I recently worked with a client to run some usability testing on their booking platform, and I was genuinely excited. Not because I’m a UX nerd (okay, maybe a little), but because it’s surprisingly rare that someone actually plans to test their website properly.

And the best part? After watching just a few of the recordings, the client said something like:

“Wow, I already see so many places we can improve.”

No big reports. No complicated analysis. Just watching real people use the site was enough to make problems obvious.

In reality, many hospitality owners don’t even test their website or booking platform themselves after it’s built. And then they’re understandably confused: they’re paying for hosting, design, tools, and systems… but bookings are low. Or people start the booking process and never finish the payment.

That’s usually not bad luck. That’s usually friction.

Why is testing important?

Your website isn’t a “set it and forget it” thing. The web is a living, slightly chaotic ecosystem. Something that worked last month can break next week because of:

• updates to your booking system

• cookies, cache, browser updates, or device differences

• a tiny setting change somewhere

• or just… human error

Designers and developers are also human (shocking, I know). Sometimes a button link gets missed. Sometimes a form doesn’t send. Sometimes a tiny change accidentally makes a big step confusing or invisible.

And the worst part?
You often don’t notice these things because you already know how your website works. Your guests don’t.

Testing is basically your way of checking:

“Does this still make sense to someone who’s never seen this before?”

Apart from running regular website health checks, which help you catch technical issues early, it’s crucial to also test your site with real people.

So… what is user testing? (In normal human language)

User testing simply means: watching real people try to use your website and seeing where they struggle.

Think of it like this:
Imagine you hire a new cleaner. After they’re done, you don’t just say “cool, thanks” and leave it at that. You quickly check the things that matter to you:

• Is the fridge actually clean?

• Is there dust under the bed?

• Are the dishes really washed?

You’re not doing this to be mean. You’re doing it to make sure the job was done properly and nothing important was missed.

User testing is the same thing, but for your website:

• Can people find the booking button?

• Can they get through the booking without getting confused?

• Do they hesitate anywhere?

• Do they get stuck?

You’re just checking whether your “digital cleaner” (your website) actually did what it’s supposed to do.

What kinds of user testing are there? (And which ones make sense for small hospitality businesses)

There are many fancy types of user testing, but you don’t need a research lab and a one-way mirror. Here are the simple, useful ones in plain English:

1. Watching someone use your site (moderated or unmoderated)

This means you:

• either sit with someone (or on a call) and watch them use your site

• or ask them to record their screen while they try to book

Great for:

• spotting confusion

• seeing where people hesitate

• noticing steps that feel “obvious” to you but not to guests

Not great for:

• getting big statistics

• proving something with numbers (this is more about insight than metrics)

2. Short surveys

This is when you ask people a few simple questions like:

• Was anything confusing?

• How easy was it to get to the booking step?

• What almost stopped you from booking?

Great for:

• quick feedback

• spotting patterns

• validating your gut feeling

Not great for:

• understanding exactly where people struggle (people often forget details or describe them badly)

3. Analytics & recordings (if you use tools like that)

Some tools show you:

• where people click

• where they scroll

• where they leave

• or even recordings of sessions (anonymised)

Great for:

• seeing patterns at scale

• finding problem pages

• confirming “yep, lots of people drop off here”

Not great for:

• understanding why something feels confusing (you see the “what”, not always the “why”)

Simple ways to run your own user testing (no fancy tools required)

1. Pretend you're booking your own place

The simplest way to test your hospitality website is to become your own customer. Navigate through your entire booking process as if you've never seen your site before. Start from a search engine, find your property, and attempt to complete a reservation.

Pay attention to every friction point: confusing navigation, slow-loading pages, unclear pricing, or broken links. Time yourself during the process- if it takes more than three clicks to reach booking, you're likely losing potential guests. According to User Experience Benchmarks for Hotel Websites, even small usability improvements can significantly impact conversion rates.

This approach reveals immediate issues that professional testing might miss, giving you actionable insights to improve your guest's digital experience.

2. Ask friends or family to record their screen

Getting someone else to navigate your booking process reveals blind spots you'd never catch on your own. Ask a friend or family member to record their screen while they attempt to make a reservation at your property.

Most smartphones and computers have built-in screen recording features, so no special software is needed. Have them narrate their thoughts out loud as they click through your site. You'll quickly discover confusing navigation, unclear pricing, or booking forms that don't work as expected.

This approach works particularly well for testing modern features like ai hotel recommendation engines or chatbots that might behave differently for genuine first-time visitors. The key is choosing someone who hasn't seen your website before and represents your target guest demographic.

3. Make a tiny survey and share it

You can use something like Google Forms and ask just a few simple questions, for example:

• How easy was it to reach the booking stage?

• Was anything confusing or unexpected?

• On a scale of 1–10, how likely would you be to book this place? Why?

Put the link on your website, or share it in relevant communities.
Reddit has plenty of groups where people exchange survey replies - just be nice and fill in a few surveys in return as a courtesy.

This won’t replace watching people use your site, but it’s a great way to collect honest outside opinions.

A small (but important) truth

Here's what nobody talks about: most hospitality websites lose potential bookings without owners ever knowing it happened. A guest clicks away during checkout, abandons their reservation halfway through, or simply can't figure out how to complete their booking – and there's no follow-up email, no second chance.

The testing methods we've covered reveal these invisible problems. When A/B testing shows conversion rate improvements of 10-15% for hotels, it's not magic - it's simply fixing the friction points that were silently driving away guests all along.

Even small improvements compound quickly in hospitality, where acquiring each new guest costs significantly more than keeping existing ones happy and booking direct.

Want help with this?

If you don’t want to guess, I can help you diagnose issues with your website or your entire guest journey - from the first visit, through the booking flow, all the way to checkout and beyond.

Just get in touch!