When a traveler nearby searches for a hotel, does yours come up? Google Maps named the hotel in 56.4% of searches, ChatGPT in 63.5%, Google AI Mode in 64.5% and Gemini in 64.6%. Google's AI Overviews named it in 10.4%, partly because Google showed no AI Overview in about half of those searches.
Local Falcon, a local AI search visibility platform, ran 66,240 AI searches to find out which hotels artificial intelligence is willing to name, how that compares with Google Maps, and where those answers come from.
Key findings:
How Often Each Platform Named the Hotel
ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode each named the hotel in nearly two in three searches. Google Maps named it in 56.4%, and Google's AI Overviews in 10.4%. Every hotel was searched with both phrases, and each figure below is the share of those searches in which the platform named the hotel.
| Platform | Share named | Named at all 9 points |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini | 64.6% | 40.0% |
| Google AI Mode | 64.5% | 36.5% |
| ChatGPT | 63.5% | 21.4% |
| Google Maps | 56.4% | 38.5% |
| Google AI Overviews | 10.4% | 0.0% |
Gemini was the most consistent, naming 40.0% of hotels at all nine points. Google Maps did so for 38.5%, Google AI Mode for 36.5% and ChatGPT for 21.4%.
The Wording Changed AI Answers, Not Google Maps
Google Maps returned almost identical results for the two phrases. The AI chatbots did not. Each named roughly three in four hotels for "best hotel near me" and just over half for "best hotels near me." Google's AI Overviews named 18.4% and 6.4%.
| Platform | "best hotel near me" | "best hotels near me" |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps | 56.4% | 56.3% |
| ChatGPT | 73.3% | 53.6% |
| Gemini | 75.3% | 53.9% |
| Google AI Mode | 75.7% | 53.3% |
| Google AI Overviews | 18.4% | 6.4% |
Google Showed an AI Overview in About Half of These Searches
The AI Overviews figures are low for two reasons: Google often showed no AI Overview, and when it did, the Overview rarely named the hotel. It appeared in 731 of 1,400 searches (52.2%), counting any search where Google showed AI Overview text at one or more of the nine points, even if it listed no hotels. Google Maps, ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode returned an answer in every search. When an AI Overview did appear, it named the hotel in 20.0% of those searches.
AI and Google Maps Name Different Hotels
In 859 of 1,971 hotel searches run on Google Maps and all three chatbots, the hotel did not appear on Maps. ChatGPT named the hotel in 432 of those searches, and at least one chatbot named it in 620.
In the other direction, 104 searches showed the hotel on Google Maps but not in any chatbot answer. In 239 searches, the hotel was not named in any of the four.
Hotels With More Reviews Are Named More Often
The share of hotels named generally rises with the number of Google reviews. ChatGPT named 52.1% of hotels with under 50 reviews and 83.8% of hotels with 2,500 or more. Google Maps named 53.1% and 88.2%.
By Number of Google Reviews
| Google reviews | Hotels | Google Maps | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | 96 | 53.1% | 52.1% | 48.4% | 49.2% |
| 50 to 199 | 206 | 52.7% | 58.6% | 56.3% | 59.7% |
| 200 to 499 | 265 | 53.8% | 62.6% | 69.3% | 65.2% |
| 500 to 999 | 260 | 55.8% | 66.4% | 64.9% | 68.4% |
| 1,000 to 2,499 | 137 | 62.4% | 70.2% | 73.3% | 69.9% |
| 2,500 or more | 34 | 88.2% | 83.8% | 88.1% | 80.9% |
By Google Rating
The Google rating is the average guest score on each hotel's Google listing, not its hotel class.
| Google rating | Hotels | Google Maps | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 3.5 | 185 | 0.3% | 41.5% | 48.4% | 46.9% |
| 3.5 to 3.9 | 220 | 14.8% | 59.5% | 59.3% | 61.0% |
| 4.0 to 4.4 | 369 | 91.7% | 71.1% | 73.3% | 72.3% |
| 4.5 to 4.7 | 142 | 88.0% | 74.5% | 71.3% | 71.5% |
| 4.8 or above | 82 | 80.5% | 71.3% | 65.2% | 66.3% |
Above 4.0, the share of hotels named stops rising. Hotels rated 4.8 or above were named slightly less often than hotels rated 4.5 to 4.7 on all four platforms: 71.3% against 74.5% on ChatGPT, for example.
AI Chatbots Name Lower-Rated Hotels That Google Maps Does Not
Google Maps named 0.3% of the 185 hotels with a Google rating under 3.5. The chatbots named far more of them: ChatGPT 41.5%, Gemini 48.4% and Google AI Mode 46.9%.
