Market Metrix Ranks Drury Hotels #1 in
Customer Service Over All Hotels

Drury Hotels has been recognized by Market Metrix Hospitality Index as having ranked highest in customer satisfaction among all hotel brands for the 2nd quarter 2008.  Drury outscored luxury brands such as St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels, Ritz Carlton and many others. 

Drury Hotels has consistently rated #1 with Market Metrix over all brands or in its segment every year since 2003.  How does this pattern of outstanding customer service continue to repeat itself?

"We have a team of approximately 4,000 people who understand customer service, who understand the real reason we are here is to take care of every customer, every day," remarked Chuck Drury, President and CEO of Drury Hotels.  "This recognition by Market Metrix is very gratifying, and the credit goes to our team for the care and compassion shown to all our guests."

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Market Metrix Announces Second Quarter 2008 Hospitality Index Results

-- Despite The Economy, Hotel Customer Satisfaction Improves In First Half Of 2008, Reaching 5-Year High --

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – August 12, 2008 -- Despite the current downturn in the U.S. economy, the hotel industry continues to satisfy customers at near-record levels, according to the most recent results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index™ (MMHI) for the second quarter of 2008.  Customer satisfaction among all hotels is up (+1.0 to 82.7) compared to 2007. This is the highest score for the industry in nearly five years and close to the all time high score of 83 recorded in 2001, just before 9/11.  The American Customer Satisfaction Index ™ (ACSI) also reports improved customer satisfaction for hotels in 2008 with the industry reaching record high scores.

Customer satisfaction up in a down economy
“The increase in customer satisfaction with hotels is certainly good news and surprising given the current economic pressures to reduce staff and services,” said Jonathan Barsky, Ph.D., vice president of research for Market Metrix.   “But in this economy hotels are focusing more on their current customers.  And with occupancy rates down 2.6 % in the first half of 2008, guest staffing ratios have remained stable. Other factors helping to maintain or improve customer satisfaction include recent investments in customer technology, facilities and new services; expanded satisfaction measurement programs with pay-for-performance compensation; and the growth of online customer reviews which help to manage guest expectations and deliver more pleasing hotel experiences.

Comparing performance across the hospitality industry
For the first half of 2008, luxury hotels and midscale without food & beverage hotels showed the most improvement.  Luxury brands showing the biggest gains include Intercontinental (+ 3.3), Taj Hotels (+ 2.8), and Ritz-Carlton (+ 2.8).  The most improved midscale without food & beverage brands are Howard Johnson (+ 2.7), Ramada (+ 2.2), and Red Lion Hotels (+ 1.9).  The only down-trending segment was Casinos with Flamingo Las Vegas (- 6.1), Excalibur Hotel & Casino (- 1.4), and Rio (- 0.8) posting the biggest declines.

Customer satisfaction with airlines rebounded slightly (+.5 to 73.8) from last quarter’s all-time record low score.  But due to higher fuel prices there is no real improvement in sight.  “Airlines continue to reduce flights and staff while raising fares and adding fees,” said Dr. Barsky. “That is not a formula to win consumer sentiment.”   Further, according to the MMHI, three-quarters of all airlines have seen their satisfaction scores drop in the first half of 2008.  Among the large carriers, United and Southwest show the biggest declines.  Midwest is one bright spot, earning the award for most-improved airline, as well as top score in customer satisfaction for the first half of 2008.

Other MMHI Results Include Top Scoring Drury Hotels
Drury Inns posted the highest score (91.8) among all hotels in the industry, demonstrating that exceeding expectations is the key to guest satisfaction.  Guests rave about the personal treatment they receive.  Drury Inns was one of the first hotels in the limited-service segment, and all the Drury hotels are still owned and operated by the Drury family.

