Website
September 2024 | Figma | WordPress
Problem
When a client approached me to design a luxury holiday rental website, they had a clear vision: Showcase the elegance of their property, make booking effortless, and ensure guests had all the information they needed at a glance. But there was a challenge—pricing wasn’t straightforward. It fluctuated based on weekdays, weekends, and seasonal demand, meaning the booking system had to be dynamic yet easy to understand.
My role
As a Product Designer, I led the UX/UI design, research, and MVP development, ensuring the site wasn’t just visually stunning but also intuitive. I also collaborated on WordPress development to bring the experience to life.
Method
I started by researching top-tier booking experiences, and analyzing what made them successful. From there, I mapped out user flows and wireframes, focusing on a frictionless journey from browsing to booking.
With an MVP design in place, I tested how users interacted with the site—did they find pricing clear? Was the booking process smooth? Were they engaged by the visuals? Based on feedback, I refined the experience before moving into WordPress development for seamless management.
Solution
A visually immersive website that reflects the property’s luxury.
A straightforward booking system that updates pricing dynamically.
Clear, well-structured information about availability, amenities, and policies.
A mobile-first design ensures smooth navigation across all devices.
Learn
Simplicity drives conversions – Users don’t want to think, they want to book.
High-quality visuals build trust – Luxury is about feeling the experience before arriving.
Pricing transparency matters – Users need clarity upfront to commit.
User Research & Methodology
I conducted a combination of user research, competitive analysis, mapping user flow, and usability testing to understand best practices and optimize the booking journey.
User research
I conducted contextual inquiry sessions by observing users as they attempted to book a property on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com. Participants were asked to think aloud, expressing their thoughts, frustrations, and decision-making process in real-time.
I aimed to uncover the emotional and cognitive pain points they experience during the booking process so I could design a more intuitive and user-centered experience that directly addresses their needs and frustrations.
Competitive analysis
CTA Button Testing
I also researched CTA (Call-to-Action) buttons, evaluating their effectiveness in converting users. While “Book Now” is a standard choice, testing revealed an important insight:
Users either browse the entire page & images before booking or immediately look for date selection to check availability.
The "Book Now" button was often ignored because users first wanted to see if the property was available.
User flow with "Book Now" CTA button
User flow with immediate booking inputs
CTA
Booking component
Usability testing
Scenario 1 (Hero Section with "Book Now"):
80% of users wanted more info upfront on the homepage.
65% found pricing and availability easy to find after being redirected, but 35% preferred seeing it instantly.
85% of users preferred having booking options directly on the homepage for efficiency.
Scenario 2 (Instant Booking Inputs):
90% of users appreciated seeing real-time pricing and availability directly in the hero section.
85% felt confident proceeding to book after interacting with the hero section.
70% liked the interactive feature but 30% found it slightly overwhelming and wanted a cleaner design.
Core features for the MVP
To meet both user needs and the client’s business goals, I focused on building an MVP with essential features for a seamless booking experience:
Booking calendar integration – Allows users to select dates easily.
Real-time availability – Instantly updates based on selected dates and guest numbers.
Synchronization with other platforms – Ensures availability is automatically updated across Airbnb, Booking.com, and other rental platforms to prevent double bookings.
High-quality property images – Showcases the luxury and atmosphere of the chalet.
Brand consistency – A cohesive visual identity that aligns with the property’s aesthetics.
Responsive layout – Optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile users.
Clear call-to-actions & booking setup – Simplified interaction, replacing generic "Book Now" with a dynamic booking component.
Easy-to-find information – Key details like pricing, amenities, and policies are accessible at a glance.
Customer reviews – Builds trust and enhances credibility.
Contact information – Ensures users can easily reach out with inquiries.
Terms & conditions – Provides transparency on booking policies and stay guidelines.
Wireframes to define page structure & layout
Features of chalet
Section "About us"
Show reviews
Show facilities
Booking form
Inspiration
My main inspiration was the large kitchen in the chalet, which served as a communal space featuring a spacious living room with green accents, an open layout, and large windows.
Visual design
Inspired by the property’s architecture
The chalet features modern, minimalist design with extensive glass surfaces.
To reflect this, I incorporated a subtle glassmorphism effect, adding transparency and blure.
This created a elegant feel while keeping the interface clean and modern.
Bringing nature into the design
The property is located near Slovak Paradise, inspiring a nature-driven color palette.
I chose dark green to symbolize both luxury and the deep forest surroundings.
This helped establish a strong emotional connection between the website and the experience of staying at the chalet.
Showcasing the property through imagery
Large, high-quality images allow users to fully experience the chalet before booking.
The focus was on sharp, full-width visuals that highlight the architecture and atmosphere.
Instead of overwhelming users with text, the images tell the story, making the booking experience feel immersive.
Minimalist and modern typography chosen to reflect the industrial aesthetic of the property, with a technical edge.
Large type with generous letter spacing to create a sense of airiness and elegance, mirroring the open, spacious design.
Negative findings and space for improvement
Overwhelming for first-time users: Some users felt slightly confused by the amount of information displayed at once (dates, guests, price) and needed a bit more guidance.
Limited customization: A few testers wanted to see more filter options (e.g., adding special requests or choosing specifics), which they felt would make the experience more personalized.
Visual clarity: A small portion of users found the price updates to be slightly difficult to notice at first, suggesting that the dynamic price changes could be highlighted more effectively.
Some users wanted to see the price immediately when they opened website.
Next Steps
Improve onboarding to guide users.
Enhance the visual hierarchy of price updates to ensure clarity.
Add optional filters for a more personalized experience.