Hotels Named, by Hotel Group
Hyatt hotels had the highest ChatGPT share, at 90.9% of 11 hotels, followed by IHG at 81.0% and Marriott at 75.3%. Motel 6 and Studio 6 locations, owned by G6 Hospitality, had the lowest: 24.0% on ChatGPT, 14.0% on Gemini and 12.0% on Google AI Mode.
| Hotel group | Hotels | Google Maps | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt | 11 | 86.4% | 90.9% | 86.4% | 77.3% |
| IHG | 51 | 80.4% | 81.0% | 72.7% | 74.3% |
| Marriott | 99 | 83.8% | 75.3% | 75.6% | 71.2% |
| Best Western | 36 | 80.6% | 73.6% | 81.9% | 76.1% |
| Hilton | 81 | 84.0% | 71.9% | 71.6% | 71.0% |
| Choice | 91 | 35.7% | 61.2% | 62.6% | 62.6% |
| Sonesta | 17 | 29.4% | 50.0% | 70.6% | 67.6% |
| Wyndham | 107 | 23.8% | 48.8% | 54.5% | 58.2% |
| Extended Stay | 19 | 21.1% | 44.7% | 28.9% | 31.6% |
| G6 (Motel 6, Studio 6) | 25 | 16.0% | 24.0% | 14.0% | 12.0% |
For several groups, the chatbots named far more hotels than Google Maps. ChatGPT named 48.8% of Wyndham hotels and 61.2% of Choice hotels; Google Maps named 23.8% and 35.7%.
Independent and chain hotels were named at almost the same rate. ChatGPT named 63.7% of independents and 63.4% of chain hotels.
The Hotel Names AI Gives Most Often
AI often answers with a brand name rather than a specific property, so a name like Hampton Inn can stand for many different hotels. All ten of the names AI gave most often are chain brands: four from Hilton, three from Marriott, two from IHG and one from Best Western. Hampton Inn leads, named at 6,170 search points across the four AI platforms, ahead of Holiday Inn Express at 5,526.
| Name | Search points naming it |
|---|---|
| Hampton Inn | 6,170 |
| Holiday Inn Express | 5,526 |
| Hilton Garden Inn | 3,413 |
| Courtyard by Marriott | 3,326 |
| Hampton Inn & Suites | 3,253 |
| Home2 Suites by Hilton | 2,905 |
| Best Western | 2,452 |
| Residence Inn by Marriott | 2,376 |
| Holiday Inn Express & Suites | 2,135 |
| Fairfield by Marriott | 2,064 |
State by State
ChatGPT named the largest shares of hotels in Minnesota (93.8%), Massachusetts (92.9%) and Maryland (92.3%). It named the smallest shares in Texas (34.4% of 98 hotels), Utah (35.0%) and Tennessee (40.6%). In Texas, Gemini named 37.1% and Google AI Mode 36.6%, while Google Maps named 53.1%.
California, the largest sample, sat mid-table: ChatGPT named 60.0% of its 103 hotels, Gemini 68.0% and Google AI Mode 63.4%. States with fewer than 10 hotels in the study are not shown.
| State | Hotels | Google Maps | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 16 | 53.1% | 93.8% | 83.9% | 90.6% |
| Massachusetts | 14 | 64.3% | 92.9% | 82.1% | 89.3% |
| Maryland | 13 | 46.2% | 92.3% | 100.0% | 96.2% |
| New Jersey | 15 | 60.0% | 90.0% | 86.7% | 86.7% |
| New Mexico | 10 | 40.0% | 90.0% | 75.0% | 75.0% |
| Mississippi | 11 | 40.9% | 86.4% | 77.3% | 90.9% |
| North Carolina | 30 | 53.3% | 85.0% | 85.0% | 88.3% |
| Michigan | 26 | 65.4% | 82.7% | 86.5% | 98.1% |
| New York | 46 | 55.4% | 82.6% | 88.0% | 85.9% |
| Missouri | 21 | 52.4% | 78.6% | 88.1% | 83.3% |
| South Carolina | 23 | 60.9% | 78.3% | 67.4% | 80.4% |
| Ohio | 28 | 53.6% | 76.8% | 73.2% | 80.4% |
| Colorado | 26 | 75.0% | 73.1% | 82.7% | 84.6% |
| Illinois | 27 | 51.9% | 70.4% | 79.6% | 61.1% |
| Washington | 21 | 69.0% | 69.0% | 52.5% | 61.9% |
| Indiana | 18 | 44.4% | 66.7% | 69.4% | 75.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 32 | 60.9% | 64.1% | 60.9% | 59.4% |
| Oregon | 18 | 94.4% | 63.9% | 66.7% | 63.9% |
| Kentucky | 14 | 64.3% | 63.0% | 53.6% | 60.7% |
| Arizona | 22 | 47.7% | 62.8% | 65.9% | 54.5% |
| California | 103 | 58.7% | 60.0% | 68.0% | 63.4% |
