MEN MAKE MORE PASSES, STEAL MORE GLASSES, WOMEN FUSSIER, AND MESSIER - SEXUAL STEREOTYPES (AND MORE) EXPOSED IN NOTOVEL SURVEY

It would appear that when it comes to sexual stereotypes, not much changes from year to year. While women are becoming tidier, they are still more likely to leave messy rooms at hotels and are still more light-fingered than male guests, according to the latest Novotel Survey which examines the habits of travellers in Australia and New Zealand. The survey was conducted in 27 hotels across the two countries.

Despite getting noisier than in previous years, women guests are still quieter than their male counterparts. When women make noise in hotels it is usually either from shouting at their husbands/children or from using the hairdryer, while male guests centre their noise around the television (either having the TV too loud or from cheering during sports matches).

Women, however, are noisier than men during sex.

Men are still by far the bigger spenders when it comes to the mini bar and to paying for rounds of drinks at the bar. And there's no toppling beer as the most popular tipple for Aussie blokes, with the liquid gold easily beating out all other competition. For women, wine has replaced water as the most popular drop in the mini bar. We're sure this is not related to the fact that women have this year overtaken men in terms of having the most accidents in hotel car parks (69% compared with 32% last year).

Women are more likely to make complaints in hotels (57%) and are more likely to send food back at the restaurant (78%). They also check their bills more carefully than men on departure. However, the sexes are equal when it comes to requesting a room upgrade.

It would appear that women are becoming more assertive, with females now accounting for 14% of passes made at hotel staff, compared with last year when 100% of respondents said men made more passes. When it comes to massages, the results are identical to last year, with 93% of women requesting same sex masseurs and 93% of men requesting opposite sex masseurs.

Women also remain more committed to healthy travel, with females accounting for 90% of healthy menu choices and for 66% of the use of exercise amenities at hotels (up from last year when men were more likely to use fitness facilities). The running machine has overtaken the pool as the most popular option for women and remains number one for men. When it comes to food, men have stayed true to steak as the leading menu choice, while women continued their love affair with the Caesar salad.

While women are still messier guests overall, they are more likely to hang up their towels for re-use and to make use of environmental initiatives in hotels.

Hotels have increasingly become a meeting ground for partners, as the search for a suitable mate becomes more difficult in the modern age, with hotel staff more frequently called into action as matchmakers. And when it comes to guests getting romantic, the most popular places they've have been caught having sex are in the communal spa and in stair wells. Guests seem to be getting more adventurous, with increasing numbers found in saunas, carparks and lifts (although no one has yet been caught in the glass lift of the Novotel Atrium Darwin).

Hapless men are still more likely to be found outside their rooms in the nude (79 per cent), with most of them caught out when putting out their room service trays. And when it comes to excuses for being caught out, even men travelling alone seem to blame their wives for having the key ! Despite the stereotype of men having a better sense of direction, the truth is that they are more likely to mistake the room door for the bathroom door - and end up locking themselves in the hallway as a result.

On the plus side, men are more generous guests, with 90% of respondents saying men are the bigger tippers.

In terms of leaving items behind, men are still the most likely to forget things when checking out, with phone chargers the most popular article forgotten. Women are more likely to leave behind underwear or make-up. And women remain at the top of the most wanted list for raiding their rooms - with female guests most likely to souvenir items like shampoo bottles, soaps, towels and more. Men, when they do steal, are more likely to take "blokey" things like wine openers, shoe shine kits, glasses and items from the mini bar.

Men are also more likely to sleep through wake-up calls, use laundry services, complain about the non-smoking policy and use less luggage.

Predictably, men watch more adult movies, although there are more women tuning into porn than in previous years. But it seems there's a long way to go before guests feel comfortable about this form of recreation, with men more likely to challenge the adult movie charge on their bill (67%).

Overall, the Novotel Survey proves that despite decades of feminism, some gender stereotypes are hard to overcome. There are still more male business travellers (70%) than women and men are more likely to travel with a laptop and to use business services (81%). But there are some changes - women have joined men in choosing the bar as their favourite place to do business instead of remaining in their rooms as in previous years. And this year males were more likely to get out of control at functions whereas last year it was women.

The Novotel Survey was conducted through 27 Novotel hotels in Australia and New Zealand and is one of the foremost indicators of travel habits in the region. Novotel is one of the world's largest 'business class' hotel brands with over 350 hotels worldwide. Novotel is managed by Accor, the world's largest hotel and tourism group.