Some well-known brands languished near the bottom of the table after the consumer champion surveyed more than 2,000 members, receiving responses for 37 hotel chains.
Respondents were asked about their experiences staying at international hotel chains in the past year.
They rated their stays out of five stars across 10 criteria including cleanliness, bed comfort, customer service and value for money. A customer score was calculated based on overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending the brand.
Which are the best international hotels?
Spanish chains Iberostar, Paradores and RIU topped the table, tying in first place with a customer score of 85%. All three were awarded the prestigious Which? Recommended Provider status, while Iberostar and Paradores Hotels also achieved the Great Value badge.
The Iberostar hotel empire boasts more than 100 four- and five-star properties in Europe, Africa and the Americas. Beachfront, all-inclusive hotels are at the core of its portfolio, with activities like yoga and paddle boarding, plus cocktails by the pool, all included in the price.
Wellness and wellbeing holidays: Travel insurance is essential for your peace of mind
Out of the pandemic lockdowns, there’s a greater emphasis on wellbeing and wellness, with
Sponsored by Post Office
Tied with a customer score of 85%, RIU proved equally impressive, receiving a clutch of four- and five-star ratings, including five stars for its locations, which range from a private island in the Maldives to a saltwater lagoon filled with exotic birdlife in Gran Canaria.
Paradores (85%) proved the best option for a cultural stay in Spain. These state-run hotels are located in some of the country’s most grand and historic buildings, with accommodation available in unique properties including restored castles, palaces and monasteries.
Though Paradores’ prices can vary depending on location, Which? found excellent historic properties in Paradores’ portfolio for as little as £100 per night – earning it a Great Value recommendation.
Other top-scoring brands achieving Which? Recommended Provider status included Relais & Chateaux, with a customer score of 84%, Pestana and Leading Hotels of the World on 83%, and Melia Hotels with a customer score of 80%. Logis Hotels (81%) received a Great Value badge, with an average price per night of just £108.
Hotel chains to avoid
The lowest-scoring brand overall in the consumer champion’s survey was French-owned Campanile, which received a customer score of just 57%.
Campanile is a no-frills chain that is a common sight near airports, motorways and various city centres across Europe and beyond, with a large presence in France. On average, a double room comes in at £64. But despite being one of the cheapest average room rates of brands surveyed, the chain still only received a two-star rating for value for money.
It also scored just two stars in other key categories including cleanliness, bathrooms, bedrooms, communal areas and décor.
Hampton by Hilton was the second-lowest scoring brand with a customer score of just 58%, and was joined in the bottom half of the table by fellow Hilton-owned brands Doubletree (61%), Hilton Garden Inn (62%) and Hilton (68%).
Hampton by Hilton received just two stars in five out of the 10 categories assessed, including value for money, bathrooms, food and drink, communal areas and décor, and how well the description matched reality.
Close behind Hampton by Hilton with a customer score of 60% was Wyndham. The brand received its lowest rating of just two stars for food and drink, with one customer describing the breakfast offer as “basic”, and another complaining of a “noisy, crowded dining room”.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “Our survey found that smaller and family-run brands often beat the best known names when it comes to delivering an exceptional holiday, with Spanish brands dominating the top of the table.
“Family-run firms like RIU and Iberostar impressed guests with their excellent customer service, great food and drink and beautiful locations, while state-run Paradores Hotels proved popular for their unique heritage properties.”
