Midscale Brands Gain Consideration in 2026 YouGov Hotel Study

Midscale and value hotel brands gained ground among U.S. travelers in 2026 as rising living and operating costs pushed consumers to reassess their lodging budgets, according to YouGov BrandIndex data reported by Asian Hospitality. While Marriott and Hilton retained the highest overall consideration scores, midscale options posted the fastest growth and secured top value perceptions. [1]

Which hotel brands lead overall consumer consideration?

Marriott leads overall U.S. hotel brand consideration at 45.3 percent, followed closely by Hilton at 44.9 percent, according to Asian Hospitality. [1] Courtyard by Marriott captured third place with 37.8 percent, while IHG's Holiday Inn reached 36.7 percent and Holiday Inn Express registered 36.2 percent. [1] The remainder of the top ten consists of Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, DoubleTree by Hilton, Sheraton, and Hyatt. [1]

Holiday Inn recorded the largest year-over-year gain in consideration across the industry, advancing by 2.2 percentage points. [1] Hyatt increased its consideration score by 1.9 points, Marriott gained 1.6 points, and Red Roof Inn and DoubleTree by Hilton rose 1.2 points each. [1] Wyndham also saw consideration climb by 1.1 points, alongside increases for Motel 6, Hampton Inn, Hyatt House, and Super 8 Motels. [1]

How do traveler preferences diverge between business and leisure trips?

Hilton leads brand preference among corporate guests, while Marriott ranks highest among vacationers, according to YouGov BrandIndex data. [1] Hilton captured 46.5 percent consideration among business travelers compared to Marriott's 44.6 percent. [1] In contrast, Marriott earned 39.3 percent consideration among leisure-only travelers, leading Hilton's 37.1 percent. [1]

Hilton's consideration score stands 9.4 points higher with business travelers than with leisure-only guests. [1] Other brands showing higher consideration among corporate travelers include Hyatt Place, Grand Hyatt, Four Seasons, Sheraton, and JW Marriott. [1] Leisure travelers showed stronger relative preference for midscale and economy names, giving Comfort Inn a 5.0-point premium, Best Western a 4.8-point premium, and La Quinta Inn a 4.2-point premium over their business scores. [1]

Which hotel chains deliver the highest perceived value and quality?

Holiday Inn Express leads all hospitality brands in consumer value perception with a net score of 34.5, Asian Hospitality reported. [1] Holiday Inn secured second place with a net value score of 30.6, followed by Courtyard by Marriott at 26.4, Marriott at 25.7, and Hampton Inn at 25.4. [1]

Hilton earned the top spot for quality perception, posting a score of 51.9. [1] Marriott followed at 51.0, with Courtyard by Marriott taking third at 40.1. [1] The rest of the quality top ten comprises Hyatt, Sheraton, Hilton Garden Inn, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, and Holiday Inn. [1] Marriott, Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, and Hampton Inn maintain a continuous presence across consideration, value, and quality metrics. [1]

What methodology shaped the 2026 YouGov hotel rankings?

The YouGov BrandIndex hotel rankings examined brand metrics among American adults likely to book accommodations within a 12-month window. [1] Data collection ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, encompassing more than 10,960 U.S. adults, including 2,290 business travelers and 6,300 leisure travelers. [1] Year-over-year comparisons drew on more than 11,770 U.S. adults across July 2024–June 2025 and July 2025–June 2026. [1]

The evaluation focused on brand portfolios managed by Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Hyatt Hotels Corp., intentionally excluding short-term rental platforms Airbnb and VRBO. [1] A separate YouGov study from December noted that 60 percent of Americans have never traveled overseas for leisure, underscoring domestic affordability pressures. [1]