The Best Hotel Chains For 2026, According To A New JD Power Report

Looking for the best hotel chains in the U.S. and Canada? A new report from JD Power reveals which brands are delivering the best guest experiences in 2026 and why travelers say hotel stays are improving, even as room rates edge higher.

In its annual 2026 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, JD Power evaluates 104 hotel brands across nine market segments, from luxury to economy extended stay. The rankings measure seven aspects of the hotel experience: check-in and check-out, connectivity, hotel facilities, food and beverage, guest rooms, staff service and value for the price paid.

Unlike many travel rankings that rely on editors or expert opinions, the JD Power study is based on feedback from consumers who stayed at hotels across North America.

“JD Power has been providing unbiased and independent ratings for nearly six decades,” Andrea Stokes, hospitality practice lead at JD Power, told me in an interview. “Our North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study, now in its 30th year, evaluates real-world guest experiences based on 44,787 hotel stays across the full spectrum of hotel price points and brands. That allows consumers to make a fair comparison across different hotel brands.”

Compare this year’s results to 2025, 2024 and 2023, when I also reported on the best hotel chains and the trends shaping travelers’ experiences.

The Top Hotel Chains For 2026

The annual JD Power study doesn’t just identify the best hotel chains in North America, it also reveals which brands are gaining momentum and which continue to dominate year after year. Several familiar names successfully defended their titles in 2026, but there were also a few notable shakeups, including one dramatic leap in the Upper Upscale category.

Luxury Hotels

In the Luxury category, there was little movement at the very top of the rankings. The Ritz-Carlton retained the No. 1 spot for the second consecutive year. Even more impressive, the brand improved its guest satisfaction score from 779 last year to 785 this year, widening its lead over the competition.

Waldorf Astoria also posted a stronger score than last year, climbing from 773 to 776 while holding onto second place.

The biggest change came just below the leaders. Four Seasons jumped from a tie for fifth place in 2025 to third this year, overtaking last year’s third-place finisher, The Luxury Collection, which slipped to fourth despite posting a slightly higher score than a year ago.

The continued strength of Ritz-Carlton comes as little surprise to JD Power. “The award winners in each category tend to lead their respective segments in guest satisfaction across most, if not all, aspects of the hotel stay,” says Stokes. “Consistency of the guest experience is a key characteristic of award-winning brands.”

Upper Upscale Hotels

The biggest story in this year’s rankings comes in the highly competitive Upper Upscale category.

Kimpton surged from 17th place last year all the way to No. 1 in 2026. For Kimpton, it was a remarkable jump that displaced last year’s winner, Omni Hotels & Resorts, which slipped to second. Kimpton’s guest satisfaction score climbed 54 points, from 684 to 738, representing one of the largest improvements anywhere in this year’s study.

Meanwhile, Hard Rock Hotels is a strong performer, holding onto third place for a second consecutive year.

According to JD Power, brands that consistently outperform competitors tend to excel across multiple dimensions of the guest experience, from guest rooms and staff service to food and beverage, hotel facilities and overall value.

Upscale Hotels

In the Upscale category, another familiar name continued its winning ways. Drury Hotels captured the Upscale title for the second consecutive year and did so by an even wider margin than last year. Its overall satisfaction score climbed from 738 to 761, putting it nearly 50 points ahead of the segment average.

Behind Drury, Hilton Garden Inn moved into second place after finishing fourth last year. Hyatt Place climbed into third.

Extended Stay Leaders Continue Their Dominance

If there’s one area where consistency reigns, it’s in the Extended Stay section.

Hyatt House earned its fifth consecutive victory in the Upscale Extended Stay category, extending one of the longest winning streaks in this year’s report.

In Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay, Home2 Suites by Hilton claimed its fourth straight title.

The long-running success of both brands suggests that guests continue to reward hotel companies that deliver a consistently reliable experience over longer stays.

Upper Midscale Hotels

Hampton by Hilton successfully defended its title in the Upper Midscale category after taking the top spot last year. Its satisfaction score increased from 694 to 704, while runner-up Fairfield by Marriott also improved.

Midscale, Economy And Economy Extended Stay

The lower-priced hotel categories also showed remarkable consistency.

Tru by Hilton captured its fourth consecutive Midscale title.

Microtel by Wyndham earned a fourth straight win in the Economy segment.

In Economy Extended Stay, WoodSpring Suites also notched its fourth consecutive victory, continuing one of the longest streaks in the study.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from this year’s rankings is just how stable the winners have become. Last year, five brands repeated as champions in their categories. This year, that number climbed to eight of the nine segments, suggesting that the industry’s strongest performers are widening the gap between themselves and the competition. Only the Upper Upscale category saw a new winner, with Kimpton breaking through to claim the top spot.

Why Hotel Guests Are Happier In 2026

The rankings reveal which hotel brands came out on top. The report also offers clues about why travelers are reporting better experiences.

Overall hotel guest satisfaction improved across every hotel segment this year, with gains in every aspect of the stay, from guest rooms and food and beverage to hotel facilities and value for the price paid. Perhaps most surprising, those improvements came even as hotel room rates continued to rise.

