LONDON, U.K. – 19 MARCH, 2009 – A survey of over 3,000 travellers by TripAdvisor®, the world’s most popular and largest travel community, has revealed that Britons’ house-proud habits also extend to hotel stays – making Brits one of the most “hotel-proud” nationalities in Europe.

A conscientious 43% of British guests make their own hotel beds in the morning, reveals the TripAdvisor survey, compared to just 12% of Spaniards, 19% of Italians, 21% of French and 40% of Germans.

British travellers are also the most adept at unpacking, with a well-ordered 79% storing all of their clothes neatly in the hotel wardrobe, compared to just 50% of Italians, 59% of Germans, 64% of Spaniards and 64% of French.

Prior to checking out, a staggering 88% of British travellers – and an equal number of French – make an effort to tidy their hotel room, compared to 43% of Italians, 81% of Germans and 87% of Spaniards.

However, Britons also lead the charge when it comes to accidentally damaging hotel property. A clumsy 17% admit to having broken something in their room, as have 7% of Spaniards, 9% of French, 9% of Italians and 15% of Germans.

Meanwhile, Britons and Germans are the most prone to blocking the hotel toilet – with 9% of each confessing to causing plumbing issues, compared to just 2% of Italians, 5% of French and 6% of Spaniards. 

The TripAdvisor “Hotel Habits” report also reveals that:

• British travellers are the least likely to touch the mini bar during a hotel stay, with 57% shunning it altogether, compared to just one third of Italians (33%), 38% of Spaniards, 41% of French and 42% of Germans.

• Spanish guests are the most light-fingered, when it comes to taking items from the mini-bar without paying for them, with 7% confessing to doing so – compared to 6% of Italians and Germans alike, 4% of Brits and 3% of French.  

• Britons complain the most about noise from fellow guests. One in two have voiced grievances, compared to just 37% of French, 38% of Spaniards, 39% of Germans and 40% of Italians.

• French guests receive the fewest noise complaints. A mere 3% have received warnings, compared to 9% of Germans and Spaniards alike, 7% of Britons and 4% of Italians.

• Italian guests are the most prone to accidentally leaving underwear behind, with 26% of Italians having inadvertently forgotten their smalls, together with 22% of Spaniards, 21% of Brits, 15% of French and 14% of Germans.

• Italian travellers are also the worst tippers, with 32% confessing they never reward hotel staff – closely followed by 31% of Spaniards. One in five French neglect to tip, as do 13% of Britons and 9% of Germans.

• Germans are the most likely to defy no-smoking rules, with 40% having a crafty cigarette in their hotel room, compared to one in five Spaniards, 14% of French and 12% of Brits and Italians alike.

• Germans are also the lustiest guests, with 7% confessing to having propositioned a member of hotel staff – as have 5% of Italians, 3% of French, 2% of British and just 1% of Spaniards. Meanwhile, 22 % of Germans have watched an adult movie in their room, compared to one in five Brits, 19% of French, 17% of Spaniards and 14% of Italians.

• Britons’ house-trained behaviour extends to the bathroom, with 61% hanging up their towels after use, compared to 48% of Germans, 50% of Italians, 58% of Spaniards and 67% of French.

“Britons have taken the concept of being house-proud one step further,” said Luke Fredberg, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “The ‘hotel-proud’ habits that many British travellers adopt would suggest that we are dream guests for housekeeping services around the world.”

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Amelie Hurst

+44 (0) 20 3320 3244 

ahurst@tripadvisor.com

Notes to editors

3,374 travellers – including 716 Britons – took part in the TripAdvisor survey (February 2009)