HotelGuests.US does two things: it helps travelers understand how hotels actually operate, and it gives guests a direct channel to recognize the employees who make a stay memorable.
The Guest Recognition Program exists for one purpose — genuine compliments, recommendations, and positive experiences. It hands hardworking hotel employees something too often withheld: direct recognition from the guests they serve.
1. What is HotelGuests.US?
HotelGuests.US — also known as Hotel Guests USA — is a public-service educational resource built by hotel professionals. It helps travelers book smarter, communicate more effectively, stay safer, understand how hotels actually operate, and sidestep unnecessary surprises.
2. What information does HotelGuests.US provide?
The site covers the hotel and travel topics guests ask about most, including:
3. Is HotelGuests.US a booking website?
No. HotelGuests.US doesn’t sell rooms and isn’t an online travel agency. It provides educational information and a channel for guests to recognize positive hotel experiences — nothing more.
4. Is HotelGuests.US operated by hotel professionals?
Yes. Hotel Guests USA was built by hotel professionals at Daryon Hotels International as a public-service initiative for travelers and guests alike.
5. Does HotelGuests.US represent every hotel?
No. Hotels are independently owned, managed, franchised, and operated under wildly different policies. What appears on HotelGuests.US is general guidance — it may not apply to every property.
Guests should confirm policies, prices, fees, services, and reservation terms directly with their hotel or booking provider before relying on them.
6. What is the Guest Recognition Program?
The Guest Recognition Program lets travelers submit genuine positive comments, compliments, and recommendations about a hotel, an employee, or an entire team. Its focus is narrow and deliberate: what the hotel did well, and what made the stay memorable.
7. Why was this program created?
Hotel employees hear plenty about what goes wrong. Exceptional service, far too often, goes unrecognized. This program gives guests a dedicated place to acknowledge:
8. Who may submit a guest commendation?
Any traveler who completed a genuine stay may submit a commendation or recommendation. It has to be the guest’s own experience — not hearsay, not advertising, not lifted from someone else’s review.
9. What is a “guest commendation”?
A guest commendation is a genuine, specific statement describing something an employee or hotel did well. Examples:
10. What is a guest recommendation?
A guest recommendation explains why the traveler would return, or would send someone else there. A useful one names what made the stay good — “Good hotel” tells us nothing.
11. What should guests mention?
Guests can put a name to any of the following:
12. Can I recognize a specific employee?
Yes. If you know the employee’s name, title, or department, include it. If you don’t, describe when and where the interaction happened — “the front-desk employee working Friday evening” is specific enough.
13. May hotel employees submit comments about their own hotel?
No. Commendations come from genuine guests, full stop. Employees, owners, vendors, and representatives may not submit comments while posing as guests.
14. May a hotel reward guests for submitting positive comments?
A hotel may invite every eligible guest to take part, but it may not tie discounts, gifts, upgrades, or any other benefit to a positive submission. The comment has to reflect what actually happened.
15. What information will guests be asked to provide?
Guests may be asked for:
16. Why might proof of a hotel stay be requested?
Proof of stay protects the integrity of the program and confirms the comment came from an actual guest. It’s also the main defense against fabricated, automated, duplicate, or employee-generated submissions.
17. What may be used as proof of stay?
A hotel folio or similar document works. We need only the guest’s name and enough information to identify the hotel and the stay — nothing more.
18. Should financial information remain on the hotel folio?
No. Redact or black out room charges, taxes, payments, credit-card details, addresses, loyalty numbers, confirmation numbers, and any other unnecessary personal or financial detail. We need the guest’s name and the basic stay information — nothing else.
19. What if I no longer have my hotel folio?
Submit what you have. HotelGuests.US may ask for another reasonable form of verification or, failing that, may be unable to count the submission toward an official certificate.
20. How are submissions reviewed?
Submissions are screened for authenticity, relevance, duplication, inappropriate language, commercial promotion, and signs of automated activity. Anything that can’t be reasonably verified may be declined — published nowhere, counted toward nothing.
21. Can the same guest submit more than one commendation?
A guest can recognize separate stays, but duplicate submissions about the same stay get combined or counted once. The point is recognizing genuine experiences — not padding a hotel’s total.
22. Will every submission be published?
Not necessarily. Depending on the guest’s permission and the program’s review standards, a submission might be used for internal recognition, shared with the hotel, published anonymously, or displayed publicly.
23. Can my name be kept private?
Guests choose from three options:
Personal information should not be displayed publicly without permission.
24. Can I change or withdraw my submission?
Yes. Contact HotelGuests.US with enough detail to identify the submission and request a correction or withdrawal. One caveat: removing it from HotelGuests.US doesn’t erase copies already shared, printed, or published elsewhere.
25. Is this form intended for complaints?
No. The Guest Recognition form exists for genuine positive comments, compliments, and recommendations — exclusively. Billing disputes, safety concerns, refund requests, discrimination claims, maintenance problems, and reservation disputes don’t belong here.