Among rental car companies, satisfaction is down slightly for 2008 (-0.9 to 79.7).  Enterprise placed first despite a drop in its score (-1.6 to 81.7) for the first half of 2008.  Thrifty and Alamo, however, show significant gains in 2008 (+1.6 to 79.2 and +1.3 to 79.5, respectively).  The rental car industry continues to be tightly clustered (less than 5 points separate the top and bottom brands), indicating that the customers do not see significant differences among the brands.  And there is a new kid on the block, car sharing companies (ZipCar and others), that appear to be benefiting from spiraling gas prices and an appealing subscription model (renting cars for short periods of time, often by the hour). 

About MMHI
Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index™ (MMHI) is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today.  These benchmarks, delivered through our flagship product Customer Metrix™, enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to competitors by STAR segment, AAA classification, Brand, SMSA, industry averages, performers in the top 10% and other classifications.   The MMHI is also available by subscription.

About Market Metrix
Market Metrix helps hospitality companies around the world foster loyal customers and engaged employees.  Based on award-winning research and breakthrough concepts, our SaaS-based products deliver instant survey results, analysis and management tools for increasing revenue and reducing staff turnover.  Our benchmarking database, MMHI, is the most comprehensive, independent comparison of consumer brand satisfaction in the industry.  Our annual MMHI Awards are coveted by lodging and travel enterprises around the world.  With clients that include more than 120 brands across 70 countries, Market Metrix has been helping leading hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996.  For more information, visit www.marketmetrix.com.

Thoughts on "dot.coms", according to Drury Hotels Founder

Drury Hotels founder, Charles L. Drury Sr., was recently featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Click here to read more about his thoughts on the hotel business, the Drury brand, and why he prefers the real world over a virtual one!

Drury Inn & Suites Receives Third Consecutive
J.D. Power and Associates Award

(ST. LOUIS) – July 29, 2008 –  J.D. Power and Associates announced today that Drury Inn & Suites has been recognized with the award for “Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-Scale Hotel Chains with Limited Service.” This is the third year in a row that Drury Inn & Suites has received this award. Click here for the J.D. Power and Associates press release, including rankings for all hotels.

“We are honored to be recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for a third consecutive year,” said Chuck Drury, President and CEO of Drury Inns, Inc. “It is our goal to provide consistent, quality service to our guests, and we greatly appreciate their recognition. As one of the few hotel systems that is 100% family owned and operated, we make a personal commitment to our customers. We are very grateful for their continued patronage.”

Drury has received many accolades for its friendly service and numerous free amenities.  Value-conscious travelers have learned that the Extras Aren’t Extra® at Drury.  Those Extras include Free HOT! QUIKSTART®  Breakfast, Free Evening Beverages, Free Long Distance Calls (one hour in every room, every night), Free Wireless Internet and more.

Drury Inn & Suites was awarded its third consecutive J.D. Power and Associates recognition after a study reviewed its reservations, check-in/check-out, guest room, food and beverage, hotel services, hotel facilities, and costs and fees. Responses from guests measured 16 mid-scale, limited service hotels. The surveyed guests stayed between May 2007 and June 2008. Their results were published in the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study^sm released July 29, 2008.  J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information firm that represents the voice of the customer.

Drury guests can stay at over 120 hotels in 19 states from Arizona to North Carolina and from Texas to Michigan. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Drury Inns, Inc. is family-owned and operated. Brands include Drury Inn & Suites, Drury Inn, Drury Plaza Hotels, Drury Suites, Pear Tree Inn by Drury, as well as other hotels in the mid-price hotel segment. For a complete listing of Drury hotels or for reservations, click here or call 1-800-DRURYINN.

Drury Hotels Teams Up with Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Drury Hotels and Enterprise Rent-A-Car have teamed up to create the "Room and Zoom" package, which allows Drury guests to add a rental car from Enterprise, at a great discount, to their hotel reservation. This package is available to guests who book rooms at any of the 120 Drury Hotels in 19 states and includes special pricing on rental cars at more than 7,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations.
Click here for more details.

Market Metrix Announces Drury Hotels #1 Overall
in 1st Quarter 2008!

