How to Create a Boutique Hotel Website
Hotels host some of life’s most memorable moments: honeymoons, reunions, and once-in-a-lifetime journeys. They’re springboards for successful business trips and perfect holidays. And boutique hotels, in particular, aren’t just places to rest—they’re experiences unto themselves. Because boutique hotels are anything but cookie-cutter, they benefit from professionally designed websites that are experiential and communicate exactly what a guest can expect during a visit.
A professionally designed boutique hotel website should be functional, providing customers with all the information they need to book and plan their stay. It should also be as personality-filled as the hotel itself. Making strong impressions, both in person and online, can encourage customers to book, rebook, and recommend the stay to others.
With Squarespace’s responsive design, integrations, and versatility, you can deliver a highly customized experience for hospitality clients—far beyond what standard third-party booking platforms offer.
Designing a boutique hotel website
Start the web design process by establishing a clear set of goals for your client’s hospitality website. Think about the functions the website should accomplish, such as showcasing amenities, converting site visits into bookings, and providing guests with the information they need to plan a great vacation.
As the primary goal is most likely to convert site visitors into customers, the website should offer easy ways for guests to contact the hotel and book their stay. You can integrate several third-party booking sites to create a frictionless customer experience for those who want to book online. And for those who prefer to book over the phone, clearly display the hotel’s number in areas like the header navigation, footer, and contact page.
Include gorgeous imagery
Boutique hotels are full of character, and many customers choose them for this reason. You can make your client’s website as bold and dynamic as their hotel. Let the hotel’s aesthetics guide your choice of imagery. The images you select shouldn't just be beautiful, but they should showcase what the hotel has to offer, such as gorgeous rooms, striking design, luxurious amenities, and stunning surroundings.
Pro tip: When selecting images, enhance search performance by adding alt text, using descriptive file names, and ensuring proper image sizing. Learn more tips for optimizing images.
Use strong copy
Website copy offers the chance to provide strong, clear, and evocative messaging and encourage potential guests to book with the hotel. Guests will be interested in amenities and hotel details, as well as the hotel’s proximity to sights and landmarks, local dining and entertainment, and transportation. Great hotels leave you feeling energized and invigorated, and your choice of web copy can evoke those sensations as well. Learn more about copywriting best practices.
Travelers often heavily rely on social proof when choosing places to stay, so prominently incorporating customer reviews can make potential customers feel more confident when booking.
Consider SEO performance
Search engine optimization (SEO) can be a substantial driver of bookings because it helps your client reach potential customers who are actively searching for a great place to stay. Squarespace comes with built-in SEO capabilities to help drive traffic. But as a web design professional, there are additional ways that you can help your client’s site perform even better.
Choose a keyword strategy that’s tailored to your client. Hotel searches will tend to be location-based, so consider what particular attractions, stadiums, conference centers, or other draws might inform a prospective customer’s desire to stay. If the hotel is notable for a theme, a level of luxury, its merchandise, or particular features, include those in your strategy as well.
A contact page with the hotel’s address is vital for both customers and search engines alike. Plus, including map blocks and business information settings, as well as signing up for Google My Business, can help boost local search rankings. Refer to additional SEO best practices.
Leverage social media
Hotels are beautiful and experiential—factors that set them up for success on social media. Integrate social icons on the website and style them to complement your client’s aesthetic.
Set up email marketing campaigns
Like Squarespace websites, Email Campaigns are customizable so you can adhere email marketing to your client’s branding. Email marketing campaigns can consist of one-off emails, as well as automated campaigns that send guests timely information to help plan their stay, get the most from the local area, leave glowing reviews, and eventually rebook.
These campaigns can respond to subscriber activity (like signing up for emails) or customer activity (like a new booking or a recent stay). Additionally, you can set up promotional pop-ups and other email opt-ins throughout your client’s website to help them build up their email list. Squarespace Email Campaigns include built-in analytics tools to help your client hone their strategy over time.
Learn more about setting up an email campaign for your client.
Other hospitality websites
Vacation and short-term rental properties are also prime candidates for custom-built websites. Like boutique hotels, many vacation rentals are visually stunning, and their passionate owners go to great lengths to make them memorable.
A great website can round out their branded experience, taking it to the next level. These websites can give potential guests more comprehensive information about the rental’s amenities, nearby attractions, host recommendations, and more. They can also be great resources for clients who want to market their properties outside of standard booking platforms, including to potential mid-term customers like travel nurses. If your client has a portfolio of vacation properties, they can encourage past guests to rebook and explore their other rentals.
Create memorable sites for hospitality clients
A beautiful, well-designed website is an important part of your hospitality client’s marketing strategy. With Squarespace, you can create a fully customized, branded website that conveys the experience and atmosphere of their hotel to attract visitors and convert them into guests. Plus, user-friendly integrations can simplify the booking process for clients and guests alike.
This post was originally published on March 22, 2023. It has since been updated.
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