Bed and breakfasts have a sort of charm that guests can’t resist. The idea of a home-cooked meal, personalized service, and a cozy room to rest is quite alluring. The challenge is that it’s not easy to communicate these qualities online. When you’re selling an experience, you have to put a lot of thought into how the design and layout will convey that your bed and breakfast is one worth booking.
B&b website design resembles that of a vacation rental page, but with a couple of added perks. Beyond the basic anatomy of a short term rental website, you’ll need to really boost what makes your bed and breakfast so great. The key to that is excellent website design.
Why do you need a website for your B&B?
Beyond the basic question of why you need a vacation rental website in the first place, you might be wondering how a page specifically for your bed and breakfast will help your business. We’ve got the answers!
A bed and breakfast is a unique type of vacation rental that offers special amenities and therefore requires a special message to get bookings. You’re not just offering any accommodation, so why would you make a generic webpage? To stand out from the competition, your page needs to be clear about the type of stay you offer while convincing guests that’s just the kind of accommodation they need for their next trip.
If you’re offering bed and breakfast amenities, you’re probably asking for a higher nightly rate. Prove why your B&B is worth the extra cost. By really selling your accommodation online, you convince guests to book and appreciate the added value.
How to build your own B&B website?
Thankfully, Lodgify makes it quick and easy to build your website. You can have a fully functioning website up and running in one afternoon! Remember that your B&B website will require a little bit of pizazz to set your page apart from the rest.
Beyond the basics of creating a vacation rental website, you’ll need to consider what elements will be important for your bed and breakfast brand. Have you created an inviting logo? Do you have an alluring slogan at the top of your website? Have you organized your page in a way that features your properties first? Consider what details and layout would be important in making your site attention-grabbing.
A B&B website wouldn’t be complete without a full bed and breakfast management software to manage your reservations, teams, and tasks. Running a B&B is no small thing and that’s why a vacation rental software customized for your business will help to streamline administrative work and grow your bookings.
Best B&B website design tips
The fundamentals of building a B&B website always underscore the importance of good design. Design can make or break a booking, so having an attractive website that wows clients is what is going to ultimately lead to success.
If you’ve got a website established, consider the foundation laid, but you’re not done yet! A website isn’t ever complete without the design and details in place. We’ve outlined all the tips and tricks for creating the best B&B website design on the market.
Highlight packages and deals
Guests always love a good bargain. When you own a vacation rental that has the benefit of offering multiple amenities like breakfast, a spa, or abundant outdoor space you should capitalize on it. Cater to different types of clients by offering packages for every vacationer. Think: newlyweds package, outdoor adventures deal, or weekend getaway offer, the options are endless!
Each package should have a separate page or space that clients can click through to read more. Have photos appropriate to each offer that you’re advertising and add a catchy brief below the image that makes clients want to book.
Consider the importance of packages for your vacation rental. If you’re running a smaller business, you might not have as many offers and shouldn’t list this element at the very top of your homepage. On the other hand, if packages are your biggest selling point, make it known! Feature your deals at the top where clients can see them.
Be consistent with your brand
Your bed and breakfast should exude relaxation and calm. If your page is too busy or has clashing color schemes, you might be sending the wrong message to potential guests. Do a check of other brands you love that are trying to communicate the same theme as you. What fonts do they use? What colors emanate relaxation? Is there content short and sweet or long and detailed?
Brand consistency is in the details, so it’s important you do your homework and continue checking your page regularly. When your colors, photos, and overall design all follow the same pattern, it’s easier on the eye for clients and helps to make your brand look more professional.
Incorporate high-quality, bright images
Guests should be able to clearly envision themselves staying at your property, but they can only do that if they can see your space. Photos should be clear and of the highest quality to show off the tiny details and give an idea as to what it’s like to vacation there. Pixelated photos can be a huge turn-off for guests and it can make you look like you don’t know what you’re doing.
Dark photos can also send the wrong message. If photos are poorly lit or lacking color, your space could appear dingy or uninviting. Think of what colors and lighting would give off a friendly and charming vibe.
Hook your potential guests while you have their attention. Don’t let customers get too caught up on your page before making a booking. If you have your booking widget front and center on your site and also embedded on each property page, you continue to subtly emphasize that their next vacation is just one click away.
Use SEO for B&Bs
Even if you have the best bed and breakfast website out there, your page won’t get noticed if you don’t have SEO. What this does is allow your website to get picked up by search engines using specific keywords. When you start showing up in people’s search for accommodations in your area, your page will get noticed and your design will have the chance to shine.
Display top reviews with testimonials
One of the core features of a bed and breakfast is the customer experience. Guests who choose to stay at a B&B are seeking top-quality service over just a pretty space. To convey your high-quality hospitality, you can highlight your best reviews and testimonials.
When you have happy customers, encourage them to leave a review and a short testimonial about their stay. Building trust is important for all types of accommodations, but it’s especially important for service-oriented stays like bed and breakfasts.
Add a blog section
Make your property feel like a fairy tale by telling the story! Blogging allows you to make your B&B appear more personable. You can demonstrate this by writing posts about your team members, a surprise engagement on your property, or any other little moments that capture the magic of your vacation rental.
Blogging lets guests know you’re human. Write with authenticity and tell the story of your bed and breakfast. What do you want to highlight that you can’t say in just a couple of words? Let your imagination run wild by adding a blog section to your website.
Best bed and breakfast websites made with Lodgify
If you’re looking for bed and breakfast website design inspiration then look no further! We’ve pulled some of our faves so you can get inspired and start building the best B&B websites for your business today!
The Inn Berlin
We love how the home page is so warm and inviting that you feel as if you could curl up with a book and take a nap right there on their velvety-blue sitting room set. To really hone in on luxury, their amenities page shows you just what you’ll get by staying with them. “Gourmet breakfast” makes our mouths water!
Website: www.theinnberlin.com
Casino Pisanelli
With beautiful touches of ancient history throughout the property, Casino Pisanelli lets its main photo do the talking by going for this simple yet effective look, which shows off its stunning grounds that ooze elegance and luxury. Much like the B&B itself, the website takes on a clean and stylish look that we love.
Website: https://www.casinopisanelli.com/en
Pangolin Collection
What we love about Pangolin Collection is the variety of options! They have an array of great places to stay, and they highlight this by showcasing them all with gorgeous photographs on their homepage. Just look at that landscape!
Website: https://www.book.pangolincollection.com/
Key takeaways
Your bed and breakfast website is going to be your golden opportunity to show guests why your property is worth booking. Convince them with an inviting space, warm hospitality, and a tantalizing breakfast. When your guests are able to envision a stay at your place just by browsing through your website, you increase the chances of getting direct bookings!
What’s next? Once guests have been fully convinced by your lovely site, you can manage their bookings, automate messages, and collect payments all through your Lodgify account! Ready to give it a go? Get the 7-day free trial today and we can guarantee you’ll love it!
