Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: 
A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective

Kiranraj Pande; Kripal Raj Subedi; Md Jamirul Haque

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Research Article |

| Peer-Reviewed

Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective

Kiranraj Pande^*

, Kripal Raj Subedi, Md Jamirul Haque

Published in International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management (Volume 10, Issue 1)

Received: 8 March 2026 Accepted: 18 March 2026 Published: 7 April 2026

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

This study aims to explore hotel service quality and its emotional and behavioral impacts within the context of the hotel industry in Nepal. Specifically, it examines the relationships between service quality, perceived value, positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty by employing the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework. A quantitative approach was utilized for the study. Data were collected from hotel customers in Nepal. The hypothesized relationships were tested with structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS. The study found that service quality significantly influences the internal psychological and emotional states of customers. Specifically, service quality positively affects perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences, suggesting that high-quality hotel services enhance customer’s cognitive evaluation and emotional reactions during their stay. Consistent with the organism component of the SOR theory, perceived value and positive emotions play important mediating roles in translating service quality into memorable experiences. Similarly, memorable experiences serve as a key organism state that links internal reactions to behavioral outcomes. Memorable experiences mediate the relationships between service quality and both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, which represent response stage in the SOR framework. Overall, the findings strongly support the applicability of the SOR theory in explaining customer behavior in the hotel industry. Service quality acts as environmental stimulus that shapes customer’s cognitive and emotional states, which in turn drive favorable behavioral responses such as satisfaction and loyalty. By highlighting the sequential process through which service quality influences internal psychological mechanisms and subsequent behavioral outcomes, this study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of customer experience formation in hospitality settings. Moreover, findings of this study offer valuable insights for enhancing service strategies and improving customer experiences.

Published in	International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management (Volume 10, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23
Page(s)	139-156
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Service Quality, Perceived Value, Positive Emotion, Memorable Experience, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty

1. Introduction

The hotel industry has experienced steady growth in both establishments and bed capacity over the past decade

[16]

. As a service-driven sector, its success hinges on delivering exceptional service that meet rising customer expectations

[20]

. Service quality is vital to customer satisfaction and loyalty

[1, 59, 62]

. Maintaining high standards of services not only fosters repeat business but also ensures a competitive edge

[43]

Memorable experience reflects a customer’s perception of a product's excellence, closely tied to their expectations and satisfaction

[28]

. When such experiences align with customer needs, they enhance satisfaction and support long-term profitability. Industries that understand and anticipate customer expectations are better positioned to deliver these impacts, fostering loyalty and positive word-of-mouth

[27]

. In hotels, memorable experiences such as unique amenities and tailored services significantly shape guest perceptions and loyalty

[29]

. Moreover, perceived value, or the balance between service quality and cost, further enhances these experiences

[74]

The Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model is crucial for understanding how hotel service quality impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty by mediating the effects of positive emotions and perceived value through memorable experiences

[41]

. In the context of hotels, service quality serves as the primary stimulus that influences guests' internal states, such as emotions and cognitive evaluations. These internal states, in turn, shape the perceived value of the stay and the overall memorable experience. These memorable experiences and positive emotions are integral to achieving higher customer satisfaction and fostering loyalty. Consequently, the SOR model has potential to provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating how internal psychological processes mediate the relationship between service quality and long-term organizational outcomes, offering valuable guidance for improving hotel management strategies and enhancing guest experiences.

The hotel and tourism industries are vital drivers of Nepal's service sector, contributing approximately 25% of the country's total foreign exchange earnings. Since the introduction of the Nepal Tourism Master Plan in 1972 and subsequent marketing strategies, the government has prioritized the development and promotion of hotels

[23]

. With the growing influx of international visitors, there is a rising demand for quality accommodation and memorable guest experiences. However, existing literature offers limited insights into how Nepalese hotels create such experiences. Few studies have specifically examined tourists’ perceptions of hotels’ services in Nepal.

This study aims to fill above gap by exploring the relationship between service quality, positive emotion, perceived value, memorable experience, and organizational outcomes from the visitors’ perspective. It also investigates the mediating role of positive emotions and perceived value in enhancing customer loyalty. Applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, the research will examine how service quality and memorable experiences influence satisfaction and loyalty in the hotel industry. By assessing key service quality dimensions and their impact on tourist experiences, the study seeks to offer both theoretical contributions and practical insights. The findings are expected to help hotel managers in Nepal, and potentially beyond, design more effective, value-driven services that foster lasting customer loyalty and enhance overall business performance.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Service Quality

Service quality is shaped by the unique characteristics of services such as intangibility, heterogeneity, inseparability, and perishability

[53]

. Perceived service quality, as defined by Zeithaml et al.

[76]

, is a customer’s judgment about a service’s overall excellence or superiority. From the consumer's perspective, it is closely tied to customer satisfaction, emphasizing subjective perceptions over technical standards

[65]

, which can be described as a global attitude reflecting the perceived degree of excellence in service delivery. Service quality is a key driver of competitive advantage, directly contributing to a firm's profitability and productivity

[70]

. It is widely recognized as a precursor to customer satisfaction, which in turn fosters loyalty

[13, 56]

. High service quality encourages favorable behavioral intentions such as repurchase, positive word-of-mouth, brand endorsement, and reduced price sensitivity. Conversely, poor service quality can lead to customer dissatisfaction and switching behavior

[8]

. Studies have also linked high service quality to increased profitability, cost efficiency, and market share.

2.2. Positive Emotion and Perceived Value

As stated by Bagozzi et al.

[6]

, emotions represent a cognitive assessment of events or thoughts, coupled with physiological reactions, often manifested through facial expressions, gestures, and postures. Emotions stem from biological responses and serve as a primary motivator for human actions. He further delineates emotions into three dimensions: subjective experiences, expressive behaviors, and physiological alterations triggered by external stimuli. Oliveira et al.

[47]

contend that consumers' emotional reactions to perceived quality during consumption encounters can vary between positive and negative. Meanwhile, Oh and Kim

[46]

conducted a study examining the impact of emotions on online reviews of fine-dining restaurants. Drawing on Herzberg's two-factor theory, certain aspects of consumer experiences were found to elicit exclusively positive emotions. Existing research in the domains of tourism, hospitality, and restaurant consumer behavior has predominantly emphasized positive emotional responses.

Customer perceived value serves as a crucial determinant of various behavioral outcomes in the hotel industry, encompassing patronage, intention to revisit, satisfaction, and loyalty

[11]

. In defining perceived value, Sweeney and Soutar

[64]

emphasize its comprehensive nature, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative aspects, subjective and objective factors, which collectively contribute to the overall consumption experience. This definition underscores the multifaceted and subjective character of perceived value beyond mere considerations of price and quality. It encompasses affective dimensions such as self-gratification, aesthetic pleasure, prestige, transactional aspects, and hedonism, reflecting the diverse elements that contribute to customers' holistic evaluation of their experiences. Understanding the multidimensional nature of perceived value provides a more nuanced understanding of the entire hospitality experience, thereby serving as a robust predictor of behavioral outcomes such as satisfaction and loyalty among guests during their hotel stays

[10]

Prior research underscores that a guest's assessment of the value obtained from their hotel experience profoundly influences their allegiance to a specific brand or property

[42]

. Perceived value encompasses not only tangible elements like pricing and amenities but also intangible facets, including the quality of service and the overall experiential aspect. When customers perceive that the benefits and caliber of services provided by a hotel surpass the associated costs, they are more inclined to cultivate a sense of loyalty. This fidelity is then reflected in recurrent visits and positive recommendations through word-of-mouth

[10]

2.3. Memorable Experience

A memorable experience is characterized by its ability to create a lasting impact on an individual's memory and emotions, often distinguished by uniqueness, emotional resonance, and the generation of positive and meaningful moments

[67]

. Within the hotel industry, memorable experiences encompass outstanding customer service, personalized attention, or distinctive features setting them apart from normal encounters. These memorable experiences have the potential to evoke positive emotions, heighten customer satisfaction, and foster long-term brand loyalty

[42]

. Experiential marketing theory, as proposed by Schmitt

[57]

, suggests that memorable experiences have more profound effects on customer attitudes and behaviors. Additionally, a memorable experience, as outlined by Vada et al.

