WordPress Website Redesign for Accommodation Owners: Essential Tips and Tricks

As a B&B owner or holiday rental proprietor, your website is often the first impression potential guests have of your property. A well-designed, user-friendly site can be the difference between a booking and a missed opportunity. If your current website isn’t doing your charming cottage or luxurious guest house justice, it might be time for a redesign. Let’s explore how you can refresh your WordPress site to attract more bookings and showcase your accommodation at its best.

Why Redesign Your Accommodation Website?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s consider why you might want to redesign:

1. Improve Mobile Experience: With more travellers booking on-the-go, a mobile-friendly site is crucial.
2. Showcase Your Property: High-quality images and virtual tours can make your accommodation irresistible.
3. Streamline Booking Process: A smoother booking experience can increase conversions.
4. Highlight Local Attractions: Showcase what makes your location special to entice potential guests.
5. Improve Search Engine Rankings: Better SEO can help more travellers find your property.

Planning Your Redesign

Start by listing what you love and what you’d like to change about your current site. Consider asking recent guests for feedback – their insights can be invaluable.

Choosing the Right Method for Redesign

As an accommodation owner, you’ll want to minimise disruption to your booking process. Here are your options:

1. Maintenance Mode: Ideal for quick updates. You can inform visitors that you’re improving the site to enhance their future booking experience.
2. Staging Environment: Many hosting providers offer this. It’s like having a ‘practice’ version of your site where you can make changes without affecting your live site.
3. Local Development: This allows you to rebuild your site on your computer. It’s great if you want to make extensive changes, but requires more technical know-how.

Selecting a Theme That Showcases Your Accommodation

Your theme should complement the style of your property. Are you a cosy countryside B&B or a sleek city apartment? Look for themes that:

• Have a built-in booking system or are compatible with popular booking plugins
• Offer virtual tour or gallery options to showcase your rooms and amenities
• Are responsive (mobile-friendly) to cater to on-the-go travellers
• Allow for easy display of reviews and testimonials

Popular options include ‘Hotel Booking’ by MotoPress, ‘Bellevue’ by WP Booking System, or ‘Astra’ with Elementor for a more customisable approach.

Essential Features for Your Redesign

1. High-Quality Images: Invest in professional photography to make your rooms look their best.
2. Virtual Tours: Consider adding 360-degree room views or video walk-throughs.
3. Clear Pricing and Availability: Ensure your booking system clearly displays this information.
4. Local Area Information: Create content about nearby attractions, restaurants, and activities.
5. Guest Reviews: Prominently display testimonials from happy guests.
6. FAQ Section: Answer common questions about check-in/out times, pet policies, etc.
7. Contact Information: Make it easy for potential guests to get in touch.

Managing the Transition

When you’re ready to launch your new site:

1. Backup Everything: Always create a full backup of your existing site before making changes.
2. Update Gradually: If possible, update one section at a time to minimise disruption.
3. Test Thoroughly: Ensure your booking system works flawlessly on the new site before going live.
4. Maintain SEO: Keep your URL structure and key content to maintain search engine rankings.

Optimising Performance

A fast website can improve your search engine rankings and user experience:

• Choose a reliable, fast hosting provider.
• Optimise images to reduce load times without sacrificing quality.
• Use a caching plugin to speed up your site.

Ensuring Security

Protect your site and your guests’ information:

• Keep WordPress, your theme, and plugins updated.
• Use strong passwords and consider two-factor authentication.
• If you handle bookings on-site, ensure you’re PCI compliant for processing payments.

Making Your Site Accessible

Ensure your site is usable by all potential guests:

• Use alt text for images to describe rooms and amenities.
• Ensure your site can be navigated using a keyboard for visitors with motor impairments.
• Use a clear, readable font and maintain good colour contrast.

Conclusion

Redesigning your accommodation website can seem daunting, but it’s an investment in your business. A fresh, user-friendly site can attract more guests, streamline your booking process, and showcase your property at its best. Remember, your website should reflect the warm welcome you offer in person. Take the time to get it right, and you’ll reap the rewards in increased bookings and happy guests.

Additional Resources

• WordPress Codex
• Google’s Guide to Mobile-Friendly Websites
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Happy redesigning, and here’s to your future success in the hospitality industry!