Munich, Germany – As travelers, we often seek a sense of connection and belonging in the places we visit. While elements like architecture, design, and service play a significant role in shaping our experience, there is another factor that is often overlooked – music.
A recent European pilot music study, conducted by HearDis! in collaboration with Motel One, has provided data-driven evidence of the impact of local music on the hotel experience. The results of the study demonstrate clear positive effects on guests’ sense of place, satisfaction, and cultural curiosity.
HearDis! has a long-standing partnership with Motel One and The Cloud One Hotels, creating curated playlists that reflect the unique identities of the cities where the hotels are located. These playlists are a key part of the Motel One Group’s brand commitment to making cities and their identities tangible to guests.
The study examined the measurable contribution of local music to guests’ sense of arrival and overall quality of stay. The findings showed a strong impact, with guests exposed to local playlists reporting feeling three times more connected to the destination compared to those listening to non-local playlists. Overall satisfaction also increased significantly, with guests rating their stay as good or very good rising from 66% to 79%. The study also found that local playlists enhanced cultural curiosity and inspired guests to discover new artists.
The pilot study was conducted as part of the EU-funded Horizon Europe research project, OpenMusE, which investigates innovative and fair usage contexts for music across Europe. Six Motel One Group hotels participated, each playing two brand-fit music programs, one featuring local artists, language, or regional context and the other without any local references. Guests and employees evaluated their experience anonymously, without knowledge of the study’s purpose, ensuring a reliable comparison.
Susan Schramm, CMO of the Motel One Group, believes that music is a highly effective yet often underestimated part of the guest journey. “Our guests should not just stay in a city – they should truly arrive, emotionally and culturally,” she says. “This study shows that music is a strategic component of the modern hospitality experience, which we will continue to develop and scale together with Motel One.”
Sören Maisch, Director In-Store Music at HearDis!, adds, “Local music strengthens the sense of place and measurably enhances the overall experience – regardless of age, gender, or musical taste. This proves that music serves as a strategic component of modern hospitality experience, which we will continue to develop and scale together with Motel One.”
The study highlights that the effectiveness of local music is not driven by song recognition, but rather its ability to convey the character of a place. By making a destination’s identity audible, local playlists create a cultural connection between the brand, city, and traveler.
Moving forward, Motel One and HearDis! will continue to develop and expand local music programs to consistently embed local profiles along the guest journey while increasing visibility for local artists.
For more information, please contact:
Inken Mende
Director Corporate Communications & PR
Motel One
Tegernseer Landstraße 165
81539 München
Tel.: +49 89665025-818
E-Mail: imende@motel-one.com
Internet: www.motel-one.com
