5 Easy Tips for Perfect Hotel Photos

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Think back to the last major purchase you made. Perhaps it was a camera or new mobile. Maybe even a new car. Whatever it was, you probably didn’t buy it without seeing what it looks like first, from every angle. Chances are also pretty good that the product promoted with the best images held your attention the longest, perhaps right into the final stages of the buying process.

So why should it be any different when it comes to travelers searching for their next hotel stay?

It isn’t. In fact, after location and price, photos play the largest role in the traveler’s lodging purchase decision.

If your hotel boasts unique features, stunning architecture, or simple modern suites, then you already have an esthetic advantage. Now it’s time to do your hotel justice and use high-quality pictures to show off its visual appeal to potential guests. Don’t limit these to your website either. Be sure you know how to upload photos to your hotel profile on trivago as well.

Here are five easy tips to help you get perfect hotel photos. You don’t need to be a professional photographer, nor do you have to shell out a fortune to get them.

1. First impressions count

Be booked, not overlooked. Choose an appealing main image that illustrates your hotel’s unique features. Whether that’s your beautiful surrounds, an outdoor activity center on your grounds, or your exquisite architecture, use this one image to bait travelers and get them wanting to know more.

2. Consider your main audience when choosing photos

Imagine what might attract a family, a business traveler, or a honeymooning couple, and show them the amenities that appeal to their needs, expectations, and wants.

For example, a family with children will most likely be looking for the convenience of recreational or communal areas where the kids can play while the adults relax nearby. A business traveler will be more likely interested to see the room features, a work desk, or bar where they’ll spend more of their time. By contrast, a couple on a romantic trip may be looking for a room exuding intimacy. A photo of a fireplace or inviting bathtub could do the trick.

Each feature of your hotel attracts a different audience. Keep this in mind when selecting images.

3. Variety counts

Adding at least 20 high-quality images (min. 2,000 pixels in width) to your online profile paints a clear and complete painting of your hotel and offerings to the traveler. Take a variety of images to illustrate each facility and the entire atmosphere. Aim to capture all the features that make your property unique.

Should your property have a spa area, indoor pool, or a gym, it’s best to add up to three images of each. Do you pride yourself on providing guests with a bountiful breakfast every morning? Then be sure to also highlight it with an enticing photo.

By providing a variety of images, you give curious travelers a better understanding of your property and an opportunity to visualize a memorable stay with you.

4. Add seasonal images

Show your seasonal offerings to attract travelers throughout the year. Tempt guests during the frosty winter with your cozy chimney in the lobby area, and with a refreshing swimming pool during the hot summer months.

This way you show different facets of your hotel and make yourself appealing to travelers all year round.

5. Be critical in your selection

It’s important to create an accurate impression of your hotel to set the expectations of the guests.

If you’re choosing to take photos without a professional photographer, be sure to heed the following:

  • Tidy the shooting space by removing unnecessary clutter
  • Remember light is key, preferably a balance of natural and artificial light
  • Take high-resolution photos of approximately 2,000 pixels in width
  • Limit artistic effects as they will only distort expectations
  • Don’t use a lens to make the room seem larger; it can be perceived as too unrealistic
  • Don’t overlay text in post-production
  • Don’t create your own image collages

Photos play a crucial role next to price and location in the hotel booking process. Each image should reinforce the traveler’s desire to book. Help your future guests make an informed decision that won’t disappoint them in reality.

Claim your property’s trivago profile today.

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