| Florida | 83 | 57.2% | 59.6% | 62.7% | 59.6% |
| Alabama | 17 | 50.0% | 58.8% | 52.9% | 50.0% |
| Oklahoma | 10 | 35.0% | 57.9% | 65.0% | 40.0% |
| Louisiana | 16 | 40.6% | 56.2% | 53.1% | 46.9% |
| Georgia | 41 | 28.0% | 54.9% | 48.8% | 45.1% |
| Arkansas | 14 | 71.4% | 48.1% | 57.1% | 57.1% |
| Wisconsin | 20 | 65.0% | 43.6% | 35.9% | 55.0% |
| Virginia | 26 | 61.5% | 42.0% | 43.1% | 41.7% |
| Iowa | 12 | 50.0% | 41.7% | 50.0% | 66.7% |
| Tennessee | 32 | 51.6% | 40.6% | 45.3% | 32.8% |
| Utah | 10 | 60.0% | 35.0% | 20.0% | 33.3% |
| Texas | 98 | 53.1% | 34.4% | 37.1% | 36.6% |
Which Sources AI Answers Cite
Booking Sites Are the Most-Cited Sources for ChatGPT and Gemini
Booking sites account for 34.6% of ChatGPT's citations and 69.2% of Gemini's. Review platforms, led by Tripadvisor, account for 29.3% of ChatGPT's citations, while Gemini rarely cites them.
Google AI Mode is different: 99.7% of its citations point to Google-owned pages.
Hotel chain websites such as hilton.com, ihg.com and choicehotels.com make up 6.9% of ChatGPT's citations, 7.9% of Gemini's and 0.04% of Google AI Mode's.
| Type of source | ChatGPT | Gemini | Google AI Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google-owned pages | 6.3% | 1.8% | 99.7% |
| Booking sites | 34.6% | 69.2% | 0.2% |
| Editorial and other sites | 9.7% | 16.2% | 0.0% |
| Review platforms | 29.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hotel chain websites | 6.9% | 7.9% | 0.0% |
| Directories | 12.4% | 4.2% | 0.0% |
| Government and education | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.0% |
ChatGPT
| tripadvisor.com | 8,318 | 27.1% | |
| booking.com | 7,078 | 23.1% | |
| hotelguides.com | 3,168 | 10.3% | |
| expedia.com | 1,758 | 5.7% | |
| google.com | 1,713 | 5.6% | |
| hotels.com | 806 | 2.6% | |
| hilton.com | 477 | 1.6% | |
| choicehotels.com | 438 | 1.4% | |
| ihg.com | 403 | 1.3% | |
| kayak.com | 323 | 1.1% | |
| Other | 6,182 | 20.2% |
Gemini
| booking.com | 6,330 | 10.2% | |
| expedia.com | 6,122 | 9.9% | |
| hotelplanner.com | 5,697 | 9.2% | |
| hotels.com | 4,502 | 7.3% | |
| trivago.com | 3,597 | 5.8% | |
| kayak.com | 3,392 | 5.5% | |
| agoda.com | 1,855 | 3.0% | |
| hilton.com | 1,590 | 2.6% | |
| hotelguides.com | 1,391 | 2.3% | |
| guestreservations.com | 1,317 | 2.1% | |
| Other | 26,017 | 42.1% |
Google AI Mode
| Google-owned pages (all Google domains) | 319,273 | 99.7% | |
| expedia.com | 159 | 0.05% | |
| hotels.com | 114 | 0.04% | |
| booking.com | 85 | 0.03% | |
| agoda.com | 56 | 0.02% | |
| trivago.com | 48 | 0.01% | |
| tripadvisor.com | 45 | 0.01% | |
| guestreservations.com | 36 | 0.01% | |
| ihg.com | 30 | 0.01% | |
| hilton.com | 28 | 0.01% | |
| Other | 411 | 0.1% |
How Often the Chatbots Agree
In 886 of the 1,971 hotel searches, or 45.0%, all three chatbots named the hotel. In 343, or 17.4%, none did.
Methodology
Local Falcon searched 998 US hotels across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. on Google Maps, ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews, using two phrases: "best hotel near me" and "best hotels near me." Each search ran from 9 points on a grid around the hotel, using a 2 mile radius. That produced 84,204 searches, 66,240 of them on AI platforms.
A hotel counted as named when the platform named that specific hotel at one or more of the 9 points. Brand names without a location, such as "Hampton Inn," did not count, and AI answers that recommended hotels outside the US were removed. Ratings and review counts come from each hotel's Google listing, and citations are the source links attached to each AI answer.
