by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:21 AM ET, Tue March 7, 2023
What are the things that will always prompt Americans to leave their chosen hotel without a guaranteed refund? That's the question analysts at The Vacationer set out to find in a new survey released on March 6.
The Hotel Dealbreakers Survey asked just over 1,000 Americans what their thoughts were on the subject, and the results might at some times surprise you.
Answers ranged from bed bugs to broken locks, dirty bed linens and unwanted "critters," such as snakes or cockroaches. Americans nearly all agreed on one thing: bedbugs. Eighty-one percent of respondents said they'd leave upon sighting these itchy, parasitic bugs in their hotel rooms.
The next five highest were foul odors, such as from poop, mold or smoking (68.14 percent); finding a camera in their room (66.08 percent); stained bed linens or visibly dirty surroundings (65.78 percent); an unwanted critter in their room (65.49 percent); and having no locks or broken locks on the doors (65 percent).
The next highest were broken plumbing in their room (62.14 percent); hearing gunshots (55.26 percent) and being located in a visibly bad neighborhood (55.16 percent).
Overall, poor lodgings, sanitary conditions, maintenance issues and safety issues are the biggest deal breakers for guests staying at hotels, and for good reason. Bed bugs are easily transferred via things like clothes and suitcases, which can later infect your own home. Broken locks and cameras in the room are completely unacceptable breaches of safety and privacy, while dirty surroundings or broken plumbing are the hotel's failures.
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