On the heels of summer travel kicking off, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index has been released and again Drury Hotels was ranked number one in customer satisfaction among Midscale Hotels without Food & Beverages. "We are very pleased to see that Market Metrix has rated our brand so highly once again," said Chuck Drury, President & CEO of Drury Hotels. "New Drury Hotels have recently opened in St. Louis, San Antonio and Flagstaff, and we are grateful to be our guests' first choice."

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-- Market Metrix Announces First Quarter 2008 Hospitality Index Results --

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – May 20, 2008 -- Despite the current downturn in the U.S. economy that includes a drop in overall hotel occupancy and revenue growth, luxury hotels continue to show strength, according to the most recent results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the first quarter of 2008.  Despite price increases, customer satisfaction with these high-priced hotels is up for the first quarter, out-performing all other segments.  Other indicators are positive for luxury hotels – reduced price sensitivity and improved perceptions of value – underscoring the strength of this segment.  The luxury brands showing the biggest gains in the MMHI were Starwood’s The Luxury Collection (+3.7), Grand Hyatt (+3.6), and Intercontinental (+2.7). 

Customer satisfaction for all hotels is up slightly (+.2 to 82) compared to 2007.   This is good news and surprising given the current economic pressures to reduce hotel staff and services.  

More Bad News for Airlines
The bad news continues for airlines, as well as the industry’s consumers.  Customer satisfaction with airlines declined by .7 percent, falling to an all time low (73.3) since the MMHI began tracking the industry in 2001.  While airlines continue to struggle with higher fuel prices, flight delays, labor contracts and crowded planes, consumers feel they are getting less for their money.  Midwest Airlines, one of the few bright spots, earned the highest score in customer satisfaction among all airlines in the first quarter.

Other MMHI Results Include Top Scoring Kimpton Hotels
Kimpton Hotels posted the highest score (92.3) among all hotels in the industry.  Kimpton’s unique collection of boutique hotels continues to outscore higher priced luxury hotel chains such as The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Fairmont Hotels. 

Among rental car companies, Enterprise continues their superior performance with the highest customer satisfaction score in the industry (81.9).  But for the first time, National (80.8) and Thrifty (80.7) are not far behind.  In fact, the entire rental car industry is very tightly clustered, indicating that customers do not see much difference among the brands.  Overall, car rental companies posted a decline in customer satisfaction of .1.

About MMHI
Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today.  These benchmarks, delivered through our flagship product Customer Metrix™, enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to competitors by STAR segment, AAA classification, Brand, SMSA, industry averages, performers in the top 10% and other classifications.   The MMHI is also available by subscription.

About Market Metrix
Market Metrix helps hospitality companies around the world foster loyal customers and engaged employees.  Based on award-winning research and breakthrough concepts, our products deliver instant survey results, analysis and management tools for increasing revenue and reducing staff turnover.  Our benchmarking database, MMHI, is the most comprehensive, independent comparison of consumer brand satisfaction in the industry.  Our annual MMHI Awards are coveted by lodging and travel enterprises around the world.  With clients that include more than 120 brands across 70 countries, Market Metrix has been helping leading hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996.  For more information, visit www.marketmetrix.com.

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Contact:
Mike Pharis
Market Metrix
tel 415-721-1300
fax 415-721-1314
http://www.marketmetrix.com

Flagstaff, Arizona Welcomes First Drury Hotel

(ST. LOUIS, MO)- April 29, 2008 – The new Drury Inn & Suites hotel located at 300 South Milton Road in Flagstaff, Arizona opened today. The property is adjacent to the Northern Arizona University campus and connected to the High Country Conference Center. The 160-room hotel will create approximately 25-30 jobs.

"We are very excited to be bringing the first Drury Hotel to the city of Flagstaff," offered Jeff Theiss, General Manager of the Drury Inn & Suites. "This new hotel is also giving Northern Arizona University students the opportunity to get hands-on experiences in the hotel industry without leaving campus."