26. Where should I send a complaint?
For private, direct communication with participating member hotels, visit BetterHotelBureau.org. Whenever possible, report the problem to the hotel while you’re still on the property — that’s what gives management a real chance to investigate and fix it.
27. What information should be included in a complaint?
A useful complaint generally includes:
28. What should I do during an emergency?
Contact hotel management, hotel security, or emergency services immediately. A recognition form or general contact form is not the tool for an active emergency.
29. Does HotelGuests.US decide whether a refund is owed?
No. Refunds, credits, compensation, and billing adjustments are decided by the hotel, management company, brand, booking provider, insurer, financial institution, or other responsible party. HotelGuests.US guarantees no particular outcome.
30. What is the Certificate of Guest Recognition?
The Certificate of Guest Recognition is awarded to a hotel once it receives 100 qualifying guest commendations and recommendations. It recognizes a team’s service, care, and hospitality — based entirely on feedback from genuine guests.
31. Who presents the certificate?
The certificate is presented jointly by:
32. How does a hotel qualify?
A hotel qualifies once it has 100 genuine commendations or recommendations on record that meet the program’s submission and verification standards.
33. Does every comment automatically count toward the 100?
No. Duplicate, unverifiable, automated, irrelevant, abusive, promotional, or improperly submitted comments can be excluded. HotelGuests.US reviews every submission’s qualification before issuing a certificate.
34. Do 100 words from one guest qualify a hotel?
No. The requirement is 100 genuine commendations or recommendations from 100 different submissions — not a single statement that happens to run 100 words.
35. Can a hotel purchase the certificate?
No. The certificate is earned, not bought. Payment, advertising, sponsorship, and membership are no substitute for the required guest commendations.
36. What information appears on the certificate?
The certificate may include:
37. May the hotel display the certificate?
Yes. A qualifying hotel may display its certificate:
Display it accurately. Don’t alter it in a way that misleads.
38. Does the certificate guarantee the quality of every future stay?
No. It recognizes 100 qualifying positive experiences from the applicable recognition period — nothing about tomorrow. It is not a warranty, a star rating, a government inspection, a safety certification, a brand standard, or a promise of future performance.
39. Does the certificate mean the hotel has never received a complaint?
No. Every hotel gets a complaint now and then. The certificate documents positive experiences; it doesn’t claim a spotless record.
40. Can the certificate be revoked?
Yes. HotelGuests.US and Better Hotel Bureau can correct, suspend, or revoke a certificate issued on fraudulent, manipulated, materially inaccurate, or improperly obtained submissions.
41. How can hotels invite guests to participate?
Participating hotels may display:
Offer the invitation consistently, and make clear the program is for honest, positive recognition — nothing else.
42. What should hotel employees say to guests?
A simple invitation works best: “Did a member of our team make your stay memorable? Scan the code and let them know through HotelGuests.US.” Employees should never pressure a guest or suggest what to write.
43. May a hotel ask only satisfied guests to participate?
No — hotels shouldn’t cherry-pick guests they expect to say nice things. Offer the invitation fairly, to everyone, and be clear the form exists specifically for genuine compliments and recommendations.
44. Will hotels receive copies of guest commendations?
When the guest permits it and program procedures allow, yes. That’s what lets management recognize deserving employees and see what guests actually value.
45. How should hotels use the comments?
Hotels may use eligible comments to:
Any public or promotional use has to respect whatever privacy and publication permissions the guest selected.
46. Can independent and branded hotels participate?
Independent, franchised, branded, full-service, select-service, extended-stay, resort — any qualifying lodging property can take part. Participation implies no brand endorsement unless that brand separately provides written authorization.
47. Is participation an endorsement of a hotel?
No. Participation by itself endorses nothing. Recognition rests on qualifying guest submissions and the program’s own standards.
48. Is HotelGuests.US affiliated with online travel agencies?
No. HotelGuests.US is an educational and guest-recognition resource — not an online travel agency, and it sells no reservations.
49. What personal information should guests avoid submitting?
Guests should not submit:
50. Are submissions considered hotel reviews?
A commendation may describe a positive experience, but the program was never meant to replace major public review platforms. Its job is narrower and more specific: recognizing what employees and teams are doing well.
51. Does HotelGuests.US guarantee that every submission is true?
No review process can guarantee every statement is complete or accurate, reasonable verification measures notwithstanding. Each submission is the experience and opinion of the person who wrote it — nothing more.
52. Is the information on HotelGuests.US legal or professional advice?
No. HotelGuests.US offers general educational information drawn from common hotel-industry experience. Policies, laws, brand standards, booking terms, and operating practices all vary by property. Verify anything that matters directly with the hotel, the booking provider, the relevant government agency, or a qualified professional.
Did an employee make you feel welcome? Was your room spotless? Did someone solve a problem, go out of their way, or simply make the trip better?
Share the good. Recognize the people who made your stay memorable.
[ SUBMIT A GUEST COMMENDATION ]
For complaints or private communication with participating member hotels: BetterHotelBureau.org
For hotel-travel education, smart booking guidance, and practical guest information: HotelGuests.US
Sample Certificate
