Supersonic Redesign - an Improved Version of Actual Hotel Website
August 28th, 2009 in News, Promos & Discounts, SponsorshipRemember we’ve published a review of world’s top hotels’ websites that actually were not as good as these hotels? After having criticized them we decided to try to actually do something about this sad situation and here we are with what can become a new version of a ‘Goldener Baer’ hotel website (Vienna). By the way we were this close from having this surprise unveiled by one of the guys commenting that initial post. It’s a good thing we can now speak out loud about it. Anyways, please allow us to remind you guys of what was the website that we’ve redesigned:
Well, as you see the design is pretty much outdated and it’s hard to call it really functional. So, we’ve worked on it a little bit and here it is - changed and improved:
What did we do?
Well, not everything is that obvious that is why we will guide you through the redesign process and tell you what exactly (and why) we have changed in that design. First was the language bar - on the old version it was made as a part of a navigation menu (which is not very comfortable). We moved it into where it belongs - to the header.
Then we’ve moved the navigation menu to the horizontal bar - since we have a horizontally-oriented layout this kind of menu is the most reasonable one.
Then we added a big picture of Vienna St. Stephan’s Cathedral - that’s because a) big photos are always good for designs (remember the 2009 design trends?) and b) because the part of hotel’s policy is delivering the Vienna sightseeing info. Plus it’s an awesome photo - copyright of Svein-Magne Tunli.
Besides that we have added the additional functional blocks under the photo - these are what’s supposed to be the important links. In that section we have a online reservation form (which is a standard for the hotels’ websites today), link to the “Rooms” section. And again, because the hotel is so excited about Vienna we’ve put there a block of Vienna Sights.
Then there’s a welcome text in the center - that’s simple, we don’t think it needs explanations. And then there’s a ‘location’ block on the right - it contains the text info and a link to show this location on Google Maps.
* * *
So as you see we’ve tried to keep the style of the good old Vienna hotel that we’ve seen in the old version of hotel’s website. But we have also added a real design approach and now the website has it all. By the way, if the official representatives of Vienna hotel are reading this we ask them to contact us (marketing [at] templatemonster.com) and we will be glad to finish the subpages and provide them with a complete website for free.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Congratulations on the site redesign. You did a beautiful job.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Wow! Your redesign kinda makes me want to visit Vienna!
August 28th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Great job with the redesign, will you be letting them have the new design? I would love to hear how they re-act?
August 28th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Here’s my opinion… the original site, although it looks about 15 years outdated, contains a visual language that speaks to the character of the Hotel. Look at the structure - it’s a historic building, textural, rustic.
My point, I guess, is the same as I made in my comments in your previous post on this topic. Website design - especially in the hospitality industry - is very interconnected with marketing. And visual marketing has to represent the character of the company. Generic sites like this do nothing for me. The old site had more character than this redesign. Looks old and cheesy, sure, but it speaks a language… the new site is like a white room. Bland, generic - like… well… a template (no offense to templatemonster… templates have their place for sure).
August 28th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Transio, you’re kidding right? There’s no way you’d put that nasty old site on your portfolio! True, the new design is a little contemporary and some of the *olde world* charm is lost, but there is no comparison! Conveying confidence and trust trumps character the organization. The old site is a starter site, the new one would bring in another level of customer. The new design says someone actually wants my business. The bottom line is the new design will impact their bottom line… for the better.
August 28th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
nice deisgn always TM prove it.
by
designersiva.blogspot.com
August 29th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Redesigned version looks great! Is it possible that you release it as a template?
August 29th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Very impressive. Love to know how that Online Booking works. I’ve tried so often to think of a way of achieving that - but it beats me every time. This would be a great joomla 1.5 template. Congratulations!
August 29th, 2009 at 8:26 am
We’ve counted on TM since 2003 to provide stunning and creative designs for our clients. Templates are like cars, you can whip them into just about anything and make them unique to the project.
Bravo
August 29th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Life on Long Island, see the video above (v=YALJMbC1GLc - in case the link doesn’t work).
The way that guy feels about that motel’s new road sign is how I feel about this website.
Sure, it’s more modern, and looks more expensive… but it is DEVOID OF CHARACTER.
August 29th, 2009 at 10:55 am
“Sure, it’s more modern, and looks more expensive… but it is DEVOID OF CHARACTER.”
I’m not in a position to debate whether old or new sites have “CHARACTER” since I’m not sure what you mean and you haven’t defined “it”.
But, since good designers are always willing to listen and learn from an others, please suggest 3-4 sites (and their links) that DO have the character you’re referring to and point out “HOW” these sites display character.
thanx
August 29th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Hi Donal,
“Character” is a term used in the advertising industry to describe the outward personality a business wants to portray. Typically, in an ad strategy, you’ll start by defining your business as if it were a person. Sometimes, businesses pick actual characters from movies that convey the personality they want their company to represent in the eyes of consumers.
I don’t have the time to sit here and break down 4 sites, but I’ll mention one - it was actually one of the author’s “Worst 10 hotel websites” from his previous blog. The Bellagio - http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants
Why does it have character? A unique, rich shade of blue accented with a satin-looking texture and pixel-thin gold strokes, a combination of an elegant script font unique to the hotel, and a serif font that’s all class. The website SCREAMS “this place is LUXURIANT”. It doesn’t need over-the-top design elements. Its understated design sets an environment that places focus on the most important part of the website - the content.
The Bellagio site conveys a definitive character. I’d say Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond. The website designed in this thread could be anything from a hosting company to a an insurance company. It has NO character.
Regards,
Steve
August 29th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
To show what I mean… here’s a quick sketch I threw together (not a complete site, but conveys what I mean), showing what I think the CHARACTER of a luxury hotel should be.
Luxuriant textures, deep browns, some GOLD (duh, the name is “gold bear”!), and a custom textured paper page…
Oh, ans some nice fonts that convey “we’re a luxury brand”.
http://www.transio.com/_private/_monster/goldener-baer.jpg
August 30th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Well done
August 31st, 2009 at 1:00 am
Congrats on the site redesigning. I like your site and wish that after redesigning your site will looks more effective and beautiful. It will cover more useful topic.
August 31st, 2009 at 9:30 am
Transio, your approach is slightly different from what we’ve had in mind. What we were after was to transfer the website’s current functionality and content into a modern design (into what’s trendy). Plus, we’ve had certain limitations about the corporate style that we couldn’t change (which you did).
Nevertheless, you did a great job and we want to thank you for that. Can’t wait to see the final design
August 31st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
@Transio Web Design Looks like your version is very very inspired by Bellagio but are you sure that Goldener Baer is of the same character? After visiting their site I tend to think that they are NOT LUXURY, they are good but simple.
From their website:
“The Hotel Goldener Baer is a small and reasonably priced hotel, conveniently situated in the center of Vienna.”
And Bellagio says:
“Contentment and opulence are the hallmarks of your Bellagio luxury hotel experience.”
So my guess is that when you stay at Goldener Baer you are visiting Vienna (not a hotel in Vienna) and when you stay at Bellagio you are visiting a luxury hotel - Bellagio in Las Vegas (but not necessarily Las Vegas).
August 31st, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Alex and Joli, both very good points. I did take some liberty with redesigning the logo, and to be honest, I made an assumption that the hotel was a luxury brand. Nevertheless, I think I still conveyed the importance of character in a website - even if I was a bit off target in my own sketch.
September 1st, 2009 at 3:32 pm
@ Transio Anyhow, would love to see you design finished. Alex says that he can’t wait to see it. Does it mean you plan to do it?
October 15th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
donallover knows nothing about web design.