The design and construction of this hotel will bring with it a number of environmentally friendly additions such as solar water heating, grey water collection for reuse in irrigation systems, a high-efficiency AC system, recycling of construction debris, the purchase of as many construction materials as possible within a 500 mile radius of this site and many other green business practices.

The six-story building with a façade of brick and stone blends with the high country Arizona landscape both outside and in. It offers a warm and inviting lobby. The brand's signature free HOT! QUIKSTART® breakfast is served in an expansive seating area near the lobby. Breakfast features scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, juices, hot and cold cereals, toast, fresh fruit, milk, coffee, tea, pastries and other assorted baked goods.

The Drury value package, reminding guests that the Extras Aren't Extra®, also includes free evening beverages served daily, free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, lobby and meeting rooms, one hour free long distance in every room, every night, an indoor pool and whirlpool, exercise room, guest pantry and guest laundry facility. All guest rooms are deluxe and include either two queen beds, or a king bed. Every room is equipped with a microwave and refrigerator and guests can enjoy their favorite TV channels like HBO, CNN, ESPN, the Weather Channel and many others.

A variety of restaurants are in close proximity including Chili's Bar & Grill, Red Lobster, and Olive Garden as well as some local favorites like, Café Ole, Mad Italian and Beaver Street Brewery.

Drury Hotels Announce Partnership with Missouri Police
Chiefs Association

Drury Hotels is one of the many proud organizations who have joined the Missouri Business and Law Enforcement Partnership to provide needed programs for youth and to improve law enforcement operations throughout the State of Missouri.

Hampton Inn San Antonio Northeast Converts to Drury Inn & Suites

(ST. LOUIS) - February 29, 2008 - The Hampton Inn located at I-35 and Walzem Road in San Antonio, Texas is converting to a Drury Inn & Suites today. The property has been owned and operated by Drury as a Hampton Inn for over 12 years.     

"We are excited to be bringing another Drury hotel to the San Antonio area," said Gail Mapus, General Manager of the Drury Inn & Suites. "Not only is the name on the building changing, but as we convert to the Drury brand, our guests can now take advantage of the value package and the many free Extras offered by Drury."

Guests of the newly converted hotel can enjoy the brand's signature free HOT! QUIKSTART® breakfast, which is served in an expansive seating area and features scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, juices, hot and cold cereals, toast, fresh fruit, milk, coffee, tea, pastries and other assorted baked goods. Along with the breakfast, Drury's value package includes free evening beverages served daily.  

The 79-room hotel features free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, lobby and meeting space, one hour free long distance in every room, every night, an outdoor pool, exercise room and guest laundry facility. All guest rooms are deluxe and include either two queen beds, or a king bed. The hotel offers a number of two-room suites and all are equipped with microwave and refrigerator.  Guests can enjoy their favorite TV channels like HBO, CNN, ESPN, the Weather Channel and a variety of many others.

Drury Inn & Suites Near Forest Park is Now Open!

(ST. LOUIS, MO)- Feb. 20, 2008 – The new Drury Inn & Suites hotel located at the intersection of I-44 and Hampton Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri opened today. This hotel becomes the 20th property owned and operated in St. Louis by the Drury family.  Located near the historic "Hill" district and a short distance from Shaw's Garden, this hotel will employ approximately 25 – 30 people.

"Drury has a long history in the St. Louis community," offered Doug Johaningmeyer, General Manager of the Drury Inn & Suites.  "Now with this mid-town location as our 20th St. Louis hotel, we can accommodate Drury guests in almost every part of the city and outlying area."

The new, five-story Drury Inn & Suites, with a façade of brick, porcelain and glass, offers a warm and inviting lobby. The brand's signature free HOT! QUIKSTART® breakfast is served in an expansive seating area and features scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, juices, hot and cold cereals, toast, fresh fruit, milk, coffee, tea, pastries and other assorted baked goods. Along with the breakfast, Drury's value package includes free evening beverages served daily.  