[69]

, is one that customers recall after the event, necessitating novelty and the ability to elicit affective feelings through cognitive processing. Service quality, evaluated subjectively by customers through cognitive processes, particularly in encounters with emotional content and extraordinary events, is crucial for memorability and subsequently influences attitudes and purchasing behaviors

[69]

2.4. Organizational Outcomes

In the context of the hotel industry, customer satisfaction and loyalty are significant components of organizational outcomes

[72]

. The assessment of customer satisfaction and loyalty provides valuable insights into the overall success and effectiveness of an organization, helping stakeholders make informed decisions and adjustments to enhance performance and achieve long-term viability

[17]

. In the hotel industry, customer loyalty serves as key indicator of success and sustainability. A delicate balance between pricing strategies, operational efficiency, and adapting to external market influences plays a crucial role determining financial success. Moreover, customer satisfaction, another pivotal organizational outcome, is intrinsically linked to guest experiences and service quality

[45]

. Satisfied customers not only contribute to repeat business but also contribute to positive word-of-mouth, fostering brand loyalty

[65]

2.5. Hypothesis Development

Service quality encompasses consumers' perceptions of product or service performance in meeting their needs and expectations

[4]

. Hotels rely on maintaining high service quality to stay competitive

[66]

. Beyond tangible attributes like infrastructure or accessibility, perceived quality includes intangible elements such as hotel atmosphere, social endorsement, and consumer orientation

[63]

. According to Pine and Gilmore

[50]

, organizations are encouraged to create memorable events intentionally to engage customers, fostering satisfaction and loyalty. Similarly, Ha and Jang

[18]

noted that attributes of the servicescape play a crucial role in creating unique atmospheres for gastronomic experiences, enhancing consumer satisfaction and loyalty. This atmosphere can create and enhance customers’ sensory stimulus. Sensory stimuli are essential marketing tools, generating memorable consumption experiences by engaging the five human senses and eliciting emotions, thoughts, learning, and memories. Through the senses, the human being captures the stimuli from the environment, generating emotions, thoughts, comprehension, learning and memories of their experiences

[2]

H1: Service quality has significant positive impact on memorable experience.

Bastiaansen et al.

[7]

suggest that emotions are biologically rooted responses, serving as a primary driver of human behavior. According to Jang and Namkung

[25]

, consumers' emotional reactions to perceived quality during consumption can vary between positive and negative. In this regard, Oh and Kim

[46]

explored the role of emotions in online restaurant reviews, finding that certain aspects of consumer experiences evoke exclusively positive emotions. Han and Back

[19]

and Souki et al.

[63]

also investigated consumer emotions in dining experiences, measuring positive feelings using various indicators related to service quality. Additionally, Ribeiro and Prayag

[54]

, and Marinkovic et al.

[38]

assert that perceived quality in restaurant experiences significantly influences customer emotions.

H2: Service quality has significant positive impact on positive emotions.

Service quality directly influences customers' assessments of the benefits relative to the costs

[24]

. When customers perceive high service quality, they are more likely to believe that they are receiving value commensurate with what they are paying for or investing in

[55]

. Prompt and attentive service, consistent delivery of promised benefits, and personalized interactions can enhance customers' perceptions of value

[48]

. Conversely, poor service quality may lead to perceptions of low value, regardless of the actual price or features of the service.

H3: Service quality has significant positive impact on perceived value.

When consumers encounter experiences that align with their expectations, they tend to express positive emotions

[75]

. Bastiaansen et al.

[7]

argue that emotions play a central role in shaping experiences, as they contribute to the creation of memorable moments

[44, 58]

. Consequently, positive emotion is regarded as a significant experiential factor to assess. Investigating emotions and their connection to human senses is crucial for crafting unforgettable experiences. Horng and Hsu

[21]

and Liu et al.

[36]

contend that emotions influence consumers' recollection of memorable dining experiences.

H4: Positive emotion has significant positive impact on memorable experience.

When customers perceive a high level of value in a particular experience, they are more likely to remember it positively and cherish it as a memorable event

[22]

. If a customer feels that they received exceptional service or gained significant benefits from a product that exceeded their expectations, they are likely to associate that experience with feelings of delight and satisfaction

[9]

. Experiences that fail to deliver perceived value may be forgettable or even negatively remembered. By providing better value in the experience, industries can enhance the likelihood of creating lasting, memorable impressions that contribute positively to customer loyalty and advocacy.

H5: Perceived value has significant positive impact on memorable experience.

When customers encounter experiences that leave a lasting impression, whether through exceptional service, unique features, or personalized interactions, they are more likely to feel satisfied with their overall interaction with a product or service provider

[77]

. Memorable experiences evoke positive emotions and foster a sense of connection and loyalty between customers and brands

[5]

. Moreover, memorable experiences contribute to building strong relationships between customers and brands, as they create a sense of trust and affinity that extends beyond the transactional aspect of the interaction.

H6: Memorable experience has significant positive impact on customer satisfaction.

Souki et al.

[63]

noted that loyalty is manifested in consumers' behavioral intention to maintain relationships with specific companies or brands, persistently choosing their offerings. Likewise, Brochado et al.

[9]

assert that consumers rely on both internal, for instance memory, and external, such as media and influence groups, sources of information during the buying decision process, with memory being the initial source typically utilized. Sipe and Testa

[61]

highlighted the critical role of memory in consumers' revisit decisions and word-of-mouth communications. They further emphasized the value creation potential of unique and memorable experiences, which significantly influence consumers' decision-making processes, behavioral intentions, and word-of-mouth communications.

H7: Memorable experience has significant positive impact on customer loyalty.

Download: Download full-size image

Figure 1. Research model.

3. Methodology

3.1. Research Design

Given that the study aimed to explore and measure the relationships between different variables, this study employed a quantitative methodology, which is typically used to confirm a specific pattern or theory by examining the relationship between variables

[34]

, and involves gathering numerical data and analyzing it with statistical methods. A conceptual model (Figure 1) was designed to examine the relationship between service quality, positive emotion, perceived value, memorable experience, and customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The questionnaire survey was conducted among the consumers of hotels in Nepal, via both online and off line surveys. Collected data were analyzed using statistical software such as SPSS and AMOS.

3.2. Theoretical Framework

This study employed Mehrabian and Russell’s Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, an early framework for exploring the impact of atmosphere on customer behavior. As studies on customer engagement have shown its positive effects, identifying the stimulus (S) variables affecting the organism (O) and subsequently influencing responses (R) in service settings becomes imperative. A stimulus denotes any environmental factor evoking internal reactions from individuals. Within service environments like hotels, elements of service quality serve as stimuli for customer responses

[35]

. Regarding the organism, the original model delineated three emotional states experienced by customers: pleasure, arousal, and dominance. However, this study delves into positive emotion, perceived value, and memorable experience. There exists evidence indicating that the organism can impact behavioral outcomes—the response

[14]

. Specifically, this study focuses on customer satisfaction and loyalty as the behavioral outcomes.