“Every hotel segment saw year-over-year improvement in overall guest satisfaction, primarily driven by improved guest room satisfaction as well as food and beverage satisfaction,” says Stokes. “Satisfaction with value for prices paid also improved year over year in every hotel segment. This is somewhat unexpected given that hotel room rates rose year over year.”

According to JD Power, hotels are earning those higher marks by focusing on the fundamentals. The biggest improvements came in guest room cleanliness and condition, bathrooms, hotel common areas, exteriors and guest safety—evidence that investments in maintaining and upgrading properties are paying off.

“These improvements indicate that investments by hotel owners in these areas do pay off in higher guest satisfaction,” says Stokes.

The report also found that guest expectations continue to evolve. Smart TVs with streaming capabilities are quickly becoming a standard amenity rather than a luxury, while travelers increasingly say daily housekeeping, filtered water stations and fitness centers are must-haves. And for the first time, JD Power found that artificial intelligence is beginning to influence how travelers research hotels, particularly among Gen Y and Gen Z guests.

Ranked: Luxury Hotels

The scores listed here are based on a scale of 1000.

1. The Ritz-Carlton – 785
2. Waldorf Astoria – 776
3. Four Seasons – 767
4. The Luxury Collection – 758
5. Grand Hyatt – 741 (tie)
5. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts – 741 (tie)
7. Conrad Hotels & Resorts – 740
8. JW Marriott – 738
9. W Hotels – 734
10. Loews Hotels – 732
11. Destination by Hyatt – 713
12. Fairmont – 712

Ranked: Upper Upscale Hotels

1. Kimpton – 738
2. Omni Hotels & Resorts – 733
3. Hard Rock Hotels – 730
4. Hilton Hotels & Resorts – 728
5. Hyatt Regency – 718 (tie)
5. Margaritaville Hotels & Resorts – 718 (tie)
7. Le Méridien – 716
8. Curio Collection by Hilton – 715
9. Embassy Suites by Hilton – 713 (tie)
9. Marriott – 713 (tie)
11. Renaissance Hotels – 711 (tie)
11. Tapestry Collection by Hilton – 711 (tie)
13. Hyatt Centric – 709
14. Royal Sonesta – 706
15. Hotel Indigo – 705
16. Westin Hotels & Resorts – 703
17. Sheraton – 696
18. Canopy by Hilton – 695
19. Autograph Collection Hotels – 693
20. Graduate by Hilton – 676

Ranked: Upscale Hotels

1. Drury Hotels – 761
2. Hilton Garden Inn – 715
3. Hyatt Place – 706
4. AC Hotels by Marriott – 705
5. Cambria Hotels – 704
6. Delta Hotels – 702
7. DoubleTree by Hilton – 696
8. Aloft Hotels – 690
9. Courtyard by Marriott – 685 (tie)
9. Crowne Plaza – 685 (tie)
11. Ascend Hotel Collection – 684
12. Four Points by Sheraton – 682
13. SpringHill Suites by Marriott – 680
14. Element – 678
15. Radisson – 677
16. Wyndham Hotels – 672
17. Sonesta Hotels & Resorts – 664
18. Sonesta Select – 612

Ranked: Upscale Extended Stay Hotels

1. Hyatt House – 728
2. Homewood Suites by Hilton – 698
3. Staybridge Suites – 690
4. Residence Inn – 687

Ranked: Upper Midscale Hotels

1. Hampton by Hilton – 704
2. Fairfield by Marriott – 685
3. Holiday Inn Express – 680
4. Holiday Inn – 678
5. Best Western Plus – 676
6. Wyndham Garden – 675
7. Trademark Collection by Wyndham – 659
8. Comfort Suites – 653
9. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson – 647
10. La Quinta – 641
11. Comfort Inn – 640
12. Clarion – 627

Ranked: Upper Midscale/Midscale Extended Stay Hotels

1. Home2 Suites by Hilton – 700
2. Candlewood Suites – 690
3. TownePlace Suites – 668
4. Extended Stay America Premier Suites – 652
5. Sonesta ES Suites – 650
6. Hawthorn Extended Stay – 648
7. MainStay Suites – 624
8. Sonesta Simply Suites – 614
9. Extended Stay America – 575

Ranked: Midscale Hotels

1. Tru by Hilton – 695
2. Wingate by Wyndham – 665
3. Spark by Hilton – 662
4. Best Western – 658
5. AmericInn – 632
6. Baymont – 617
7. Sleep Inn – 611
8. Ramada by Wyndham – 594
9. Quality Inn – 590

Ranked: Economy Hotels

1. Microtel by Wyndham – 637
2. Americas Best Value Inn – 621
3. SureStay by Best Western – 605
4. Days Inn – 594
5. Howard Johnson – 590
6. Travelodge – 552
7. Super 8 – 550
8. Red Roof Inn – 549
9. Econo Lodge – 548
10. Motel 6 – 535
11. Studio 6 – 528
12. Rodeway Inn – 489
13. OYO – 458

Ranked: Economy Extended Stay Hotels

1. WoodSpring Suites – 587
2. Extended Stay America Select Suites – 555
3. InTown Suites – 552
4. Suburban Studios – 539
5. HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof – 535

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