I have chosen to compare the websites of Hotel Yountville in Yountville, California and the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston, South Carolina. The website of Hotel Yountville is ranked at 4th place in an online search and very easy to locate on internet. I like this website as it displays a slide show of the interior pictures of the hotel that gives a good impression about the hotel to the user. The user can easily access information from the toolbar that contains the principal categories like Sleep, Dining, Activities, and Events to name a few. The drop-down list opens on a click of the mouse and the user can open other links and still have access to the home page. A consistent website is one that provides the same level of quality and brand experience no matter which page of the website you land on (Sheehan, 2010). The Hotel Yountville website offers a luxurious experience and describes the rooms and the amenities provided in the rooms clearly. The website also has the option to be followed on the social networking sites.
The Wentworth Mansion website is very formal with fewer pictures, colors, and a couple of videos. The website contains a link that provides information about the surrounding places to visit in and around Charleston for the travelers. A bed and breakfast or independent hotel might include, as part of its website, descriptions of, and links to, all the attractions the locale might have to offer (Gay, Charlesworth and Esen, 2007). The prices of the rooms are posted on the website when the user clicks on the Get Rates button, and the rates are displayed with too many choices for the user that can be very confusing. The best part of the website is the history of the hotel that is provided which is very useful for the users to know the services the hotel caters.
All hotels expect international travelers and as a good marketing strategy I would provide the option to translate the website in other languages. Posting the testimonials and reviews of the customers who visit the hotel frequently is an added advantage for the website promotion.
References
Sheehan, Brian., (2010) Basics Marketing 02: Online Marketing, illustrated, AVA Publishing.
Gay, Richard., Charlesworth, and Alan., Esen, Rita., (2007), Online Marketing: A Customer-Led Approach, Oxford University Press.