S-O-R theory is effective to demonstrate sequential causal relationships between the constructs of the hypothetical model. The service quality factor (stimulus) was explored from the Factor Analysis of relevant items in service quality derived from literature. Also, this study tests whether these service quality factors impact consumers’ positive emotions, perceived value and memorable experiences (organism). The model also verifies if customers’ memorable experiences are an antecedent of their satisfaction and loyalty (response).

3.3. Questionnaire Design

A questionnaire was designed for the survey aiming to check the hypothesized relationships. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. In first section, respondents were allowed to evaluate their hotel stay on 5 point like scale, where 1=completely dissatisfied and 5=completely satisfied. This section included six variables namely service quality, perceived value, positive emotion, memorable experience, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The hotel service quality was measured using five dimensions of SERV-QUAL scale namely tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy

[53]

. These dimensions included a total of 26 items. Similarly, the perceived value and positive emotion were measured with six items each adopted from Jones et al.

[26]

and Prayag et al.

[51]

respectively. Likewise, 28 items used to measure memorable experience were adopted from Oh et al.

[44]

, Kim et al.

[29]

and Prentice et al.

[52]

. Finally, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty items were adopted from Al-Khattab and Aldehayyat

[3]

and Lai et al.

[30]

respectively. The wordings in items were adjusted to match them to the research context. The second section of the questionnaire included demographic information of the respondents. A filter question was posed at the beginning of the questionnaire to ensure the respondent has consumed hotel services.

3.4. Data Collection

Table 1. Variables measurement items.

Variable	Measurement items	Codes	Source
Service Quality (SQ)	Tangibility		Ho et al. (2013) and Parasuraman et al. (1985 & 1988).
	The furniture and room in the hotel are modern and comfortable.	TG1
	The interior and exterior decoration in this hotel is appealing.	TG2
	The employees have a neat appearance and are well-groomed.	TG3
	The hotel facilities are up to date.	TG4
	The hotel has a great view.	TG5
	The hotel room is clean.	TG6
	Reliability
	The hotel staff can provide the correct information of service.	REL1
	Hotel staffs offer services following the customers’ requests in advance.	REL2
	The reservation systems are very comfortable to use and informative.	REL3
	Checking-in and checking-out are not too long.	REL4
	Hotel staffs comply with health safety procedures.	REL5
	Responsiveness
	The staffs are courteous.	RES1
	The hotel staffs are determined and ready to provide the service.	RES2
	The hotel staffs adapted service and flexibility.	RES3
	The hotel staffs are willing to perform their duty.	RES4
	The hotel staffs provide the service and can solve problems promptly.	RES5
	Assurance
	The hotel staffs are professional and knowledgeable in answering the customer question.	ASU1
	The hotel staffs can communicate well.	ASU2
	The hotel staffs are sufficient to support the hotel to perform their job.	ASU3
	The hotel staffs have the skills and abilities to provide the service.	ASU4
	The hotel has a security system to ensure customer safety	ASU5
	The hotel is cleaned and disinfected regularly for health safety.	ASU6
	Empathy
	Hotel staffs pay great attention to the customers during the whole period of stay.	EMP1
	Hotel staffs treat every customer equally.	EMP2
	Hotel staffs can assist customers without any request.	EMP3
	Hotel staffs can exceed customer expectations.	EMP4
	The hotel staffs listen to customers' complaints and sincerely correct their service.	EMP5
Perceived value (PV)	I have a huge saving from staying at this hotel.	PV1	Jones, Mak et al. (2007)
	I really appreciate the free breakfast included in this hotel stay.	PV2
	This hotel has the best value for great services.	PV3
	I got the best room rate than any of the other hotels in the area.	PV4
	This is a first-class hotel at the best rate possible.	PV5
	I value the discount rate/room upgrades at this hotel.	PV6
Positive Emotion (PE)	I get a sense of amazement in the hotel services.	PE1	Hosany et al. (2017)
	I get a sense of caring in hotel services.	PE2
	I get a sense of inspiration in hotel services.	PE3
	I get a sense of joy in hotel services.	PE4
	I get a sense of love in hotel services.	PE5
	I get a sense of pleasure in hotel services.	PE6
Memorable Experience (ME)	The hotel service is outstanding.	ME1	Prentice, Ferreira et al. (2022), Oh et al., (2007) and Kim (2014)
	I feel very stimulated during my stay.	ME2
	I feel very pleased during my stay.	ME3
	I have wonderful memories of my visit to this hotel.	ME4
	I won’t forget my experience visiting this hotel.	ME5
	I will remember many positive things about this hotel.	ME6
	This hotel stay provided me a variety of opportunities to experience local way of life	ME7
	From this hotel stay, I learned a lot about the local history and culture.	ME8
	I participated on a lot of recreational activities during the hotel stay.	ME9
	Service staffs were friendly and willing to help me.	ME10
	Service staffs provided me information about hotel and the destination.	ME11
	The hotel had uniquely designed infrastructure.	ME12
	The hotel had a high quality of infrastructure.	ME13
	The hotel had good signage and directions.	ME14
	The hotel had a good availability of tourism information.	ME15
	The hotel was unclean.	ME16
	The hotel had a bad smell.	ME17
	The hotel was unsafe.	ME18
	It was inconvenient to reach to the hotel.	ME19
	It took me long hours to get to the hotel.	ME20
	It was difficult to travel around the hotel.	ME21
	The service staffs provided highly customized services.	ME22
	The service staffs provided impressive services.	ME23
	The hotel was located at beautiful geographical location.	ME24
	There was a beautiful landscape around the hotel.	ME25
	The hotel had a unique architecture.	ME26
	The hotel provided special cuisines.	ME27
	The hotel had interesting buildings.	M28
Customer Satisfaction (CS)	Overall, I am satisfied with the hotel service.	CS1	Khattab and Aldehayyat (2011)
	I am satisfied with my decision to visit this hotel.	CS2
	My choice of this hotel was a wise idea.	CS3
	I will say positive things about this hotel.	CS4
Customer Loyalty (CL)	I would like to revisit the hotel.	CL1	Lai (2019)
	I would like to stay at this hotel.	CL2
	I would like to prefer this hotel as the first choice when I revisit the place.	CL3
	I will stay again at this hotel because of the service quality.	CL4

A pilot study was conducted to check the questionnaire. A Google form link of preliminary questionnaire was sent to 30 selected participants via Facebook-messenger aiming to check the clarity and readability of the questionnaire and also to ascertain the completion time of 5-10 minutes. The participants for pilot study were selected from the researchers’ alumni network, family and friends. Based on the feedbacks from participants of pilot study, some minor changes in wordings were performed to enhance clarity of the questionnaire. Then, the final questionnaire was prepared for the main survey.

Survey participants were recruited using a snowball and a purposive sampling strategy. The seed respondents were selected using the researchers’ friends, family and alumni network and requested them to send the questionnaire to other eligible respondents. Following this process, the questionnaire was sent to 500 individuals; however, only 318 responded and filled the questionnaire. Each questionnaire samples were checked upon return to ensure they are properly filled. After removing invalid samples, a total of 311 samples were eligible to proceed for the analysis. The data collection period was one month starting from August, 2024.

