Research summary · Guest survey · 2015
Ambient conditions in five-star hotels: odour, satisfaction and loyalty
In a survey of guests at five-star hotels in South Korea, odour and aroma had the most significant effect on satisfaction of the five ambient conditions studied, while temperature most shaped guests’ overall image of the hotel. Satisfaction in turn linked ambient conditions to loyalty.
Reviewed by Simon Faure-Field · 8 October 2026 · Based on the published abstract
At a glance
Key findings
- 5ambient conditions compared, including temperature and odour or aroma.
- Aromahad the most significant effect on guest satisfaction of the five.
- Temperaturehad the strongest influence on guests’ overall image of the hotel.
The study
Citation and study details
Citation: Suh, M., Moon, H., Han, H., & Ham, S. (2015). Invisible and intangible, but undeniable: Role of ambient conditions in building hotel guests’ loyalty. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 24(7), 727–753.
Read the record: Research record (PolyU)
- Study typeSurvey studyPeer-reviewed
- SampleGuests of five-star hotelsSample size not stated in the abstract
- SettingFive-star hotels in a metropolitan citySouth Korea
- Evidence gradeA: field evidence (survey)Correlational
Method
What the researchers did
Guests rated five ambient conditions in their hotel, alongside their image of the hotel, their satisfaction and their intention to return.
The study set out to identify how ambient conditions, the invisible and intangible parts of a hotel environment, shape guests’ overall image of a hotel, their satisfaction and their loyalty intentions. Guests of five-star hotels in a metropolitan city in South Korea were surveyed about five ambient-condition dimensions, including temperature and odour or aroma.
The researchers used a series of multiple regression analyses to test how each ambient dimension predicted overall image and satisfaction, and whether satisfaction carried the effect of ambient conditions through to loyalty intentions.
Results
What they found
Aroma mattered most for satisfaction, temperature mattered most for image, and satisfaction linked both to loyalty.
Among the five ambient-condition dimensions, odour and aroma had the most significant effect on guest satisfaction.
Temperature had the strongest influence on guests’ overall image of the hotel.
Customer satisfaction played a significant mediating role: ambient conditions influenced loyalty intentions largely through their effect on satisfaction. The authors conclude that their model sufficiently explains how multiple ambient factors generate image, satisfaction and loyalty.
Limitations
Limitations
A correlational survey of luxury hotels, and this summary is based on the abstract.
The study measured guests’ ratings rather than changing anything in the hotels, so it shows which ambient factors are associated with satisfaction, not that changing a scent would raise it. It was limited to five-star hotels in one city, and may not apply to other hotel categories or markets.
This summary is based on the published abstract. We have not yet reviewed the full paper, so the sample size, the other three ambient dimensions and the effect sizes are not reported here.
A note on the evidence
How strong is this evidence?
Supporting context for hotels, not experimental proof.
The study is useful because it places scent alongside the other ambient conditions guests experience, and finds that aroma stands out for satisfaction. As a single correlational survey, it is best read as evidence that guests notice and value how a hotel smells, rather than as a measure of what a scenting programme would achieve.
For commercial spaces
What it means for commercial spaces
For a luxury hotel, the study suggests that how the property smells is one of the ambient factors most closely tied to guest satisfaction, alongside getting the temperature right. Scent is best managed as part of the whole ambient environment, with attention to anything that undermines it, from stale odours to a fragrance that is too strong.
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How to cite this summary
Scent Swirl. (2026). Summary of Suh et al. (2015), Invisible and intangible, but undeniable: Role of ambient conditions in building hotel guests’ loyalty. Scent Research Library. https://scentswirl.com/research/suh-2015-hotel-ambient-conditions-loyalty/ (last reviewed 8 October 2026 by Simon Faure-Field).
This summary is based on the published abstract. We have not yet reviewed the full paper. If you spot an error or know of a study we should add, we would like to hear from you.
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