The 164-room hotel features free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, lobby and in its 5,000 square feet of meeting space. Other amenities include one hour of free long distance calls in every room, every night, an indoor pool and whirlpool, exercise room, guest pantry and guest laundry facility. All guest rooms are deluxe and include either two queen beds, or a king bed. Every room is equipped with a microwave and refrigerator and guests can enjoy their favorite TV channels like HBO, CNN, ESPN, the Weather Channel and a variety of many others.

A special feature of this hotel is its in-house restaurant. Bartolino's Osteria, a long-time St. Louis favorite, has moved from its former location on Hampton Avenue to the Drury Inn & Suites. Bartolino's is a family owned restaurant with a rich tradition in fine Italian cuisine and special family recipes. A member of this restaurant family is always on-site, providing the best food experience possible for patrons. This restaurant marks the 3rd establishment for the Bartolino family, who first opened their business in 1969.

Market Metrix Announces Drury Hotels #1 Overall Hotel in 2007!

Drury Hotels has earned top honors in the 2007 Market Metrix Hospitality Index, ranking #1 in the Mid-scale Without Food & Beverage Segment. For the entire year, out of over 90 brands rated by Market Metrix, only the boutique brand, Kimpton Hotels, and the upper-upscale brand, Peninsula Hotels, scored higher than Drury Hotels.  Drury was also recognized for being #1 out of ALL hotel brands in customer satisfaction for the 4th quarter of 2007. 

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Market Metrix Announces 2007 Annual Hospitality Index Results

-- 2007 was kind to hotel guests, harsh on airline passengers --
-- Kimpton Hotels Outscore Industry Giants --

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - January 31, 2008 -- Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of customer and employee feedback and performance tools for the hospitality industry, today announced annual results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for 2007.  Kimpton Hotels, Sun Country Airlines and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively.

Overall, customer satisfaction with hotels finished the year (2007) with a slight increase (+.4) over the previous year (2006).  With all barometers increasing - satisfaction, average daily rates and occupancy, 2007 was a good year.

For 2007, Kimpton Hotels posted the highest score (90.6) among all hotels in the industry.  Their unique collection of boutique hotels not only topped their own upscale brand segment but also outscored legendary hotel chains such as The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Peninsula Hotels.  How is this possible?  Kimpton customers say that you can't help but "feel the Kimpton style" with "incredibly comfortable bedding" and employees that have a "super attitude and really go out of their way to help you!"  The company is in the midst of an aggressive period of growth and expansion from entering new markets to developing concentrations of hotels in existing hubs.

Among most airlines, 2007 was a bad year for the customer.  In fact, customer satisfaction with airlines for 2007 (76) fell to the lowest recorded levels since the industry was rocked by 9/11.  As airlines continue to struggle with flight delays, labor contracts and higher fuel prices, consumers feel they are getting less for their money.  Sun Country, one of the few bright spots, earned the highest score in customer satisfaction among all airlines in 2007.  Sun Country Airlines is a low cost, low fare carrier based in St. Paul, MN, that flies to popular business and leisure destinations such as New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as seasonally to Mexico and the Caribbean. 

Satisfaction among car rental companies was up slightly for the year (+.75) despite rising fuel prices and decreased availability of new rental vehicles.  More refined customer and corporate information management and easy-to-use internet booking applications are two of the ways that technology is helping car rental companies deliver leading-edge service to their most valued customers.  Enterprise continues their industry dominance with overall satisfaction and loyalty scores well above its competitors.  The brands showing the biggest improvements in 2007 were Advantage (+2.9 to 79) and Payless (+2.0 to 77.1), while Alamo (-1.8 to 78.2) and Hertz (-0.7 to 79.7) reported the biggest declines. 

About MMHI
Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today.  These benchmarks, delivered through Customer Metrix, enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to local competitors by zip code, city, state, region, country, and brand.  The MMHI is also available by subscription.

