Evolving customer expectations of hospitality services: Differences in attribute effects on satisfaction and Re-Patronage

Abstract Survey-based research on hotel re-patronage is based largely on hotel customer satisfaction measurements and stated re-visit intentions. Less is known about actual re-patronage and evolving traveler preferences in re-visit situations. Online reviews enable longitudinal analyses of individual travelers' hotel assessments. Scrutinizing accommodation experiences manifested in half a million online customer reviews, spanning well above 10 years, this study investigated factors in consumers' satisfaction and repeat patronage for different times of visiting the same hotel. The study found robust evidence as to how consumers’ service evaluations change with repeated visits. Specifically, room quality becomes less important in shaping consumer satisfaction, while re-patronage decisions come to emphasize the quality of service. Hotel location, to which consumers accord minimal weight when assessing their overall hotel satisfaction, was identified as an important determining factor for re-patronage. The patterns revealed in evolving consumer assessments point to new insights for improving hotel offers.