3.5. Data Analysis

SPSS-Amos was employed to process and analyze the data. A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to model and estimate the causal relationships between the variables. According to Westland

[73]

, SEM is used when dealing with complex structural models that involve multiple constructs, indicators, and relationships. SEM includes a measurement model that defines the relationships between variables and their indicators, as well as a structural model that predicts causal connections based on theoretical principles.

4. Results

4.1. Profile of Respondents

A total of 311 questionnaire samples were subjected to the analysis. As shown in Table 2, majority of the respondents were males (61.7%) and females accounted for 38.3%. The largest proportion aged between 20 and 29 years (59.2%). The detailed information about the profile of respondents is presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Demographic profile of respondents.

		N	%
Gender	Male	192	61.7%
Gender	Female	119	38.3%
Age	Below 20 years	12	3.9%
	20-29 years	184	59.2%
	30-39 years	85	27.3%
	40-49 years	14	4.5%
	Above 50 years	16	6.1%
Education Level	Primary	8	2.6%
	Secondary or senior secondary	33	10.6%
	Bachelor's Degree	146	46.9%
	Master Degree and above	124	39.9%
Occupation	Student	102	32.8%
	Employed	170	54.7%
	Unemployed	29	9.3%
	Retired	10	3.2%
Monthly Income	Below Rs.20000	91	29.3%
	Rs.20000-30000	33	10.6%
	Rs.30000-40000	42	13.5%
	Rs.40000-50000	32	10.3%
	Rs.50000-100000	81	26.0%
	Above 1000000	32	10.3%

4.2. SEM Result

Based on the hypothesized relationship of the variables, a factor analysis was performed to test the measurement model using SPSS-Amos software. Table 3 presents the result of factor analysis.

Table 3. Result of Factor analysis.

	Service quality	Perceived value	Positive emotion	Memorable experience	Customer satisfaction	Customer loyalty
TG1	0.632
TG2	0.642
TG3	0.671
TG4	0.656
TG5	0.624
TG6	0.674
REL1	0.629
REL2	0.655
REL3	0.682
RES1	0.580
RES2	0.605
RES3	0.713
RES4	0.602
RES5	0.589
ASU1	0.733
ASU2	0.662
ASU3	0.551
ASU5	0.702
ASU6	0.745
EMP1	0.748
EMP2	0.676
EMP3	0.749
EMP4	0.760
EMP5	0.729
PV1		0.606
PV2		0.706
PV3		0.820
PV4		0.770
PV5		0.752
PV6		0.811
PE1			0.789
PE2			0.808
PE3			0.820
PE4			0.739
PE5			0.838
PE6			0.686
ME1				0.807
ME2				0.707
ME3				0.778
ME4				0.812
ME5				0.747
ME6				0.808
ME7				0.669
ME8				0.684
ME9				0.787
ME10				0.744
ME11				0.745
ME12				0.747
ME13				0.657
ME14				0.660
ME15				0.672
ME16				0.801
ME17				0.807
ME18				0.789
ME19				0.794
ME20				0.775
ME21				0.727
ME23				0.700
ME24				0.510
ME25				0.544
ME26				0.665
ME27				0.622
ME28				0.655
CS1					0.686
CS2					0.741
CS3					0.764
CS4					0.762
CL1						0.798
CL2						0.768
CL3						0.795
CL4						0.802
Chronbach α	0.969	0.904	0.937	0.931	0.912	0.956
CR	0.997	0.969	0.983	0.979	0.942	0.964

Measurement model

The measurement model was evaluated based on several measurement criteria, such as conversant validity, discriminant validity, and composite reliability. To establish convergent validity of the measurement model, the factor analysis was run repeatedly and four items namely REL4 (Checking-in and checking-out are not too long), REL5 (Hotel staffs comply with health safety procedures), ASU4 (The hotel staffs have the skills and abilities to provide the service) and ME22 (The service staffs provided highly customized services) were removed because of their factor loadings below cut-off value of 0.5

[60]

. As shown in Table 3, all the factor loadings exceeded 0.5 indicating the adequate conversant validity of the measurement model. Similarly, discriminant validity was assessed to determine whether the indicators of a construct are highly correlated with those of other constructs. Fornell and Larcker

[15]

criteria was used to confirm the discriminant validity of each variables. As illustrated in Table 4, the square roots of the AVE values exceeded the inter-construct correlations for all variables, confirming the discriminant validity of the measurement model.

Table 4. The square root of AVE and inter-construct correlations.

Variables	Service quality	Perceived value	Positive emotion	Memorable experience	Customer satisfaction	Customer loyalty
Service quality	0.991
Perceived value	0.798	0.892
Positive emotion	0.789	0.811	0.773
Memorable experience	0.678	0.816	0.768	0.755
Customer satisfaction	0.695	0.746	0.719	0.692	0.860
Customer loyalty	0.712	0.820	0.751	0.744	0.846	0.707

Note: bold figures in the diagonal represents square roots of AVE

Composite reliability was assessed with two kinds of measurement namely composite reliability and Cronbach's alpha. Both composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha values were greater than recommended cut-off value of 0.7

[12]

. The composite reliability and Cronbach’s alpha are presented in Table 3.

Structural model

The R square values of all dependent variables were assessed to check the structural model. The R Square quantifies the proportion of variance in the endogenous variable that can be accounted for by the exogenous variables. According to Ozili

[49]

the R square value above 0.1 is acceptable in the case of all relationships are significant. Table 5 shows that all R square values are in acceptable range.

Table 5. R Square values.

Variables	R Square
Perceived value	0.637
Positive emotion	0.623
Memorable experience	0.460
Customer satisfaction	0.483
Customer loyalty	0.508

4.3. Hypothesis Testing

Direct effect

Direct effects analysis was performed to test direct effect between independent variables and dependent variables. The standardized regression weight with positive estimates indicated positive impact and P-Value less than 0.05 indicated significances. As shown in Table 6, p-values of all hypothesized relationships were less than 0.05 indicating the acceptance of all seven hypotheses.

Table 6. Direct effects analysis.

		Estimates	P-Values	Results
H1 Service quality	Memorable experience	0.790	0.000	Significant
H2 Service quality	Positive emotion	0.806	0.000	Significant
H3 Service quality	Perceived value	0.795	0.000	Significant
H4 Positive emotion	Memorable experience	0.838	0.000	Significant
H5 Perceived value	Memorable experience	0.857	0.000	Significant
H6 Memorable experience	Customer satisfaction	0.718	0.007	Significant
H7 Memorable experience	Customer loyalty	0.737	0.009	Significant

Indirect effect

The analysis of indirect effects was conducted to explore how independent variables influence the dependent variable through an intervening variable. A P-value less than 0.05 suggests that the intervening variable plays a significant role. Table 7 shows that the perceived value and positive emotion mediate the relationship between service quality and memorable experience. Similarly, memorable experience mediates the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction as well as the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty.

Table 7. Indirect Effects Analysis.

