Vibe-star service

“Honestly, at a certain level, these days I kind of assume a hotel will at least be decent,” says Sarah, 28, a regular hotel stayer from New York. “But just being good in terms of amenities isn’t quite enough for me anymore. I’m always in big cities, so I’ve nearly always got a lot of choice—the key thing for me is that it feels like a good fit. Like, when I walk down to the bar after checking in, does the mood feel right? What’s the vibe?” For an increasing number of travelers, it’s this consideration, more than any other, which dictates their choice of hotel—explaining the rise of one of Hotels.com’s key trends for 2024, the Vibe Check-In. 

“Vibe” is a nebulous concept. It’s best thought of as what emerges naturally from the combination of the guests, amenities, and the design of the hotel. For many people, it’s what dictates whether or not they’ll be comfortable there. “It’s about how guests feel in a hotel,” says Melanie Fish, chief trend tracker for Expedia Brands. “And it can be a great way to measure the intangibles of a hotel experience.” Increasingly, the vibe is the first thing people look for when trying to find their perfect hotel. 

And to find it, they place as much trust in personalized advice, feelings and peer reviews as they do hard data and facts. “Of course, things like the comfort of the bed are still driving guest reviews,” says Fish. “But guests are increasingly calling out the less defined ‘vibe’ of a hotel—the term appears over 20,000 times in Hotels.com reviews in the past year.” 

Particular vibes are increasingly a key factor in hotel bookings. Searches for “Artsy” stays bring up the likes of CitizenM Hotel Glasgow; “Cozy” returns Babel Belleville Paris and similar hotels; “Modern” leads to properties such as The Daxton near Detroit; and “Beachy” brings up Santa Marta Marriott Resort Playa Dormida in Colombia. Other vibe terms commonly searched for include “Historic,” “Hip,” “Industrial,” “Chill,” “Funky,” “Retro,” “Vintage,” and “Peaceful.” 

While this potentially makes comparing properties less clear-cut than a simple price comparison or star rating, the Smart Shopping feature on Hotels.com’s app allows for a “Vibe Check” to be run on up to five different properties. To use the Smart Shopping tool, just click the “compare” box under each listing you’re considering, and you’ll be able to zone in on the hotel that’s perfect for you and perfect for your mood. After all, with so many hotels to choose from, why put up with one that isn’t completely in tune with you? Why spoil the vibe? 

Based on consumer research conducted among 20,000 respondents across 14 countries by OnePoll between Sept. 12 – Oct. 5, 2023, on behalf of Expedia Brands.

Based on hotel review data on Hotels.com between Jan. 1, 2018 – Dec. 31, 2022 

Justin Quirk

Writer

Justin Quirk is Associate Creative Director of Editorial at Expedia Group, as well as a writer and editor who has worked for titles including The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Esquire covering music, design, and current affairs. He is also the author of Nothin’ But a Good Time, an acclaimed cultural history of 1980s heavy metal.