Identifying and Evaluating Service: Quality in Five Star Hotels of Tehran

Abstract: The present study was an attempt to identify and evaluate service quality in five star hotels
of Tehran. More specifically, the study aimed at conducting a research on two specific five
star hotels namely, Esteghlal and Azadi respectively.
To do so, the two hotels were assessed in terms of their service quality in comparative mode to see how well their service qualities are from the perspective of the customers. The study also sought for the factors, which are significant to the customers in evaluating a hotel. Also the study was an attempt to find out the perception of the customers about the hotel services and performance. The validated and piloted Service Quality Assessment Scale was used to collect the data from 90 customers of the two hotels and the presented data was used to find out the significant factors considered in the evaluation of service quality in hotels via employing SPSS software version 21, employing descriptive statistics, and separate paired-samples t-tests. Based on the results from the customers’ view, service quality factors do not follow the same trends of
significance in five star hotels when the performance of the hotels is compared together. It
was revealed that based on the customers’ view, service quality factors have been taken seriously in the five star hotels.
The most important factors for five-star hotels were cleanliness, leisure facilities, and room rates, while the less important factor for customers of five-star hotels was hotel location. The least important factors were food and beverage quality as well as in time services and Internet speed. The study findings also showed that there was a discrepancy between the perceived services and the expected services by the customers in food and beverage quality, in time services, and Internet speed. This was similar in both hotels of course.
Meanwhile, expectation of customers in both hotels was met 4 in terms of cleanliness, leisure facilities, and room rates. The hotel’s atmosphere, accommodation services, and food quality were the three main factors perceived by the customers in both hotels. The findings of present study could be employed by the hoteliers and hotel managers to improve their marketing strategies. Also, students of hospitality and tourism as well as individuals interested in the field might get some insights covering the findings of the present study.