What hotel guests REALLY want, and really want to avoid

When it comes to the ideal hotel stay, the joy of scoring a free upgrade surely must be at the top of every traveller's wish list, right?

Not so, according to a survey of Australian travellers by accommodation booking website HotelClub.com.

In fact, weary Australians would prefer a much-needed sleep-in over a nicer room.

Hotel guests really want a sleep in over a room upgrade.

More than 22 per cent of those surveyed picked a late check out/early check-in as their top free hotel inclusion. This was followed by an upgrade (20 per cent), high-speed wi-fi (18 per cent), and food and beverage credits (16 per cent).

Meanwhile, 10 per cent wanted free stays for kids, 9 per cent preferred free massages, 4 per cent wanted a free bottle of wine, and less than 1 per cent wanted a nanny service and slippers.

President of HotelClub Nicolas Chu said the results indicate upgrades aren't always the top priority of travellers.

"While we all love to dream of that luxurious holiday in an upgraded hotel, it seems that Aussies are actually more likely to be after some extra time in their destination - in the form of an early check-in or late check-out," Mr Chu said.

"This was a surprise for us as travellers often talk about how to score that elusive upgrade - be it while flying or staying at a hotel. It may be because we're trying to get more out of our destination - or are just exhausted from daily life and in need of some extra hours sleep."

The biggest hotel pet peeves were also revealed. A third of travellers were most annoyed by a lack of cleanliness, followed by uncomfortable beds (17 per cent), noise and disruptions (13 per cent) and extra or unexpected fees (11 per cent).

Poor customer service was next at 8 per cent, followed by poor room facilities (6 per cent), bad hotel facilities (4 per cent) and below-standard bathrooms (3 per cent). Poor security and poor room lighting and ventilation were next.

Quality hotel facilities, well-equipped rooms and high customer service were important to travellers.