F
or hotels and resorts, a seamless user experience (UX) on your website isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s absolutely essential for growing your business. A well-designed, easily navigable UX has the power to build your brand authority, expand your reach, and, most importantly, increase both new and repeat bookings.
While more straightforward sales and services can get away with a bumpier website experience or a less visual interface, travel brands and vacation destinations need a UX that inspires trust, tempts travelers, and supports a stress-free customer journey (one that ends with clicking “book now”).
3 Ways Website UX Translates to Bookings
What does a standout website UX for hotels and resorts look like? The design anticipates user needs, removes obstacles, and creates a positive experience that ultimately translates into conversions. Here are the three most important ways a seamless website experience impacts revenue for properties, along with how to optimize your UX to achieve each goal.
1. Creating a Strong Visual and Brand Identity
The look and feel of a website is only one piece of the overall UX puzzle, but it’s a critical piece. A hotel or resort website needs to weave together design, storytelling, and visuals to provide a captivating (and thorough!) preview of what guests will experience during their stay. These vital elements include:
- High-quality visuals: Professional photos and virtual tours of rooms, amenities, and the surrounding area set expectations and get visitors to your site excited about the possibilities. Here’s how we upped the visual ante as part of a website redesign for a private retreat in Colorado.
- Clear and consistent branding: Cohesive design and messaging across a website reinforce professionalism and reliability, while highlighting a brand’s unique style. Visitors to your site should be able to understand right away the kind of experience they’ll have at your destination, and why it’s a cut above the rest.
- Stories that draw visitors in: Stories heavily influence consumer decision-making. Hotel and resort websites that include narrative storytelling — diving into the property’s history, the people who keep it running, and the challenges your brand has overcome along the way — build an emotional connection with potential guests (and make them more likely to book).
2. Simplifying the User Journey
If you’ve ever clicked a button to buy a pair of boots or book an exercise class and found yourself on a page with an error message, you know how frustrating poor UX can be. To guide site visitors to a purchase, your UX needs to offer a smooth, effortless experience. To create that seamless journey toward the final click, your site must have:
- Intuitive navigation: Your site can be filled with gorgeous imagery and clever copy, but without clear menus and logical organization, that pretty picture isn’t translating into bookings. Effective UX design ensures users can quickly find the basic information they need, like room types, amenities, pricing, dining options, and special offers.
- A streamlined booking engine: The booking process itself should be as simple as possible, with minimal steps and clear instructions. Avoid unexpected fees or complex forms that might irritate or confuse potential guests, leading them to abandon a booking midway. Hidden costs, glitchy booking pages, and too many steps are among the top reasons would-be guests leave booking pages before completing the purchase.
- Mobile responsiveness: More and more users are browsing destinations and booking stays on their phones, so UX needs to factor in mobile appearance and functionality. Research shows that 85% of mobile users and 74% of desktop users ditch their bookings, so sites need to function flawlessly and load quickly on all screen sizes.
3. Building Trust and Credibility
A professional, well-designed website gives potential first-time guests the confidence to take the leap. Since most new visitors book sight unseen, the trust you build at a distance will help them feel comfortable choosing your destination over the competition. To build trust, your website should offer:
- Reviews and testimonials: Travelers, especially younger generations, are increasingly relying on user-generated content to make decisions. Prominently display positive reviews and guest ratings from platforms like TripAdvisor throughout your site — a well-placed quote can tip the scales toward a “yes” for anyone who’s on the fence about booking.
- Reassurance and security: In an age when companies and chatbots are mining data left and right, potential guests need to know their information is safe with you. Showing security badges and secure payment symbols and publishing your data privacy policy assures them that you’ll protect their personal and financial information.
- Transparency: Make sure your hotel or resort’s pricing options, booking fees, and cancellation policies are easy to find and clearly explained.
Need support redesigning your website to enhance UX and increase bookings? Hawthorn Creative’s team of experts can help. Discover how we create websites that capture attention, engage prospects, and convert visitors to lifelong customers.