Ghosts, bed bugs, and cameras. The biggest hotel dealbreakers, revealed

The biggest hotel dealbreakers that Americans have.
hotel room


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I don’t know about you but I’ve always found it strange how hotels will give you blackout curtains but then place the BRIGHTEST alarm clock on the bedside table. Just me? Well, it’s not a deal breaker but it does annoy me for about 30 seconds every time I stay at a hotel. 

There are, however, many other hotel dealbreakers that travelers have and the travel site, The Vacationer, just revealed the hotel dealbreakers Americans have in 2023. The survey was conducted by asking US travelers what would cause them to leave a hotel without a guaranteed refund. Respondents could select as many causes as they wanted or none of the options.

The top hotel dealbreaker was not surprising with bed bugs being the number one reason by a landslide. A whopping 81.02% of those surveyed said it was a dealbreaker for them. The next closest reason only garnered 68.14% of votes, the reason being a foul odor like that from smoking, mold, or urine. 

The next few dealbreakers all hung out around the 65-66% mark and included things like finding a camera, stained sheets, unwanted critters in the room, or broken locks. Personally, I’m surprised that the camera and locks reasons didn’t place higher up on the list. 

Another surprise was that it does not seem to be a dealbreaker for many when the online pictures in the listing aren’t accurate or are outdated. The reason came in nearly dead last with seeing a ghost or sensing a hotel is haunted placing just above it with nearly 20% saying it’s a dealbreaker for them. 

See the full list of dealbreakers here and to guarantee a good hotel experience check out our tips on how to get free hotel rooms at luxury resorts.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

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