After lashings of Turkey and general Christmas gorging you’d think we’d be sick of the sight of food, but new research reveals that good food and an inclusive breakfast remain the top indicators of value for money for Brits when making a hotel booking.

Research commissioned by Radisson Blu asked more than 2,000 Brits what, in their opinion, best represented value in relation to price when it comes to booking hotel breaks.  More than half of the respondents (56%) chose good food as a top priority, over other indicators such as loyalty points, CSR or a recent refurbishment.  Meanwhile, 75% said that breakfast included in the price of the booking represents value for money, with the highest proportion of votes (85%) stemming from the over 55’s.

Mark Willis, Regional Director at Radisson Blu UK said: “There’s a tendency in the industry to get carried away with thinking about the latest deals or offers that it’s sometimes easy to forget about the simple things. This research really puts what the consumer perceives as ‘value’ into perspective and highlights the importance of providing good quality food for guests. For business travellers, it’s about providing healthy, nutritious options that can be enjoyed ‘on-the-go’, while those on a short break or holiday will be expecting any dining experience to be a treat – getting the balance right is tough, but essential. As belts tighten in this new age of austerity, it’s important to keep up with the consumer mindset. The definition of ‘value’ is changing, and the way we deliver ‘value for money’ hospitality is changing too.”

Comparatively, the research shows that across the age groups, good food is of least importance to the 18-35’s, who chose free WIFI and good location as better indicators of value.  The survey also revealed that women consider an inclusive breakfast good value more so than men, with 77% of women choosing it, as opposed to 72% of men.

Across the regions, an included breakfast is most important to people living in Scotland, with 82% prioritising this over other indicators, compared to 70% in London.  Scotland also proved to be the main advocator of good food, with 60% choosing it as a measure of value, compared to 43% in London.