			Estimates	Results
Service quality	Perceived value	Memorable experience	0.532	Significant
Service quality	Positive emotion	Memorable experience	0.434	Significant
Service quality	Memorable experience	Customer satisfaction	0.333	Significant
Service quality	Memorable experience	Customer loyalty	0.472	Significant

5. Discussion and Implications

5.1. Theoretical Implications

This study investigated how hotel service quality affects customer satisfaction and loyalty, with a focus on the roles of perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences. Data from hotel customers in Nepal revealed a useful framework for evaluating service quality and its impacts. The results align with previous research in hospitality services

[33, 40, 61]

and offer new insights into how service quality shapes customer experiences and organizational outcomes. The study conceptualizes hotel service quality as an external stimulus, customer’s cognitive and affective evaluations as orgasmic states, and satisfaction and loyalty as behavioral responses. Consistent with the SOR framework, the findings demonstrate that hotel service quality acts as a powerful environmental stimulus that shapes customer’s internal evaluations and subsequent behavioral outcomes.

The results confirm that 23 out of the 26 SERV-QUAL items are valid indicators of hotel service quality, supporting the applicability of the scale in the hotel context. High service quality was found to significantly enhance perceived value, evoke positive emotions, and facilitate the formation of memorable experiences. From the SOR perspective, hotel service cues stimulate favorable cognitive appraisals such as perceived value, and affective reactions such as positive emotions. Even when prices are high, customers perceive greater value when service performance exceeds expectations, reinforcing their sense of fairness and justification of expenditure. Such findings echo prior research emphasizing the role of service encounters in shaping emotional and evaluative responses

[37]

Different aspects of hotel service quality contribute to the organismic responses. Tangibility, reflected in physical facilities, ambience, and cleanliness, serves as a salient stimulus that influences customer’s value judgments and emotional comfort

[71]

; reliability fosters trust and predictability, reducing cognitive uncertainty and enhancing perceived value

[32]

; responsiveness signals attentiveness of service staffs and care, making guests feel prioritized and emotionally valued

[68]

; assurance, expressed through staff competence and professionalism, instills confidence and psychological safety

[31]

; empathy, related to personalized and caring service, deepens emotional bonds between customers and the hotel

[68]

. Collectively, these stimuli generate a positive internal state characterized by heightened perceived value and positive emotions, reinforcing the organism component.

The findings further reveal that perceived value and positive emotions significantly contribute to the creation of memorable experiences, highlighting their mediating role between service quality and experiential outcomes. In line with SOR theory, cognitive and affective organismic states translate service stimuli into experiential memories. When guests perceive that the benefits of their stay outweigh its costs and experience emotions such as joy, relaxation, and comfort, these internal responses increases memorable experiences of the stay. Such memorable experiences extend beyond functional satisfaction, becoming emotionally encoded and easily recalled, shared and sought again in future travel decisions.

Moreover, this study demonstrates that memorable experiences significantly influence organizational outcome delineated through customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, representing the response stage of the SOR framework. A memorable hotel stay elevates satisfaction by surpassing expectations and generating a sense of fulfillment. The memorable moments in hotel stay strengthen emotional attachment to the hotel, increasing revisit intentions and positive word-of –mouth

[39]

. Thus, memorable experiences function as a critical mechanism through which internal states are translated into favorable behavioral responses. While service quality directly enhances satisfaction, memorable experiences increase and sustain this effect by embedding emotional resonance into the service encounter. From an SOR perspective, memorable experiences act as a key transformational link that converts service stimuli into long-term organizational outcomes. By fostering emotionally rich and distinctive experiences, hotels can transform high quality service into long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty, thereby strengthening competitive advantage and long-term performance.

This study contributes to the SOR theory by empirically applying the model to hotel service quality, demonstrating its relevance in the hospitality context. The findings confirm that service-related stimuli shape guests’ cognitive and affective states, including perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences. These internal responses, in turn, drive key organizational outcomes, namely customer satisfaction and loyalty. By adopting the SOR framework, this study offers deeper insight into the psychological mechanisms underlying service quality evaluations and provides a robust theoretical basis for designing services that foster positive guest experiences and long-term customer relationships.

5.2. Practical Implications

This study has important managerial implications. It provides insights into how service quality as a stimulus creates customer satisfaction and loyalty as response via perceived value, positive emotion and memorable experience as organism. By understanding the critical role that service quality plays in shaping guests' experiences, hotel managers can strategically focus on improving tangible elements like cleanliness, ambiance, and amenities, as well as intangible aspects such as staff responsiveness, empathy, and reliability. Investing in service training, upgrading facilities, and consistently delivering on guest expectations can create memorable experiences that not only satisfy customers but also foster long-term loyalty. Overall, a focus on service quality provides hotel managers with a competitive edge, helping them differentiate their brand in a highly competitive market and ensuring sustainable success.

This study of hotel service quality is particularly significant for managerial implications in Nepal, given the country’s growing tourism sector and diverse hospitality landscape. Understanding and improving service quality allows hotel managers in Nepal to better meet the expectations of both international and domestic travelers, who often seek unique and memorable experiences. As Nepal continues to develop as a prominent travel destination, the ability to deliver exceptional service can differentiate hotels in a competitive market, enhance guest satisfaction, and foster positive reviews and repeat business. Additionally, insights gained from this study can guide managers globally in tailoring their offerings to meet specific needs, aiming to enhance customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty behaviors. By focusing on high service standards, hotels can improve their overall reputation, attract a wider range of guests, and contribute to the sustainable growth of the hotel industry.

6. Conclusion, Limitation and Future Research

This study aimed to establish a foundation for comprehending hotel service quality and its emotional and behavioral impacts. It explores the relationships between service quality, perceived value, positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. The study presents that hotel service quality is fundamental to create memorable experience during the stay in hotel. This memorable experience is gained through the perceived value and positive emotions. The study further revealed that better service quality results into better customer satisfaction and loyalty through the memorable experience.

This study has some limitations. Firstly, this study has employed solely quantitative approach. The pre-existing scales may not fully capture the variables used in the study. Incorporating a mixed-methods approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative data can provide a more comprehensive understanding of service quality and its impacts. Secondly, the study was conducted among the customers of hotels in Nepal, and all the respondents are Nepali nationals. Expanding the study to include a more diverse respondents, including international tourists and hotel customers from different demographic backgrounds, would enhance the generalizability of the findings. One significant challenge is the diversity in service standards across the country's wide range of hotels, from luxury establishments in major tourist areas to smaller, budget accommodations in remote locations. This variability can complicate the assessment of service quality and its impacts, and results may not be uniformly applicable across different types of hotels. Addressing geographic and cultural diversity by including a broader range of locations could improve data reliability and consistency.

Abbreviations

SOR	Stimulus-Organism-Response
SPSS	Statistical Package for Social Sciences
AMOS	Analysis of Moment Structure
SEM	Structural Equation Modeling
CR	Composite Reliability
AVE	Average Variance Extracted

Author Contributions

Kiranraj Pande: Conceptualization, Formal Analysis, Methodology, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Kripal Raj Subedi: Data curation, Methodology, Writing – original draft

