How long should old URLs redirect to the new site after launch?

Google's own migration guidance recommends keeping redirects in place for at least 180 days, and longer if the old URLs are still receiving search traffic. Don't remove redirects on a fixed short timeline just because the new site is live - check Search Console for lingering traffic to old URLs first.

Do I need Hotel schema markup, or is LodgingBusiness enough?

Use the most specific type that applies - Hotel for a full-service hotel, or a more specific type like Resort or BedAndBreakfast if that fits better. LodgingBusiness is the general parent type and is fine as a fallback, but a more specific type gives search engines a clearer signal about what kind of property you are.

What's the biggest mistake hotels make during a website redesign?

Redirecting every old URL to the new homepage instead of mapping each old page to its actual new equivalent. Google explicitly advises against this - it collapses the topical signal each page had built up and can cost real search visibility that took years to earn.

Hotel Website Redesign Checklist

By the time you’re ready for this checklist, you’ve probably already worked through why (see signs your hotel website is losing bookings and mobile booking best practices if not). This is the scope list itself - what a redesign actually needs to cover, organized by phase, whether you’re briefing a vendor or sanity-checking a proposal you’ve already received.

Booking and conversion

Mobile-first booking flow - designed for a thumb on a phone from the start, not a shrunk desktop layout. See mobile booking best practices for what this actually means in practice.
On-domain booking, not a redirect - the guest stays in your site’s design the entire way through, even if a third-party engine is doing the work behind the scenes.
Real-time PMS/channel-manager sync - rates and availability shown on the site match what’s actually bookable, not a manually maintained calendar.
Clear price/parity messaging - if your direct rate is at parity with OTAs, the site should say so near the booking flow, not leave guests to assume otherwise.

PMS and channel-manager integration

Confirm API availability before committing to a platform or vendor. Not every PMS or channel manager has a documented, working API - verify this early, since it determines what’s actually possible for live sync.
Plan for what happens to existing direct-booking data during migration. Guest records, upcoming reservations, and any loyalty/repeat-guest data need a clear migration path, not an assumption that it “comes along automatically.”
Decide who owns the integration long-term - your PMS vendor, your website developer, or a third party - so that when something breaks (a rate not syncing, a booking not showing up) there’s a clear first call to make.

Design and content

Real property photography, not stock. Guests comparing properties in open tabs are looking for what’s actually different about staying at yours - generic stock imagery undermines that from the first screen.
A clear differentiation story on the homepage - location, character, amenities, whatever genuinely sets the property apart, stated plainly rather than implied.
Mobile-first layout throughout, not just on the booking flow - the whole site, since a meaningful majority of visitors will see it on a phone first.
Accessible design basics - real alt text on images, sufficient color contrast, readable type sizes. These aren’t just compliance items; they directly affect whether a real visitor can use the site at all.

SEO and structure

Page structure that reflects your actual service area and room types - not a generic template’s default page list, but pages that match how guests actually search for and compare properties like yours.
Structured data (schema.org) - mark up the site with the Hotel type (or a more specific subtype like Resort or BedAndBreakfast if it fits better), not just the generic LocalBusiness type. This gives search engines and AI answer engines a clearer signal about what kind of property you are.
A real performance budget, not an afterthought. Google’s Core Web Vitals program sets the “good” bar for real-user experience at under 2.5 seconds for Largest Contentful Paint, under 200 milliseconds for Interaction to Next Paint, and under 0.1 for Cumulative Layout Shift (web.dev). Ask your vendor how they plan to hit these, not just whether the finished site “feels fast.”

Guest-messaging and CRM connection

Guest data capture at booking - the new site should collect enough contact information (typically email) to enable pre-arrival messaging and post-stay follow-up, not just what the payment processor strictly requires.
Pre-arrival and post-stay messaging trigger correctly from the new booking flow - test this directly during staging, not just assume the connection works because the tools are technically linked.
Decide what happens to your existing guest list during the transition - it should carry forward into whatever CRM or messaging tool the new site connects to, not get orphaned in the old system.

Launch and post-launch

Redirects from every old URL to its actual new equivalent - not a blanket redirect to the homepage. Google’s own migration guidance explicitly warns against collapsing every old URL into the homepage, since it loses the topical signal each specific page had built up.
Keep those redirects in place for at least 180 days post-launch (Google’s stated minimum recommendation), longer if Search Console shows old URLs still receiving traffic.
Analytics and tracking verified before go-live - confirm GA4, Search Console, and any conversion tracking are firing correctly on the new site before the old one goes away, not after.
A clear post-launch maintenance plan - who updates content, who monitors for broken integrations (PMS sync, messaging triggers), and who you call if something breaks. A site that’s abandoned the day it launches degrades quietly over time.

This checklist is meant to be comprehensive enough to brief a vendor with, or to check a proposal you’ve already received against. If you want us to run it against your specific property directly, book a free 15-minute call - no obligation, just a second opinion on what’s actually worth prioritizing.