Based on interviews with around 180,000 people, the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index is an influential barometer of how hotel brands big and small are faring. Here are the 32 best performing hotel brands in this year's survey.

A classic motel, money-saving chain sits at the bottom of the list, with a score of 65% customer satisfaction. Not too far behind its more expensive counterparts – in fact many Motel 6 properties have modern rooms punching well above their weight – but this is a good 11% below the industry average.

Days Inn is recognisable and dependable but with a score of 65% it shares the lower rungs of the ladder with Motel 6. While it's firmly in the budget category, a big plus is that each hotel offers a pool or gym.

A Choice Hotels offspring, Quality delivers an affordable package pitched at all comers. It’s a notch above the budget chains but still a solid bet for a good-value stay, albeit with a lowish ranking of 66%.

More than a motel, Super 8 is still marketed as a pit stop for your road trip adventures. With revamped rooms and wi-fi and breakfast thrown in, it’s an appealing economy option but its satisfaction rating of 67% falls well below others in this category.

Ramada hotels aren’t hard to come by – a mid-range brand with a global presence which aims to appeal to travellers across the board. It just scrapes in the top five in this category, with 67%, so maybe there’s room for improvement.

The highest ranked economy brand, Econo Lodge makes no bones about its no-frills credentials but still outshines its mid-scale sibling, Quality, by a marked seven points. A no-brainer, budget choice.

Create a swish home-from-home thanks to Residence Inn’s suites with kitchens, grocery deliveries, outdoor spaces and even suggested running routes. All that considered, it's the lowest-ranking of the Marriott family with only 75% of customers declaring themselves satisfied.

Both these brands from Choice Hotels offer all the basics with more than a degree of comfort, and a great network of locations. As you’d guess, Comfort Suites gives guests that bit more room, but they're only 75% satisfied.

All the trimmings you’d expect from a premium international brand, with plush rooms, often with great views, indoor or outdoor pools and delicious dining options. This year Wyndham lands an average rather than elite score of 76%, though.

Business travellers and holidaymakers alike head to this chain’s hotels across the US, Canada and Mexico. With many renovations underway, the good-value La Quinta is poised to get even better.

Holiday Inn shouts about its family-friendly credentials, and well it might. Not many hotels are so overtly welcoming to little ones. Satisfied parents, groups and workers on the go vote with their feet, giving it a 76% score.

Just a couple of points below its Plus relative and bang on the national average. Best Western may offer neither surprises nor bells and whistles, but a decent room and pleasant service are near enough guaranteed.

All the essentials ticked off – from speedy wi-fi to caffeine fixes – and consistent standards from hotel to hotel earn Holiday Inn Express a respectable ranking of 77%, just above the industry average.

The results show that guests aren’t swayed by prestige – the lower-priced chains often rank higher than upscale brands under the same umbrella company. DoubleTree is a case in point, outshone by its Hilton sibling, Hampton. A warm cookie on arrival only goes so far…

For a luxurious spa escape, a business meeting, or even a wedding extravaganza, Hyatt Regency hotels keep customers happy with their all-bases-glamorously-covered approach.

With a solid mid-table position and a 78% satisfaction score, Best Western confirms its status as a reliable, modern and comfortable mid-range option.

Enticing offers, friendly hosts, free hot breakfast and free gyms no doubt helped Wyndham’s Baymont Inn & Suites reach a 78% score in this year’s ranking. With that it beats its sibling Wyndham Hotels and Resorts by two points.

Part of the world’s largest hotel company, since owners Starwood merged with Marriott, Sheraton is still keen to emphasise that the customer comes first at its high-end hotels.

Comfy, roomy rooms with dedicated work zones and welcoming communal spaces make Hyatt Place a top choice for business travellers, giving it a decent 79% satisfaction score.

Put your feet up, rustle up something to eat or fire up the outdoor grill – a Candlewood Suite is a good-value step away from a traditional hotel room, closer to home comforts. Its more-than-respectable score of 79% compares well with other more fancy establishments.

A cut above the regular Best Western, which also ranked highly, rooms at BWP hotels boast luxurious linens and handy extras like a mini-fridge and all-important coffee maker. With all of its brands ranking at or above the industry average of 76%, it must be pats on the back all round at Best Western HQ.

Westin was the first hotel to launch 24-hour room service back in 1969 (when it was known as Western Hotels). Now it’s more about guests’ all-round well-being than a late-night club sandwich, but its pioneering and innovative spirit is evidently still appreciated, as demonstrated by an 80% score.

This InterContinental brand seems to have thought of everything when it comes to the modern business traveller (and anyone else) who wants, more than anything, a good night’s sleep. Fitness centres, meeting rooms, quiet zones and even aromatherapy kits all play their part. 80% of customers seem to be grateful.

A granddaddy of the industry, Marriott is keeping up with its brand offspring, and rivals, with stylishly redesigned rooms, mobile booking and check-in, and a high 81% satisfaction score.

With a homespun history and thirty years under its belt, Fairfield prides itself on an easy, calm approach and a good-value offering. Parent Marriott will no doubt be proud of another 81% rating.

Billed as an upscale business hotel, but with lots more going on than high-speed internet, and customers satisfied to the tune of 81%. Courtyard by Marriott is an unstuffy, well thought-out chain.

From superlative chefs to blissful pampering, JW Marriott strives for luxury in every component of a guest’s stay. It seems to be doing a pretty good job with a customer satisfaction score of 82%.

At the roots of an ever-blossoming family tree, and one of the world’s most recognisable brand names. The original Hilton Hotels & Resorts still delivers top-notch service in countless key locations, reflected by its resounding 82% score.

A popular mid-range option, Hampton by Hilton prides itself on its warm welcome and service. Customer satisfaction is top of the agenda with the brand’s 100% Hampton guarantee (while it secures 82% in this survey).

Another brand in the Hilton portfolio, Embassy Suites has a handful of USPs: two-room suites, as the name suggests, a free freshly made breakfast and complimentary evening drinks. Plus a healthy 82% satisfaction score.

An upmarket brand in the Hilton family, the Hilton Garden Inn comes in just shy of prime position with 83%. Their efforts to cover every little thing that contributes to a perfect stay seem to be paying off.

A slick, stylish upscale chain from Marriott, AC Hotels impresses with modern design, local know-how and 21st-century touches. Not many hotels can boast a vibrant co-working space that morphs into a bar as night falls. A score of 84% lands AC Hotels the top spot.