Every property is unique, which should be reflected on its website. But whether it’s a small-town bed and breakfast or a luxurious tropical resort, there are a few elements that every lodging website has to have, specifically:
Street address. Not something vague like “5 minutes from town” or “next to the museum.” A physical address is significant for SEO purposes, and it’s important to travelers. They need to be able to get to the property, for one thing. Then, they want to know the surroundings: Exactly how far it is from an airport, restaurant, friend’s house; whether they can walk that half mile to the nearest cafe or if an interstate is blocking the path, etc.
Room photos. Even if the rooms literally have nothing more than four white walls and a queen bed in the center, there should be room photos on the hotel website. Not doing so sends the message that there’s something to hide.
Rates. Sure, it seems obvious, but some hotel websites lack this crucial info. Perhaps they don’t have access to change the content on their own websites. Whatever the reason, not publishing rates is incredibly unhelpful to potential guests.
How to reserve. If the hotel accepts online reservations, every page of its website should have a prominent “book now” button or link. If it doesn’t take online reservations, then the contact info should be clearly displayed on each page.
Policies. The top guest FAQs (and answers) should be easy to find on the website. These queries will vary for each property, but commonly include:
- Are pets allowed?
- Is there parking?
- When is check-in and check-out?
- Is there wi-fi?
- How close is the hotel to the (insert popular attraction or transport center here)?
Contact info. Some guests will still have questions, and they need a way to contact the front desk. Ideally, the website offers both a phone number and email address. Some guests like to talk to a real person. Others prefer to communicate via email—or they might need to, if they’re overseas or in a noisy place.
All of the above are vital pieces of information for any traveler. If any are missing from your website, your conversion rate is probably hurting. Make the necessary changes and see if your bookings don’t tick up.
See how Odysys can help you improve your website and drive more bookings