Md Jamirul Haque: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	Abbas, M. (2023). "Relationship between Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction." Advances in Business & Industrial Marketing Research 1(2): 68-75. https://doi.org/10.60079/abim.v1i2.87
[2]	Agapito, D., J. Mendes and P. Valle (2013). "Exploring the conceptualization of the sensory dimension of tourist experiences." Journal of destination marketing & management 2(2): 62-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2013.03.001
[3]	Al Khattab, S. A. and J. S. Aldehayyat (2011). "Perceptions of service quality in Jordanian hotels." International Journal of Business and Management 6(7): 226. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v6n7p226
[4]	Ali, B. J., B. Gardi, B. J. Othman, S. A. Ahmed, N. B. Ismael, P. A. Hamza, H. M. Aziz, B. Y. Sabir, S. Sorguli and G. Anwar (2021). "Hotel service quality: The impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in hospitality." International Journal of Engineering, Business and Management 5(3): 14-28. https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijebm.5.3.2
[5]	Ali, F., K. Hussain and N. A. Ragavan (2014). "Memorable customer experience: Examining the effects of customers experience on memories and loyalty in Malaysian resort hotels." Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 144: 273-279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.296
[6]	Bagozzi, R. P., M. Gopinath and P. U. Nyer (1999). "The role of emotions in marketing." Journal of the academy of marketing science 27(2): 184-206. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070399272005
[7]	Bastiaansen, M., X. D. Lub, O. Mitas, T. H. Jung, M. P. Ascenção, D.-I. Han, T. Moilanen, B. Smit and W. Strijbosch (2019). "Emotions as core building blocks of an experience." International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 31(2): 651-668. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-11-2017-0761
[8]	Bigovic, M. and J. Prašnikar (2015). "Predicting tourists' behavioural intentions at the destination level." Current Issues in Tourism 18(8): 744-764. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2013.860956
[9]	Brochado, A., J. M. Cristovao Verissimo and J. C. L. de Oliveira (2022). "Memorable tourism experiences, perceived value dimensions and behavioral intentions: a demographic segmentation approach." Tourism Review 77(6): 1472-1486. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-09-2021-0433
[10]	Chen, C.-F. and F.-S. Chen (2010). "Experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists." Tourism management 31(1): 29-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.008
[11]	Chen, Z. and A. J. Dubinsky (2003). "A conceptual model of perceived customer value in e-commerce: A preliminary investigation." Psychology & marketing 20(4): 323-347. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.10076
[12]	Cheung, G. W., H. D. Cooper-Thomas, R. S. Lau and L. C. Wang (2024). "Reporting reliability, convergent and discriminant validity with structural equation modeling: A review and best-practice recommendations." Asia pacific journal of management 41(2): 745-783. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-023-09871-y
[13]	Cronin Jr, J. J., M. K. Brady and G. T. M. Hult (2000). "Assessing the effects of quality, value, and customer satisfaction on consumer behavioral intentions in service environments." Journal of retailing 76(2): 193-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(00)00028-2
[14]	Donovan, R. J., J. R. Rossiter, G. Marcoolyn and A. Nesdale (1994). "Store atmosphere and purchasing behavior." Journal of retailing 70(3): 283-294. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-4359(94)90037-X
[15]	Fornell, C. and D. F. Larcker (1981). Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error: Algebra and statistics, Sage publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800313
[16]	Gössling, S., D. Scott and C. M. Hall (2020). "Pandemics, tourism and global change: a rapid assessment of COVID-19." Journal of sustainable tourism 29(1): 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1758708
[17]	Gregory, B. T., S. G. Harris, A. A. Armenakis and C. L. Shook (2009). "Organizational culture and effectiveness: A study of values, attitudes, and organizational outcomes." Journal of business research 62(7): 673-679. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.05.021
[18]	Ha, J. and S. S. Jang (2010). "Effects of service quality and food quality: The moderating role of atmospherics in an ethnic restaurant segment." International journal of hospitality management 29(3): 520-529. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.12.005
[19]	Han, H. and K.-J. Back (2007). "Assessing customers' emotional experiences influencing their satisfaction in the lodging industry." Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 23(1): 43-56. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v23n01_04
[20]	Hao, W., Banerjee, S., & Das, S. K. (2025). “The interconnection between customer trust, customer trust, and brand loyalty among consumers of smart hotel chains in first-tier cities in China”. Journal of Advance Research in Business, Management and Accounting 11(5), 81-87. https://doi.org/10.61841/cadjpn63
[21]	Horng, J.-S. and H. Hsu (2021). "Esthetic Dining Experience: The relations among aesthetic stimulation, pleasantness, memorable experience, and behavioral intentions." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 30(4): 419-437. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1859425
[22]	Huang, Y.-f., Y. Zhang and H. Quan (2019). "The relationship among food perceived value, memorable tourism experiences and behaviour intention: The case of the Macao food festival." International Journal of Tourism Sciences 19(4): 258-268. https://doi.org/10.1080/15980634.2019.1706028
[23]	Industry, N. H. (2020). Retrieved from https://careratingsnepal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Nepalese-Hotel-Industry-An-Overview-1.pdf
[24]	Ismail, A., M. M. B. Abdullah and S. K. Francis (2009). "Exploring the relationships among service quality features, perceived value and customer satisfaction." Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management (JIEM) 2(1): 230-250. https://doi.org/10.3926/jiem.2009.v2n1.p230-250
[25]	Jang, S. S. and Y. Namkung (2009). "Perceived quality, emotions, and behavioral intentions: Application of an extended Mehrabian–Russell model to restaurants." Journal of Business research 62(4): 451-460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2008.01.038
[26]	Jones, D. L., B. Mak and J. Sim (2007). "A new look at the antecedents and consequences of relationship quality in the hotel service environment." Services Marketing Quarterly 28(3): 15-31. https://doi.org/10.1300/J396v28n03_02
[27]	Keiningham, T. L., Rust, R. T., Lariviere, B., Aksoy, L., & Williams, L. (2018). “A roadmap for driving customer word-of-mouth”. Journal of Service Management, 29(1), 2-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-03-2017-0077
[28]	Kim, J.-H. (2013). "A cross-cultural comparison of memorable tourism experiences of American and Taiwanese college students." Anatolia 24(3): 337-351. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2012.762586
[29]	Kim, J.-H., J. B. Ritchie and B. McCormick (2012). "Development of a scale to measure memorable tourism experiences." Journal of Travel research 51(1): 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287510385467
[30]	Lai, C.-S., K.-C. Chiu and B. Otgonsuren (2019). GM (1, N) Analysis of the Influence of E-service Quality on Customer Satisfaction of Mongolian E-commerce. Proceedings of the 2019 3rd international conference on e-society, e-education and e-technology. https://doi.org/10.1145/3355966.3355988
[31]	Lee, K.-J. (2014). "Attitudinal dimensions of professionalism and service quality efficacy of frontline employees in hotels." International Journal of Hospitality Management 41: 140-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2014.05.015
[32]	Li, M., D. Yin, H. Qiu and B. Bai (2022). "Examining the effects of AI contactless services on customer psychological safety, perceived value, and hospitality service quality during the COVID-19 pandemic." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 31(1): 24-48. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2021.1934932
[33]	Liat, C. B., S. Mansori and C. T. Huei (2014). "The associations between service quality, corporate image, customer satisfaction, and loyalty: Evidence from the Malaysian hotel industry." Journal of hospitality marketing & management 23(3): 314-326. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2013.796867
[34]	Lim, W. M. (2025). “What is quantitative research? An overview and guidelines”. Australasian Marketing Journal, 33(3), 325-348. https://doi.org/10.1177/14413582241264622
[35]	Lin, I. Y. and A. S. Mattila (2010). "Restaurant servicescape, service encounter, and perceived congruency on customers' emotions and satisfaction." Journal of hospitality marketing & management 19(8): 819-841. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2010.514547
[36]	Liu, C.-R., Y.-C. Wang, T. M. Kuo, H. Chen and C.-H. Tsui (2022). "Memorable dining experiences with five senses: Conceptualization and scale development." Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 53: 198-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.11.001
[37]	Lo, A., C. Wu and H. Tsai (2015). "The impact of service quality on positive consumption emotions in resort and hotel spa experiences." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 24(2): 155-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2014.885872
[38]	Marinkovic, V., V. Senic, D. Ivkov, D. Dimitrovski and M. Bjelic (2014). "The antecedents of satisfaction and revisit intentions for full-service restaurants." Marketing Intelligence & Planning 32(3): 311-327. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-01-2013-0017
[39]	Mason, D. D., C. Tideswell and E. Roberts (2006). "Guest perceptions of hotel loyalty." Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research 30(2): 191-206. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348006286364
[40]	Murray, J. C., R. J. Harrington, P. K. Chathoth and M. S. Khan (2025). "Exploring memorable experiences in luxury hotels." International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 37(1): 296-315. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2023-0428
[41]	Nikou, S. and M. M. Khiabani (2020). "Service quality, mediation effect of customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and moderating role of interpersonal relationship: Case of four-star hotels in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia." Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting 19(4): 1-18. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajeba/2020/v19i430309
[42]	Nobar, H. B. K. and R. Rostamzadeh (2018). "The impact of customer satisfaction, customer experience and customer loyalty on brand power: empirical evidence from hotel industry." Journal of Business Economics and Management 19(2): 417-430. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2018.5678
[43]	Obeng, H. A., R. Arhinful, L. Mensah and C. C. Mensah (2025). "The mediating role of service quality in the relationship between corporate social responsibility and sustainable competitive advantages in an emerging economy." Business Strategy & Development 8(1): e70099. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsd2.70099
[44]	Oh, H., A. M. Fiore and M. Jeoung (2007). "Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications." Journal of travel research 46(2): 119-132. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287507304039
[45]	Oh, H., & Kim, K. (2017). “Customer satisfaction, service quality, and customer value: years 2000-2015”. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(1), 2-29. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-10-2015-0594
[46]	Oh, M. and S. Kim (2022). "Role of emotions in fine dining restaurant online reviews: the applications of semantic network analysis and a machine learning algorithm." International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration 23(5): 875-903. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480.2021.1881938
[47]	Oliveira, A. V., B. F. Oliveira and M. D. Vassallo (2023). "Airport service quality perception and flight delays: Examining the influence of psychosituational latent traits of respondents in passenger satisfaction surveys." Research in Transportation Economics 102: 101371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2023.101371
[48]	Oriade, A. and P. Schofield (2019). "An examination of the role of service quality and perceived value in visitor attraction experience." Journal of destination marketing & management 11: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2018.10.002
[49]	Ozili, P. K. (2023). The acceptable R-square in empirical modelling for social science research. Social research methodology and publishing results: A guide to non-native English speakers, IGI global: 134-143. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-6859-3.ch009
[50]	Pine, B. J. and J. H. Gilmore (1998). Welcome to the experience economy, Harvard Business Review Press Cambridge, MA, USA. http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu/
[51]	Prayag, G., S. Hosany, B. Muskat and G. Del Chiappa (2017). "Understanding the relationships between tourists’ emotional experiences, perceived overall image, satisfaction, and intention to recommend." Journal of travel research 56(1): 41-54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287515620567
[52]	Prentice, C., S. Dominique-Ferreira, A. Ferreira and X. A. Wang (2022). "The role of memorable experience and emotional intelligence in senior customer loyalty to geriatric hotels." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 64: 102788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102788
[53]	Ramya, N., A. Kowsalya and K. Dharanipriya (2019). "Service quality and its dimensions." EPRA International Journal of Research & Development 4(2): 38-41. http://www.eprajournals.com/
[54]	Ribeiro, M. A. and G. Prayag (2019). "Perceived quality and service experience: Mediating effects of positive and negative emotions." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 28(3): 285-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2018.1517071
[55]	Rolando, B. (2025). "The effect of service quality and price on customer loyalty in online culinary business." International Journal of Economics And Business Studies 2(1): 14-32. https://doi.org/10.1234/ijebs.v2i1.106
[56]	Rust, R. T., A. J. Zahorik and T. L. Keiningham (1995). "Return on quality (ROQ): Making service quality financially accountable." Journal of marketing 59(2): 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299505900205
[57]	Schmitt, B. (1999). "Experiential marketing." Journal of marketing management 15(1-3): 53-67. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725799784870496
[58]	Servidio, R. and I. Ruffolo (2016). "Exploring the relationship between emotions and memorable tourism experiences through narratives." Tourism Management Perspectives 20: 151-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2016.07.010
[59]	Setiono, B. A. and S. Hidayat (2022). "Influence of service quality with the dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles on customer satisfaction." International Journal of Economics, Business and Management Research 6(09): 330-341. http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijebmr.2022.6924
[60]	Shrestha, N. (2021). "Factor analysis as a tool for survey analysis." American journal of Applied Mathematics and statistics 9(1): 4-11. https://doi.org/10.12691/ajams-9-1-2
[61]	Sipe, L. J. and M. R. Testa (2018). "From satisfied to memorable: An empirical study of service and experience dimensions on guest outcomes in the hospitality industry." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 27(2): 178-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2017.1306820
[62]	Smith, M. K., S. Ferrari and L. Puczkó (2016). Service innovations and experience creation in spas, wellness and medical tourism. The handbook of managing and marketing tourism experiences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited: 299-319. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78635-290-320161023
[63]	Souki, G. Q., L. M. Antonialli, A. A. d. S. Barbosa and A. S. Oliveira (2020). "Impacts of the perceived quality by consumers’ of à la carte restaurants on their attitudes and behavioural intentions." Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics 32(2): 301-321. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-11-2018-0491
[64]	Sweeney, J. C. and G. N. Soutar (2001). "Consumer perceived value: The development of a multiple item scale." Journal of retailing 77(2): 203-220. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(01)00041-0
[65]	Torres, E. N. (2014). “Deconstructing service quality and customer satisfaction: Challenges and directions for future research”. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 23(6), 652-677. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2014.846839
[66]	Tsaur, S.-H. and Y.-C. Lin (2004). "Promoting service quality in tourist hotels: the role of HRM practices and service behavior." Tourism management 25(4): 471-481. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00117-1
[67]	Tung, V. W. S. and J. B. Ritchie (2011). "Exploring the essence of memorable tourism experiences." Annals of tourism research 38(4): 1367-1386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2011.03.009
[68]	Umasuthan, H., O.-J. Park and J.-H. Ryu (2017). "Influence of empathy on hotel guests’ emotional service experience." Journal of Services Marketing 31(6): 618-635. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-06-2016-0220
[69]	Vada, S., C. Prentice, S. Filep and B. King (2022). "The influence of travel companionships on memorable tourism experiences, well-being, and behavioural intentions." International Journal of Tourism Research 24(5): 714-724. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.2533
[70]	Vuorinen, I., R. Järvinen and U. Lehtinen (1998). "Content and measurement of productivity in the service sector: a conceptual analysis with an illustrative case from the insurance business." International Journal of Service Industry Management 9(4): 377-396. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564239810228876
[71]	Walls, A., F. Okumus, Y. Wang and D. J.-W. Kwun (2011). "Understanding the consumer experience: An exploratory study of luxury hotels." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 20(2): 166-197. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2011.536074
[72]	Wei, H. and C. Prentice (2022). "Addressing service profit chain with artificial and emotional intelligence." Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management 31(6): 730-756. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2022.2058671
[73]	Westland, J. C. (2015). “Structural equation models”. Stud. Syst. Decis. Control, 22(5), 152. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16507-3
[74]	Wu, C. H.-J. and R.-D. Liang (2009). "Effect of experiential value on customer satisfaction with service encounters in luxury-hotel restaurants." International Journal of Hospitality Management 28(4): 586-593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.03.008
[75]	Wu, S. H., & Gao, Y. (2019). “Understanding emotional customer experience and co-creation behaviours in luxury hotels”. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(11), 4247-4275. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-04-2018-0302
[76]	Zeithaml, V. A., L. L. Berry and A. Parasuraman (1988). "Communication and control processes in the delivery of service quality." Journal of marketing 52(2): 35-48. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298805200203
[77]	Zomerdijk, L. G., & Voss, C. A. (2010). “Service design for experience-centric services”. Journal of service research, 13(1), 67-82. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670509351960

