A hotel in Marbella doesn't just compete with the one next door: it competes with Booking, with Instagram photos and with the first impression your website makes when it opens on a traveller's phone. Every booking that comes through your own website is a commission you stop paying. Here we explain, with examples and prices, what an accommodation website needs to fill rooms without depending only on the agencies.
Why your website is your most profitable channel
Every night you sell through an online agency you pay between 15% and 25% in commission. Your website, on the other hand, is yours: the booking arrives in full and the guest is yours forever.
- Direct bookings save you the commission. 20% of an average stay in Marbella is a lot of money by the end of the year; your website gives it back to you.
- Guests search for you on Google first. Before booking, almost everyone checks photos, reviews and prices on your own site.
- Marbella attracts an international, demanding traveller. If your website isn't in English and doesn't look good on mobile, you lose a huge part of the market.
- Your website works 24 hours a day. While you sleep, it shows rooms, answers questions and captures bookings.
What your website must have, no question
This isn't a wish list: these are the elements that today separate a hotel that fills rooms from one that gives them away to the agencies.
- Real, professional photos. A traveller decides in seconds based on images. Stock photos smell fake and drive people away.
- A booking engine or direct link. Let guests book without leaving your site, with clear dates and availability.
- Transparent rates and services. Price per night, breakfast, parking, pool... without hiding anything. Small print erodes trust.
- Location and directions. A map, distance to the beach or town centre and how to get there from the airport.
- Visible reviews. Google ratings are the social proof that convinces the most. Show them.
- An English version (and more languages if you can). Marbella's clientele is international.
Elements that turn a visit into a booking
Having a website isn't enough: it has to push the traveller to book. These elements make the difference:
- A booking button that's always visible. In the menu and repeated in every section, not hidden at the end.
- Direct booking offers. A "best price guaranteed on our website" or a welcome perk is the nudge someone needs.
- WhatsApp or chat. Many people prefer to ask on WhatsApp before booking. Make it easy for them.
- A gallery by room type. Photos of each room, not an unordered mix.
- An availability calendar. So the guest can see at a glance whether there's a spot.
Mistakes that scare guests away (even if the website looks good)
- Stock photos. The traveller wants to see YOUR hotel, not a catalogue one. Distrust kills the booking.
- No visible prices. If you have to call or fill in a form to find out the cost, they go to Booking.
- A slow mobile website. If it takes more than 3 seconds, the traveller has already switched tabs.
- Endless forms. Asking for name, email, phone and room type just to "enquire". A two-step booking engine removes the friction.
- No HTTPS. If the browser shows "not secure", no one leaves their personal or card details.
How much a hotel website costs in Marbella
It's not an expense: it's the channel that gives you back every commission. At Solaris we work with fixed prices, no surprises:
Web Básica
180€ pago único + IVA
- 1-page website with booking
- Responsive design (mobile-first)
- Gallery and rates
- WhatsApp button and Google Maps
Web Profesional
350€ pago único + IVA
- Up to 5 pages (rooms, services, surroundings)
- Integrated booking engine
- Optimised gallery and reviews
- English version
- Advanced local SEO
Do the maths: one direct booking a month already covers the Professional website. The rest is profit.
Local SEO: get found when people search "hotel Marbella"
The most beautiful website is useless if it doesn't appear on Google. Local SEO makes your hotel show up on the map and in the local pack when someone searches for accommodation in your area: optimising your Google Maps listing, getting and managing reviews, and ranking for the words travellers use. At Solaris it starts from €150/month + VAT, no lock-in.
Why Solaris for your hotel
There are plenty of agencies in Marbella. We work differently:
- Specialists in local businesses on the Costa del Sol. We've built websites for restaurants and gyms in the area; we understand your guests and your market.
- Fixed, published prices. €180 or €350, with no "request a quote" and no surprises on the invoice.
- Delivered in 5-7 days. No months of waiting.
- We help you with Google Maps and reviews. We don't just build your website: we put it to work.