Hotel descriptions: common mistakes to avoid

I used to write hotel descriptions for an online travel agency. The business acted as a middleman, listing places for customers to stay. I'd receive information from the end client – usually the hotel or B&B – that would range from a couple of hastily written bullet points to a 1000-word essay on the brilliance of their business.

But whatever the word count of the information I was provided, there was a mistake I saw time and time again in hotel descriptions:

Overselling the services.

I regularly saw:

• Clean but plain B&Bs referred to as "premium"

• Bell tents with nothing but a mattress on the floor described as "luxurious"

• Hostels where six people are crammed into a room touted as "indulgent"

Yes, copy should work hard to sell a product or service. But it also needs to manage expectations. If someone turns up expecting a pillow menu and butler service, a fry-up and friendly service won’t impress them. 

The risks of overselling in your hotel descriptions

If you’re not being honest with your potential customers, you risk: 

• Harming trust. If the prospect realises you’re not being truthful about a certain aspect of your product or service, they might not believe your other claims. 

• Ruining your reputation. Exaggeration can lead to short-term gains, but it damages credibility in the long run. 

• Targeting the wrong audience. If someone’s looking for luxury, a budget B&B isn’t going to pass muster. When you appeal to the wrong people, you stop yourself from resonating with the right ones. 

The bottom line is that there’s a razor-thin line between good marketing and bad exaggeration. 

How to write a strong hotel description

So, how could you describe your hotel instead? List down all its selling points, then think about why they appeal to your current customers. Maybe it's because they want:

• A friendly atmosphere. Does your hospitality keep customers coming back year after year?

• Excellent local knowledge. Do you offer guests insider tips on what to do and where to go?

• A super-clean room. Are you known for keeping your place pristine? 

• Free parking. Can you practically roll out of the car and into bed? 

• Comfy amenities. Does your accommodation have fluffy towels? A bright decor? A filling breakfast? 

• A great location. Are you in the centre of town? Does the bus to the coast stop right outside your front door? 

• Wallet-friendly rates. How much does the pricing factor into your hotel’s uniqueness? 

Bring up any unexpected extras like an in-room coffee machine or the fact it welcomes pets, too. 

Or just get a copywriter to do it. If you’re looking for help writing about your business, whether it's a campsite or a five-star hotel, let’s chat.