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Pande, K., Subedi, K. R., Haque, M. J. (2026). Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 10(1), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Pande, K.; Subedi, K. R.; Haque, M. J. Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. Int. J. Hosp. Tour. Manag. 2026, 10(1), 139-156. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Pande K, Subedi KR, Haque MJ. Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. Int J Hosp Tour Manag. 2026;10(1):139-156. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23,
  author = {Kiranraj Pande and Kripal Raj Subedi and Md Jamirul Haque},
  title = {Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: 
A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective},
  journal = {International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management},
  volume = {10},
  number = {1},
  pages = {139-156},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  abstract = {This study aims to explore hotel service quality and its emotional and behavioral impacts within the context of the hotel industry in Nepal. Specifically, it examines the relationships between service quality, perceived value, positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty by employing the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework. A quantitative approach was utilized for the study. Data were collected from hotel customers in Nepal. The hypothesized relationships were tested with structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS. The study found that service quality significantly influences the internal psychological and emotional states of customers. Specifically, service quality positively affects perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences, suggesting that high-quality hotel services enhance customer’s cognitive evaluation and emotional reactions during their stay. Consistent with the organism component of the SOR theory, perceived value and positive emotions play important mediating roles in translating service quality into memorable experiences. Similarly, memorable experiences serve as a key organism state that links internal reactions to behavioral outcomes. Memorable experiences mediate the relationships between service quality and both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, which represent response stage in the SOR framework. Overall, the findings strongly support the applicability of the SOR theory in explaining customer behavior in the hotel industry. Service quality acts as environmental stimulus that shapes customer’s cognitive and emotional states, which in turn drive favorable behavioral responses such as satisfaction and loyalty. By highlighting the sequential process through which service quality influences internal psychological mechanisms and subsequent behavioral outcomes, this study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of customer experience formation in hospitality settings. Moreover, findings of this study offer valuable insights for enhancing service strategies and improving customer experiences.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download

