Creating a website for tourist accommodation

Why a website is essential for tourist accommodation

Booking platforms have an obvious advantage: they bring you visibility. But they also have a cost. Between 15% and 25% commission per booking on major platforms adds up significantly over a season.

Your own website lets you take back control. First, you capture direct bookings with no intermediary. Then, you own your image: your photos, your tone, your story — not a template identical to thousands of other listings. Finally, you exist on Google. When a traveller types "charming cottage Vercors with fireplace" or "boutique hotel central Lyon", it is your site that can appear — not your Booking.com listing buried among ten competitors.

The website does not replace the platforms. It complements them, and above all, it captures clients who are searching for you directly.

The essential pages of a tourist accommodation website

An accommodation website does not need twenty pages. It needs the right pages, well built.

The homepage: your showcase in 5 seconds

This is the most important page. A visitor decides in a few seconds whether to stay or leave. Your homepage must contain a clear title that immediately states what you offer and where (for example: "Holiday rental in the Vercors — Your retreat in Rencurel"). Add a full-screen photo that inspires, quick access to booking or availability checking, and your three key arguments: setting, comfort, activities.

Don't try to say everything on this page. Its role is to make visitors want to explore the rest of the site.

The accommodation page: show, don't describe

This is where the visitor imagines themselves staying. Rely on quality photos — interiors, exteriors, views, details — and a description that tells an experience, not a spec sheet. "A living room with a fireplace where you warm up after a hike" works better than "25m² living room with fireplace".

List included amenities clearly: Wi-Fi, equipped kitchen, terrace, parking, pets welcome… These are decision criteria for the traveller. And remember to indicate guest capacity and rates, or at minimum a link to booking.

The experiences or activities page: sell the destination

Tourist accommodation doesn't just sell a bed. It sells a stay. Hiking, local markets, winter sports, cultural visits, nearby restaurants… Show what can be done around you.

This page has a double benefit: it helps the visitor imagine their stay, and it enriches your SEO with keywords related to your area ("hiking Vercors", "cross-country skiing Isère", "Provençal market"…).

The location and directions page

Many accommodation owners forget this page, yet it answers a systematic question: "how do I get there?" Embed a map, indicate distances from main cities, the nearest train stations and airports, and recommended itineraries.

This is also an excellent local SEO lever. A section "How to reach the cottage from Grenoble" naturally targets queries your future guests type on Google.

The reviews and testimonials page: social proof

In tourism, reviews drive bookings. 9 out of 10 travellers check reviews before booking. Display your best testimonials with first name, stay date, and ideally a rating. Three well-chosen reviews are worth more than a long sales pitch.

You can also display your average rating and number of stays completed. "Over 50 stays, average rating 4.9/5" — this is an argument that instantly reassures.

The contact page

Simple form, visible phone number, email address. Don't overcomplicate it. Some travellers prefer to call, others to write. Offer both.

Features that make the difference

Beyond pages, certain features transform a simple showcase site into a genuine booking tool.

A booking or availability-checking module

This is the key element. A visitor who can check availability and book directly from your site means one less commission paid to a platform. No need for a complex system: an integrated booking widget or even an availability request form is enough to get started.

A multilingual site

If your clientele is international — and this is often the case in tourist areas — offering at least an English version of your site is a genuine asset. It considerably broadens your audience and demonstrates a level of professionalism that reassures foreign travellers.

A well-thought-out FAQ

"Are pets allowed?", "What are the check-in and check-out times?", "Is there parking?" — you probably answer these questions ten times a week. An FAQ section on your site saves everyone time, and it improves your SEO by targeting long-tail queries.

A mobile-first design

More than 60% of tourism searches are done on smartphones. If your site is not perfectly readable on mobile, you lose the majority of your visitors before they even see your first photo. Responsive design is not an option, it is the baseline.

Local SEO: being found by the right travellers

A beautiful site that doesn't appear on Google is useless. Local organic SEO is what transforms your site into an acquisition channel.

Work on your geographic keywords

Each page must target queries your future guests actually type. "Charming cottage Vercors", "hotel with view Lyon", "family campsite Brittany"… Incorporate these keywords in your titles (H1), your subheadings (H2) and naturally throughout your texts.

Create your Google Business Profile

It's free and essential. Your Google Business listing appears in local results and on Google Maps. Fill it in completely: photos, opening hours, link to your site, establishment category. Encourage your satisfied guests to leave a review.

Optimise your meta tags

Each page on your site must have a unique meta title and meta description, with your main keyword and your location. This is what appears in Google results — it is your first commercial argument even before the click.

What you should definitely avoid

Certain mistakes recur frequently on tourist accommodation sites. Using poor quality photos is the first: in tourism, visuals are everything. A dimly lit interior or a blurry photo drives people away. Another common mistake: a site with no booking option or easy way to get in touch. If the visitor has to search for how to contact you, they will go and book elsewhere. Also avoid copy-pasting your Booking.com listing description. Your site must tell your story in your voice, not reproduce text formatted for a platform. And finally, never neglect loading speed: a slow site, especially on mobile, means a high bounce rate and lost bookings.

Concrete examples: how CoMi supports accommodation owners

At CoMi, we already support tourist accommodation owners in creating sites that generate bookings. Here are two projects that illustrate our approach.

Le Gîte du Vercors — a showcase site designed for direct booking

For this charming cottage in Rencurel, in the Isère department, we designed a site that applies exactly the principles in this guide. The homepage immediately displays the positioning — "Holiday Rental in the Vercors" — with an availability checking module integrated from the first screen. The visitor does not need to scroll to begin the booking process.

The "The Cottage" page relies on large-format photos showing the warm interior, the panoramic terrace and the Vercors landscapes. Amenities are listed clearly. The testimonials section displays dated and named reviews, with the cottage's average rating. And a FAQ answers the practical questions every traveller asks. Result: a site that appeals, reassures, and converts — without going through a platform.

L'Hôtel des Lumières — a multilingual redesign to attract an international clientele

For this hotel, CoMi carried out a complete site redesign with an additional challenge: internationalisation. The site is available in several languages to attract foreign travellers, with an integrated booking module and promotion through the Jouons Local partnership to strengthen local roots.

These two projects show that an effective accommodation site does not require an enormous budget. It requires a clear structure, content that speaks to the traveller, and the right features in the right place.

How much does a website for tourist accommodation cost?

With CoMi, a turnkey showcase website for tourist accommodation starts at €550 inc. VAT for up to 5 page templates, with a custom, responsive, SEO-optimised design. If you need additional pages — a page per room type, a detailed activities page — each additional page is €100 inc. VAT.

For accommodation-specific features, here are the most requested options: site internationalisation at €300 inc. VAT, translation at €0.05/word, and integration of a third-party booking plugin at €300 inc. VAT. Professional SEO content writing is available at €125 per page.

For the monthly subscription (hosting, maintenance, support), plans start at €45/month inc. VAT. The Pro subscription at €55/month is often the most suitable for an accommodation owner who regularly updates rates and availability.

Ready to create your accommodation website?

A well-designed website means direct bookings, fewer commissions, and a professional image that belongs to you. Whether you manage a holiday cottage, hotel, campsite or seasonal rental, your website is your best investment for the upcoming season.

Need a showcase website for your tourist accommodation? Contact CoMi for a free quote at contact@comi-web.fr — we respond within 48 hours.