If you’ve ever stayed at a hotel and wondered whether your experience was being quietly observed or evaluated—you might be right. Hotels, just like restaurants and retail stores, often use mystery shoppers (also known as mystery guests) to assess and improve their guest experience.
At SecretPilot, we work with hotels to ensure that every aspect of the guest experience—from check-in to check-out—is to the highest standard. In this post, we explain what hotel mystery shoppers do, why hotels use them, and how this helps achieve better overall service.
So, Do Hotels Really Use Mystery Shoppers?
Yes, they do.
Many hotels—especially those with a focus on luxury service or a desire to maintain review ratings—employ mystery shoppers on a regular basis to anonymously probe how well staff meet the hotel’s service guarantee.
Mystery shoppers actually stay at the hotel just like an ordinary guest. The only variation? They are trained to observe closely, form opinions, and report with detailed feedback on the entire visit.
What Does a Hotel Mystery Shopper Do
A hotel mystery shopper checks in for the night, samples the facilities, speaks with employees, and even eats at the hotel restaurant or makes a spa reservation on occasion. But they’re not there to unwind—they have an assignment.
They Test:
- Reservation Process: Was booking easy and effective online or by phone?
- First Impressions: Was the door clean? Were they greeted with a smile when they arrived?
- Check-In Experience: Was the front desk efficient, friendly, and prompt?
- Room Cleaning and Comfort: Was the room spotless? Were the amenities refilled? Was everything working?
- Customer Service: Were staff members friendly, helpful, and available when needed?
- Facilities: Were facilities like the gym, pool, spa, or restaurant adequate?
- Check-Out: Did the check-out go smoothly and with consideration?
- They note in great detail—very often time stamped, photographed (where appropriate), and rated—and aggregate them into a confidential report.
Why Do Hotels Employ Mystery Shoppers?
1. To See the Guest Experience from the Inside
Management teams are not in a position to experience what the real guest experience truly is. A mystery shopper provides an unbiased, first-hand account of the actual customer journey.
2. To Detect Hidden Weaknesses
At times, issues go unnoticed by managers or staff—like sluggish room service or a front desk agent who’s never as friendly. Mystery shoppers quietly intercept these issues, giving hotels the insight they need to fix them before they impact reviews or reputation.
3. To Monitor Staff Performance
Mystery shoppers are able to gauge how well staff comply with training and brand standards. Are staff members being provided with name tags? Are they suggesting additional services? Are they being courteous and responsive? These are what matter in hospitality—and mystery shoppers are watching all of these things.
4. To Enforce Brand Standards
For high-end brands or chains, consistency is crucial. Mystery shoppers help ensure that all locations live up to brand expectations.
How Hotels Use the Results
After the mystery visit, SecretPilot sends the hotel a thorough report including:
- Strengths and highlights
- Areas for improvement
- Service gaps
- Guest satisfaction scores
- Staff performance insights
This report is an efficient tool for:
- Staff training
- Operational improvements
- Rewarding high performers
- Increasing guest loyalty
Final Thoughts
Yes, indeed—hotels do make use of mystery shoppers. And it’s one of the smartest ways to ensure their guests are always being given best-of-the-best service.
At SecretPilot.co, we specialize in providing high-quality mystery guest services for both small and big hotels. Our goal is to help you see your hotel through the eyes of a guest—so that you can keep going fine-tuning, astounding, and creating forgotten stays.
Have an insider’s view of your guest experience?
Visit SecretPilot.co today to learn more or schedule your first hotel audit.