TY - JOUR
T1 - Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels:
A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective
AU - Kiranraj Pande
AU - Kripal Raj Subedi
AU - Md Jamirul Haque
Y1 - 2026/04/07
PY - 2026
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23
DO - 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23
T2 - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
JF - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
JO - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
SP - 139
EP - 156
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2640-1800
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23
AB - This study aims to explore hotel service quality and its emotional and behavioral impacts within the context of the hotel industry in Nepal. Specifically, it examines the relationships between service quality, perceived value, positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty by employing the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework. A quantitative approach was utilized for the study. Data were collected from hotel customers in Nepal. The hypothesized relationships were tested with structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS. The study found that service quality significantly influences the internal psychological and emotional states of customers. Specifically, service quality positively affects perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences, suggesting that high-quality hotel services enhance customer’s cognitive evaluation and emotional reactions during their stay. Consistent with the organism component of the SOR theory, perceived value and positive emotions play important mediating roles in translating service quality into memorable experiences. Similarly, memorable experiences serve as a key organism state that links internal reactions to behavioral outcomes. Memorable experiences mediate the relationships between service quality and both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, which represent response stage in the SOR framework. Overall, the findings strongly support the applicability of the SOR theory in explaining customer behavior in the hotel industry. Service quality acts as environmental stimulus that shapes customer’s cognitive and emotional states, which in turn drive favorable behavioral responses such as satisfaction and loyalty. By highlighting the sequential process through which service quality influences internal psychological mechanisms and subsequent behavioral outcomes, this study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of customer experience formation in hospitality settings. Moreover, findings of this study offer valuable insights for enhancing service strategies and improving customer experiences.
VL - 10
IS - 1
ER -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Kiranraj Pande

School of Business Administration, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, China

Biography: Kiranraj Pande holds a PhD from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, China. His research interests include customer experience, hospitality services, and sustainable tourism.

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9492-8886
Kripal Raj Subedi

School of Business Administration, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian, China

Biography: Kripal Raj Subedi is a master graduate from School of Business Administration, Donbei University of Finance and Economics. His research interests include hospitality services, restaurant experiences, and culinary tourism.

Contact Email
Md Jamirul Haque

Num International College, National University of Management, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Biography: Md Jamirul Haque is a dedicated researcher and passionate educator with over 15 years of academic experience. He holds a PhD from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, China, and an MBA from International American University, USA. Currently affiliated with NUM International College, National University of Management, Cambodia, he teaches business and Management, supervise graduate research, and actively conducts studies on hospitality management and green campus initiatives.

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3824-7423

Download PDF

Submit an Article

Figure 1

Figure 1. Research model.

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Pande, K., Subedi, K. R., Haque, M. J. (2026). Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 10(1), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Pande, K.; Subedi, K. R.; Haque, M. J. Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. Int. J. Hosp. Tour. Manag. 2026, 10(1), 139-156. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Pande K, Subedi KR, Haque MJ. Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective. Int J Hosp Tour Manag. 2026;10(1):139-156. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23,
  author = {Kiranraj Pande and Kripal Raj Subedi and Md Jamirul Haque},
  title = {Service Quality and Customer Responses in Hotels: 
A Stimulus–Organism–Response Perspective},
  journal = {International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management},
  volume = {10},
  number = {1},
  pages = {139-156},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhtm.20261001.23},
  abstract = {This study aims to explore hotel service quality and its emotional and behavioral impacts within the context of the hotel industry in Nepal. Specifically, it examines the relationships between service quality, perceived value, positive emotions, memorable experiences, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty by employing the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework. A quantitative approach was utilized for the study. Data were collected from hotel customers in Nepal. The hypothesized relationships were tested with structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS. The study found that service quality significantly influences the internal psychological and emotional states of customers. Specifically, service quality positively affects perceived value, positive emotions, and memorable experiences, suggesting that high-quality hotel services enhance customer’s cognitive evaluation and emotional reactions during their stay. Consistent with the organism component of the SOR theory, perceived value and positive emotions play important mediating roles in translating service quality into memorable experiences. Similarly, memorable experiences serve as a key organism state that links internal reactions to behavioral outcomes. Memorable experiences mediate the relationships between service quality and both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty, which represent response stage in the SOR framework. Overall, the findings strongly support the applicability of the SOR theory in explaining customer behavior in the hotel industry. Service quality acts as environmental stimulus that shapes customer’s cognitive and emotional states, which in turn drive favorable behavioral responses such as satisfaction and loyalty. By highlighting the sequential process through which service quality influences internal psychological mechanisms and subsequent behavioral outcomes, this study provides a deeper theoretical understanding of customer experience formation in hospitality settings. Moreover, findings of this study offer valuable insights for enhancing service strategies and improving customer experiences.},
 year = {2026}
}

Copy | Download