Hotels: why a good website matters
Having a website is hugely important for a hotel. But why exactly?
Having a website is absolutely central to winning bookings. But what information should go on it, and how do you manage it? Here is everything you need to know.
Why does it matter?
Having a website dedicated to your hotel matters for all sorts of reasons:
- Improving youronline presence
- Winning morebookings
- Managing everythingin house
- Showcasingall of your offers
- Runningdiscountsexclusive to your own site
On a single page and in a matter of seconds, your future guests can find all the information they are looking for. And if that information is relevant and well organised, you are guaranteed extra bookings!
What information should your site include?
The first step is done: guests are on your site. Now, the route to the information they want needs to be simple and short. They must not get lost. With that in mind, we recommend organising things into sections: contact, photos, offers, book now, and so on. That way, they will know exactly where to go.
Next, an appealing site needs attractive photos. Bring in a professional photographer and get shots of your hotel, the rooms, the reception area and the whole exterior. These photos can be reused on your social media if needed.
Do remember to create a contact page with your address, an email and a telephone number. Some guests prefer to book by phone, or will have questions for you.
Finally, be sure to add this information to make life easier for your guests:
- Yourpetpolicy
- Check-inand check-out times
- Distanceto airports, train stations and so on
- Things to donear your hotel
As you will have gathered, managing your bookings well means your website has to be both appealing and practical. For ours, we went with TREIZE MARS and we have not been disappointed!
To turn visitors into customers, your website must answer specific questions. Here are the information and sections that make the difference.
| Section | Essential information | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Photo gallery | Hotel, rooms, reception, exterior | Customers decide in seconds. Professional photos reassure them and drive decisions. |
| Contact | Address, email, phone | A customer who struggles to find your details books elsewhere. Every contact point must be visible. |
| Offers | Rates, room types, included services | Presenting everything in one place reduces bouncing and cart abandonment. |
| Practical information | Pet policy, arrival/departure times, nearby amenities, activities | These are the most frequent front desk questions. Writing them once on the site saves you repeating them all season. |
| Navigation | Clear sections: book, photos, offers, contact | A visitor who hesitates about where to click leaves. Clarity must be instant. |
Frequently asked questions
Is a website really useful when bookings are already coming in? Yes, because it makes you independent. You present all your offers in one place, you handle bookings in house and you can apply discounts available only on your own site. It also strengthens your presence online.
Which sections should a hotel website have? Contact, photos, offers, book now. The path to the information has to stay short: a visitor who hesitates over where to click is a visitor who leaves. Sort everything by section and keep the labels obvious.
Do I really need a professional photographer? That is the one line of the budget we advise against cutting. Have the hotel, the rooms, the reception desk and the whole exterior photographed. Those images will serve again on your social media, which pays the session back.
What should the contact page contain? Your address, an email address and a phone number. Some guests still book by phone, others just want to ask a question before committing. An incomplete contact page is a booking that goes somewhere else.
What practical details do guests look for before booking? Your pet policy, the check in and check out times, the distance to stations and airports, and the activities around the hotel. These are the questions that come back most often at the front desk. Written once on the website, they save you from repeating them all season.
Should I hire an agency to build my website? It is not compulsory, it depends on the time you can put into it. For our own site we worked with TREIZE MARS and we have no regrets. What matters in the end is that the site looks appealing and works properly.