About Market Metrix
With over 100 clients in 70 countries, Market Metrix has helped hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996.  Its flagship Customer Metrix and Employee Metrix suites provide multi-channel survey, analysis and service improvement tools and benchmarking data for the hospitality industry. 

Drury Hotels Converting Aztec Theater in San Antonio, Texas

Bringing the historic Aztec Theater to new life is in the works as Drury Hotels plans to convert the venue into a 700-seat Branson, Missouri style concert hall. Click here to learn more about Drury Hotels involvement with this exciting project in San Antonio, Texas.

Drury Inn & Suites Middletown, Ohio Is Now Open

(ST. LOUIS)- Dec. 6, 2007 – The new Drury Inn & Suites hotel located at I-75 and Highway 122 in Franklin, Ohio is now open. The hotel is owned and operated by Drury Inns, Inc. Approximately 20-25 jobs will be created in the community with the opening of this hotel.

"We are excited to be opening the Drury Inn & Suites in the Middletown area, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work near my hometown of Mason," said Kirsten Wright, General Manager. "Middletown is a wonderful community and we are delighted to become a part of it. Drury has expanded its hotels in Ohio, and can serve guests on their way to Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, and now Middletown."

The five-story building with a façade of stone, brick and stucco offers a warm and inviting lobby with fireplace. The brand's signature free HOT! QUIKSTART® breakfast is served in an expansive seating area and features scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles, juices, hot and cold cereals, toast, fresh fruit, milk, coffee, tea, pastries and other assorted baked goods. Along with the breakfast, Drury's value package includes free evening beverages served daily.  

The 121-room hotel features free wireless Internet access in all guest rooms, lobby and meeting rooms, one hour free long distance in every room, every night, an indoor/outdoor pool and whirlpool, exercise room, guest pantry and guest laundry facility.  All guest rooms are deluxe and include either two queen beds, or a king bed.  Every room is equipped with a microwave and refrigerator and guests can enjoy their favorite TV channels like HBO, CNN, ESPN, the Weather Channel and a variety of many others.

Drury Hotels has been rated #1 in the midscale hotels segment of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index for the 1st Half of 2007. Based on 35,000 customer interviews, Drury Ranks #1 in the All Mid-Price Hotel Brands Market Metrix, a leader in market research for the hospitality industry.

AIRLINES AND LUXURY HOTELS DISAPPOINT:  CUSTOMERS WANT MORE COMFORT AND PAMPERING

-- Market Metrix Announces Second Quarter 2007 Hospitality Index Results ---

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - August 21, 2007 -- Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of customer and employee feedback and performance tools for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the second quarter of 2007.  Walt Disney World Resorts, Midwest Airlines and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively.

Although there was a small decrease (-.1) reported in the second quarter of 2007, customer satisfaction levels in the lodging industry are at positive record levels.  This high level of customer satisfaction comes even as the lodging industry has reduced the number of employees per available and occupied room and while other industries, such as airlines, have experienced declines.

Among hotels, the Upscale and Timeshare segments are performing best with customer satisfaction results for 2007 significantly ahead of 2006.  The brands in these segments showing the biggest improvement this year compared to 2006 include Homewood Suites (Upscale) and Marriott Vacation Club (Timeshare).  Luxury hotels, conversely, are showing declines compared to last year with Mandarin Oriental posting the biggest drop. 

Airlines continue to receive record low customer scores with a dramatic increase in late arrivals making matters even worse.  Satisfaction scores for most airlines are down this year (e.g., Allegiant Air -6.5, Spirit Airlines -3.3) with few exceptions (Hawaiian Airlines +3.5).  Airline customers are feeling particularly less "Pampered", "Important" and "Comfortable" than they were last year.

The Car Rental segment was unchanged, but brand scores are very tightly bunched, unlike the airline and hotel industries.  National Car Rental and Payless Car Rental have showed the biggest improvement this year while Alamo has dropped sharply compared to 2006. 

