How is Conrad Hotel’s Website?
An evaluation of the Website UX on both desktop and mobile devices.
Hilton Worldwide and Marriott International are two different companies that operate two of the largest hotel portfolios in the world. Hilton has 18 hotel brands covering 6,000 properties in 117 countries. Hilton’s portfolio includes deluxe hotels like Conrad Hotels & Resorts and well-known, budget-friendly options such as Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn. Marriott International offers 30 hotel brands, which include more than 7,200 properties in over 130 countries and territories. The competition is intense for Hilton Worldwide in the market. Today, let’s take a look at one of the Hilton’s luxury hotels Conrad Hotels & Resort and discover how they drive customers’ purchases or grab my attention through their website UX on both desktop and mobile devices. Will I convert to a Boujee Conrad customer? Let’s find out together!
Brief Introduction of Conrad Hotels — Conrad Hotels & Resort is one of the Best Hotels in the USA and Best Hotels in Europe. American hotelier Conrad Hilton introduced the Conrad brand in 1986 to provide guests with a more acute sense of luxury than what you’d expect to find at the more expansive Hilton Hotels chain.
First Impression: One of the first things I noticed once I click into the website is that their site has an elevated aesthetics compared to the Hilton’s webpage. The whole layout didn’t change which is consistent with the Hilton brand image, and the layout also helps the old customer navigate the website easily. However, the gold-tone and changing font of the website has a more elevated aesthetic. This little detail change is very subtle but smart. I instantly have the impression that Conard is a more luxurious hotel compared to other hotels that the Hilton owns. I also notice the high-quality image of the hotel on the front page of the website which tells the customer directly what it is they’re paying for.
And…
The website on the desktop and mobile both loaded in 2–3 seconds which is a good speed for a hotel website. The web design is responsive because I don’t need to pinch and zoom in on the text or photography on mobile. The photo and the font size have already been adjusted to fit the screen.
The purpose of the site is to generate direct bookings. Right on the top of the website has a call-to-action button “Find a hotel”. To find the right hotel for customers, they just need to simply type in the location and the date of their choice and click on “Find a hotel”, after that the site will generate the rooms that fit their schedule. I like the way their booking engine was integrated instead of opening in a new window. The point is to keep visitors on the website, not clicking the booking button and being taken onto a new web page to book. Modern attention span is short. Don’t let them wait! However, the main page of the website is not a pleasure to use for users. Even though the call-to-action button stands out from the website and complements the brand color scheme, the button is not locked at the top of the main screen as I scroll down. If a customer wants to find the booking button on the main page, they have to scroll to the top which is not convenient for the customer and needs to be updated. The website needs to have an innovative design on the website to generate more booking clicks!
The content on the website is relevant with great photography, but it does not offer clear direction to meeting planners and prospective wedding bookers on the main page. There is no place for people to submit an RFP(request for proposal). While direct booking is the main goal of the hotel website, conversions aren’t limited to room reservations. The hotel has other revenue streams from meeting and even inquiries to restaurant reservations, and the website should have the click button to drive conversion up. Therefore, I do not think the website is user-centered. After finishing checking the website, I don’t feel fascinated with anything on the website other than it is a luxury hotel. The website does not provoke the “I have to visit the place” feeling, and is lacking engagement with their customer. Conrad Hotels & Resorts cater to guests who seek to travel to gateway cities and the most desirable leisure destinations in the world, but I could barely know how desirable these destinations could be with a single photo on the website.
Overall,
I think the website needs to be updated considering the hotel is at a relatively high price point facing intense competition in the market. If the main page of the website is consistent with their local websites, I might pay more attention and spend more time on the site. And sad to say, I haven’t convert to a loyal Conrad fan yet.
Let me know what you think :).
