6 Website Pages Your Bed & Breakfast Must Have

As you probably know, some pages on your inn, small hotel, or bed & breakfast website are more important than others. After working with hundreds of properties we have found that there are six pages that are absolutely, 100% needed.

Before we dive into the six pages your bed & breakfast website must have, let's consider how your potential guests shop.

According to an E xpedia Media Solutions study, consumers visit 38 websites (!) on average, prior to booking a vacation. And according to Google, the internet is the top source for both leisure and business travel planning.

So, what does all this mean? In short, you MUST align your website content with your potential guest's path to purchase. Instead of a few photos of your hotel, some introductory text, and weather widget, consider what your potential guests are actually looking for. A user may be looking for a variety of content:

They want to see photos of rooms and amenities
They want to see guest reviews
They are looking for specials and promotions
They want directions
They want to know more about the "feel" of your property
They want quick access to your rates
They want to contact you about group events

There are many reasons a potential guest may visit your site, but at the end of the day, they are looking for information. Your job is to provide it.

Identify Your Ideal Guest

One more item to consider before we dive into the six pages your website must have: Your ideal guest. Identifying your ideal guest is critical to the success of your website and marketing. Are you focused on international travelers that visit your area for the wine scene? Do groups and retreats provide your ideal guest? Take the time to determine your ideal guest persona. It will help, I promise!

Download Your Guest Persona Template Now

Here are 6 pages with content recommendations:

1. Home Page

If you have a website, you have a home page. But what you put on your home page can be incredibly important. Think of your home page as the top of your sales funnel. It's job is to push users to consume more and more granular content and eventually book a room.

Here are our recommendations on content you should include on your home page:

Large Photos - Potential guests want large, clear photos of your property. Great photos inspire potential guests and give them a "feel" for you property.
Check Availability - Potential guests must have easy access to your availability calendar. Don't make them search for it.
Promotions- Entice your potential customer with deals and specials.
Reviews - Reinforce how great your property is by displaying a few hand picked guest reviews.
Directions - Let your potential customers know where you’re located and how to get to you.

2. Accommodations

Your accommodations page is a significant area of consideration for potential guests. Here are several items to consider:

Room Features & Amenities - Give your guests as much information as possible. For example: Photos, description, features, and amenities. This will ensure that your guest has no unpleasant surprises when they visit.
Call to Action Button- Make it easy for your potential guests to find your availability calendar. If a potential guest can’t find your CTA then they’re just going to move on to the next property.
Price - Make sure to include your room prices or price range in a place where a potential guest can easily see it. You don’t want to lose a guest that got all the way to your booking page to find out your accommodations are way over their price range.
Be Easy On the Eyes - Make sure your page is easy to look at and well organized. You don’t want to overwhelm your user with too many busy images and clashing colors
Be Authentic - Don’t oversell your rooms. Understand who your ideal guest is and write for them. Do you have a unique bed & breakfast the foodies love or do you focus on business travelers?

3. Amenities, Goods, and Features

We like to encourage innkeepers to include additional information about amenities, features, or local goods that they carry. This is a great way to tell your property's "story".

Complimentary Goods - Let your potential guests know what special complimentary goods you offer. (i.e. an amazing farm to table breakfast or free wine tasting at night). You will be surprised what might entice a potential customer.
Off Site Amenities - Make sure you include what types of off property amenities you might offer such as; discounts at local businesses, beach passes, free use of the local health club, etc.
Local Products - If you use any locally sourced products such as foods for breakfast, coffee beans, or beauty products (shampoo, soap, conditioners).

4. Local Insights or Blog

Events - Posting frequently on blog about activities that are happening nearby can help bring in more guests. Check out our blog on “How to Write an Effective Bed and Breakfast Blog Post”
Things to Do - Most of your guests are not coming to just stay at your property all day make sure to show off your knowledge of the area by including a list of things to do around town.
Insider's Perspective - Provide potential guests with a unique perspective to your area, activities, events, restaurants, etc.

5. Availability

Price - Like I mentioned in the Accommodations page, be sure to include your prices. There is nothing worse when you’re online shopping and you find something you like without a price and you’re left guessing until you get to your cart. (Especially if it’s out of your budget)
Clear and Easy to Read - Make sure that your availability calendar and booking engine are easy to navigate for your customer. This is the final step in their booking process and you don’t want to lose them because they can’t understand if you’re booking or open on a certain date.
Extras and Add-Ons - Don’t be afraid to offer extras and added options to your rooms ex/ packages and specials.
Include Images - Use images on your booking page and availability page but don’t overflow your user and don’t block important information

6. Contact & Directions

Include Your Email - A lot of people hide their email addresses behind a contact form. The contact form may send people away because they don’t want you to gather all their information. When you have a user fill out a form there is more of a room for error or a chance they fill in the form with an incorrect email.
Location - Link your map to google maps and make it easy for your guests to find out where you are located and how to get there.
Additional Addresses - If you have additional numbers or emails that you use for events, dining, etc. make sure to include those on your contact page so that your guests can easily contact the correct person.
Keep it Simple - Don’t make it impossible to contact you, the easier you are to get in touch with the more your potential guests will feel welcomed.