About MMHI

Based on 35,000 customer interviews conducted each quarter, the Market Metrix Hospitality Index is the largest and most in-depth measure of hospitality company performance available today.  These benchmarks, delivered through Customer Metrix, enable Market Metrix clients to compare their results to local competitors by zip code, city, state, region, country, and brand.  The MMHI is also available by subscription.

About Market Metrix

With over 100 clients in 70 countries, Market Metrix has helped hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996.  Its flagship Customer Metrix and Employee Metrix suites provide multi-channel survey, analysis and service improvement tools and benchmarking data for the hospitality industry. 

www.marketmetrix.com
Contact: Mike Pharis
1-800-239-7515

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ST. LOUIS – July 24, 2007 – J.D. Power and Associates announced today that Drury Inn & Suites has been recognized with the award for "Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-Scale Hotels Chains with Limited Service." This is the second year in a row that Drury Inn & Suites has received this award. Click here for the J.D. Power and Associates press release, including rankings for all hotel brands.

"We are excited to have received this prestigious recognition for the second year in a row," said Chuck Drury, President and CEO of Drury Inns, Inc. "Drury is one of the few hotel systems that is 100% family owned and operated. This puts our team in a position to provide a consistent level of quality, service and value every day for every guest. We are very grateful for the recognition of our loyal customers."

Drury Inn & Suites received the highest numerical score among mid-scale hotel chains with limited service in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2006-2007 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Studies^sm.  2007 study based on responses from 47,634 guests measuring 16 mid-scale hotels with limited service and measures opinions of guests who stayed in a hotel between May 2006 - June 2007.  Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed June 2006 - June 2007.  Your experiences may vary.  Visit jdpower.com.

Drury Hotels has been ranked #1 Overall Hotel...ahead of powerhouse brands like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Walt Disney Resorts. Drury doesn't provide valet services, or bellhops or any of the other extravagant services customers find themselves paying for at upscale hotels. What Drury Hotels does offer are reasonable rates (about $84 a night), free hot breakfast, free long distance calls, free high-speed Internet, and free evening cocktails. Apparently, "FREE" is a 4-letter word that most travelers love to hear!

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MARKET METRIX ANNOUNCES 2006 HOSPITALITY INDEX RESULTS

-- Drury Inns, JetBlue Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Win First Place 2006 Awards ---

-- Hotel web sites now score higher in satisfaction than popular travel sites --

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - February 8, 2007 -- Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of market research services for the hospitality industry, today announced the 2006 annual results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI).  Based on 140,000 consumer interviews conducted from January through December 2006, Drury Inns, JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-a-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively.

Compared to 2005, hotel customer satisfaction for 2006 was unchanged at 82.1, slightly below the pre-9/11 customer-satisfaction score of 83.  For 2006 Drury Inns led the way, improving 2.3 points to 91, but most of the industry did not show improvement.  The only segment to advance was Midscale with food and beverage (+.5 to 79.4) led by Clarion Hotels & Resorts (+.9 to 80.4) and Holiday Inn Select (+.7 to 79.9).  The luxury segment showed the biggest decline (-.7 to 86.4) with W Hotels (down 3.5 to 85.7) posting the largest drop.

The airline industry dropped .7 points to 78.5, its lowest score since the industry was rocked by 9/11.  As airlines continue to struggle with labor contracts, bankruptcies and higher fuel prices, consumers feel they are getting less for their money.  Industry leader jetBlue still rules the industry at 89.1.  Spirit Airlines made the industry's biggest jump, improving nearly 6.1 to 81.6.  Northwest Airlines, on the other hand, dropped 1.1 to 70.9, taking last place in the industry as it struggles with strikes and a Chapter 11 filing.

Satisfaction among car rental companies was unchanged at 78.9 with Payless showing the biggest improvement (+2.8 to 75.1) and Advantage Rent-A-Car falling sharply (-4.5 to 76.1).

