The best hotel chains — and the mystery of the Power Circle Ratings

My friends at J.D. Power and Associates are out with their latest hotel ratings this morning, and the winner is … I have no idea.

Don’t get me wrong, I think anyone who tries to evaluate the travel industry from a customer-service perspective deserves a medal. But J.D.’s grading system — also known as “Power Circle” ratings — leave me with more questions than answers.

J.D. separates the hotel industry into six categories, ranging from “Economy/Budget” to “Upscale.” Why so many categories? That’s unclear. The average hotel customer doesn’t divide hotels into that many categories. I certainly don’t.

Did J.D. just create six categories in order to give away more awards?

Here’s another mystery: these Power Circles. What do they mean?

Just have a look at this report for the Economy/Budget category. Can you tell me what Microtel Inns & Suites, the award recipient, actually got as a score? Four circles?

J.D. Power doesn’t offer raw numbers from the customers it surveys — at least not to the public. That’s a criticism I’ve made in the past, and I would argue that without actual numbers, the Power Circles are pointless.

As a hotel guest, I’d like to see fewer categories and real numbers behind the ratings. That would help me determine if a “winner” in any given group was really the best of of the best — or simply the best of the worst.

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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