Nobody does it better, they say

WHERE TO STAY if you want the best of the nation’s upscale hotels? At an Omni, according to the 2005 North America Guest Satisfaction Index Study, released in July. J.D. Power & Associates, a Westlake Village marketing firm, conducted the survey. Omni Hotels, which ranked sixth in last year’s survey, moved to the top spot this year, beating out Westin Hotels & Resorts, which dropped to fifth. The survey measures customer satisfaction on a 1,000-point scale based on check-in and checkout procedures, rooms, food and beverage, services, facilities, and costs and fees. The firm surveyed 37,471 guests who stayed in a hotel between December and May. The hotels were ranked in six categories, including luxury, upscale and budget. Here are the top 10 upscale chains.

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Omni Hotels

2005 rating: 801

2004 rating: 765

Embassy Suites Hotels

2005 rating: 797

2004 rating: 789

Renaissance Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 796

2004 rating: 784

Marriott Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 782

2004 rating: 772

Westin Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 782

2004 rating: 793

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 774

2004 rating: 782

Hilton Hotels

2005 rating: 770

2004 rating: 758

Doubletree

2005 rating: 766

2004 rating: 745

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 762

2004 rating: 746

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts

2005 rating: 760

2004 rating: 745

Note: Bar-chart scale starts at 720.

Matt Moody Los Angeles Times