Hotel web sites score higher

The MMHI includes measures of the hotel reservation experience - both online and offline.  This data provides special insight into the growing popularity of website usage and the satisfaction with the online experience.

More people are booking online than ever before -- and hotel companies have been trying hard to get these customers to book through their websites.  These efforts have paid off.  The majority of persons who make hotel reservations online are now booking directly on the hotel or brand website rather than going through the big travel portals.  This is quite an achievement for the hotel industry despite many new websites attempting to book or refer hotel reservations.  Hotel companies are paying less money to travel portals and are establishing more relationships directly with their guests.

One big reason why more customers are using hotel sites to make their reservations is that hotel companies have significantly improved their websites.  The quality of the experience with the website can influence customers' decision making, ultimately reinforcing loyalty or losing customers for the brand. 

In 2004 and 2005, hotel websites were outscored by Yahoo! Travel and Hotwire for satisfaction with the online reservation experience.  But now, for the first time, hotel web sites scored higher in satisfaction (providing a better reservations experience) than popular travel web sites.  To make these gains, hotel sites have improved their navigation, design, usefulness of information, ease of booking and other critical components of the online experience.

The top performing hotel site for 2006 (quarters 1-3) was Drury Inns.  According to travelers, Drury's website delivered the best user experience compared to all other hotel brand websites.  Sleep Inns (Choice) and Courtyard by Marriott finished closely behind Drury.  Hotel and brand websites have improved significantly and now, many of these sites outscore the best Internet travel portals in overall satisfaction with the online experience.

MMHI Top-Hospitality Rankings 2006

Hotel - Overall
Drury Inns

Airline
JetBlue

Car Rental
Enterprise

Luxury Hotels
Ritz-Carlton

Upper Upscale
Walt Disney World Resorts 

Upscale Hotels
Staybridge

Midscale w/ F&B
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts

Midscale w/o F&B
Drury Inns

Economy Hotels
Jameson Inns

Timeshare Accommodations
Disney Vacation Club

Upscale Casino
The Venetian

Casino
Borgata

Reservations Website - Hotel Brand
Sleep Inns

Hotel Reservations Website - Travel
Hotwire

(w/o F&B = without food & beverage)

About MMHI
The Market Metrix Hospitality Index evaluates customer satisfaction with hotel, airline and car rental companies based on 140,000 in-depth consumer interviews conducted each year.  Each quarter and annually, the MMHI ranks top hospitality brands by industry and, for hotels, by categories such as luxury, mid-price and economy. Detailed, in-depth and customized reports are available for subscribers. No other customer satisfaction index offers MMHI's reporting frequency, volume of customer interviews, cross-industry results or innovative satisfaction measures.

About Market Metrix
Market Metrix, LLC was founded in 1996 to provide the hospitality industry with better customer and employee satisfaction measurement programs and management tools. In addition to MMHI, Market Metrix provides clients with award-winning survey systems and strategic services.  For more information, log onto www.marketmetrix.com or call 1-800-239-7515.

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Contact:
Mike Pharis
Market Metrix
tel 415-721-1300
fax 415-721-1314
http://www.marketmetrix.com

Drury Hotels Ranked Highest In Guest Satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates

July 25, 2006 : Click here to read the press release that was published today by J.D. Power and Associates and names Drury Inn & Suites as "Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Mid-Scale Hotel Chains with Limited Service" (Be sure to read the press release to see rankings.) J.D. Power and Associates' guest satisfaction measurements are based on responses from 42,211 guests who stayed in hotels between January and June, 2006.

Some very prestigious companies have received this award over the years, and we are extremely proud to have our name associated with this award!

*Drury Inn & Suites received the highest numerical score among mid-scale hotel chains with limited service in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2006 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study^sm. Study based responses from 42,211 guests measuring 16 upscale hotels and measures opinions of guests who stayed in a hotel between January and June 2006 . Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed between March – June 2006. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.