THE EFFECT OF HEDONIC AND UTILITARIAN FACTORS ON OVERALL HOTEL RATINGS ON BOOKING.COM: EVIDENCE FROM FOUR-STAR HOTELS IN VARNA
THE EFFECT OF HEDONIC AND UTILITARIAN FACTORS ON OVERALL HOTEL RATINGS ON BOOKING.COM: EVIDENCE FROM FOUR-STAR HOTELS IN VARNA

Summary/Abstract: Every product and service provides consumers with two types of value: utilitarian and hedonic. Utilitarian value is associated with functional and practical benefits, while hedonic value reflects emotional and sensory experiences. Together, these components form the consumer’s perceived value, which in the context of the hotel industry is most commonly manifested through the overall online rating on accommodation platforms. The aim of the present study is to determine which of the two value dimensions—utilitarian or hedonic—has a stronger influence on the formation of the overall hotel rating. For this purpose, the individual subcategories of the rating system on Booking.com (value for money, cleanliness, facilities, location, comfort, and staff) were conceptually classified into the two value dimensions. The study covers 63 four-star hotels located in the municipality of Varna, Bulgaria.Based on the collected data, two linear regression models were applied to assess the influence of each value dimension on the overall rating. The results indicate that both dimensions have a strong and statistically significant effect, with utilitarian factors exerting a slightly stronger impact (R² = 0.921) compared to hedonic factors (R² = 0.878). These findings highlight the importance of balancing functional quality with positive emotional experiences in order to enhance the perceived valueof the stay and strengthen the hotel’s competitiveness in the online environment.

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