%
4.Holiday Inn: 36.7%
5.Holiday Inn Express:
36.2%
6.Hampton Inn: 33.5%
7.Hilton Garden Inn: 31.6%
8.DoubleTree by
Hilton: 29.7%
9.Sheraton: 28.5%
10.Hyatt: 28.4%
To view the full list of 25 hotels ranked by the YouGov poll visit this link.
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