How to Develop a Hotel Booking App? Features, Types, and Cost Estimations

Last updated on January 12th, 2023

We all know about these brands and should not undervalue the accomplishments of big companies in the field of e-travel like Airbnb, Booking.com, etc. These companies have significantly contributed to the sector’s rapid growth by using innovative methods of business and cutting-edge technology. And to push your luck into this business, the first step that you need to do is develop a Hotel Booking App, since the old method of booking a hotel room has gone obsolete. iTechnolabs has a perfect team of professionals, specialized in mobile app development which will help you excel in this business and you can surely count on them.

It is unlikely that the coronavirus will stop this growth. Statista estimates that the tourism and travel industry is predicted to earn $716.80 billion in revenue by 2022. The most popular category in the market is hotels and is expected to earn $348 billion by 2022.

Another thing to note to be mentioned to be noted is the fact that mobile app development is essential to the rapid evolution of the internet which is happening to offer an easy and hassle-free service to anyone and all.

The speedy digital revolution that is taking place across all industries makes it obvious why the creation of an app for booking hotels is crucial to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that exist in the tourism and travel sector.

Many experts in the hospitality industry are eager to create an app that allows online hotel reservations. Furthermore, numerous new companies are also joining the market.

This blog is designed for you if you’re looking to make use of a highly efficient application to join the industry of hotel booking. It will aid you in understanding the process and different aspects of the app for booking hotel development. It will also teach you about the most important characteristics and the various kinds of hotel app development.

The Advantages of a Hotel Booking App

1. Benefits for hoteliers

• The ability to constantly find guests is among the major advantages of booking applications for hotels. Hotels that are smaller and only operate during the busiest times of the year could nevertheless draw visitors throughout the year.

• Automated cost estimations for accommodation and additional room services are made through an app for booking hotels significantly reducing the chance of making mistakes.

• To ensure a great experience for the user, a hotel booking app allows hoteliers to expand their market as well as draw customers, connect with clients, and market the brand of their hotel. This makes the check-in as well as check-out process easier for guests, making the guests likely to remain at your hotel in the future and also recommending it to other guests.

2. Benefits for users

• Hotel booking applications can search for all hotels available all under one roof.

• Users can choose the right hotel based on aspects like location, cost facilities, and time of check-in and out.

• Hotel booking software users can review hotels using photos of rooms and hotel information.

• The hotel reservation app can be able to choose from a range of payment options to select from, such as credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, online banking, in-app payments as well as cash payments when you check-in.

Also Read: How can ChatGPT help You to build Apps from Scratch?

Types of Hotel Booking Apps

Knowing what kind of hotel booking app you will need for anyone who wants to create an app for booking hotels. You should have a clear idea of what you could offer customers as well as the features to develop a hotel booking app you want to incorporate within your application.

The basic categories of apps for booking hotels include

• The Hotel Consolidator App

The principal goal of such applications is to collect information about hotels and make them available to customers. Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Hotels.com, and others. are just some examples.

• Mobile Apps for Hotel Chains

A specific hotel chain or hotel is the main focus of this particular type of booking application that is designed to only allow reservations of rooms within that hotel chain. Hilton Honors and Marriott Gold are two examples.

• Apps for Last-Minute Hotel Booking

This type of application is perfect for you if one of your customers is trying to book reservations at the last minute. People who have last-minute travel plans will be able to access an option to book a hotel with these kinds of applications for booking hotels.

• Apps for Hotel Booking in Advance

You can book rooms using this kind of hotel booking application a year’s advance. The majority of hotel booking apps, like Priceline and Expedia, use this standard hotel booking model.

• Hybrid Hotel booking App

The app allows users to make reservations in advance and also on very short notice via their mobile applications for hotels. This is why the layout can be described as a hybrid that combines the advantages of both kinds of customers.

Hotel Booking App Development Process

Before beginning the development of the hotel booking app It is crucial to follow a list of steps to follow when developing an app for booking hotels. MVP is also known as a minimum viable product. You won’t skip any important aspect of the entire plan if you adhere to the steps listed below, starting with market research and eventually collecting feedback from users and then making changes to the app based on the feedback.

• Study the online travel market

• Create your competitor list

• Finish the app distribution area

• Define your unique value proposition

• List the features you want to include in MVP

• Transfer the task to an experienced and reputable app development company such as iTechnolabs

• Keep up-to-date with the development process of the app in line with expectations and objectives

• Participate in the process of development from beginning to finish

• Regularly meet in conjunction with development teams to make sure that everyone is in line with the company’s vision.

• Develop the marketing plan

• Apps are launched to reach your intended public

• Gather feedback from your customers, review the idea, increase the size, and then add new options.

The outline above of the procedures to be followed will give you the exact path to follow. The MVP that you create using these steps can be used in the next stage to develop and improve the features.

Today, there are two options for the development of hotel booking apps Template-based ready-to-use applications and customized software.

To quickly launch an app for booking hotels an easy procedure-to-use software that is ready-to-use could be useful. But, one of the problems that come with ready-to-use software is the possibility that your competition is making use of the same design therefore you won’t have the unique advantage that a custom-designed design gives you.

Additionally, often you are forced to pay for features you do not require for your business. On the other hand, you are spending money on features you need to grow your business. A hotel booking application that is custom-designed can help you with all these issues since you have the application designed to meet the specific requirements of your business.

Must-Have Features of a Hotel Booking App

• Hotel information

Visitors require a clear view of the hotel as well as the rooms before making a reservation. A description, photographs reviews as well as social media sites as well as other information. These should all be part of the application. The hallways of hotels, suites, and other spaces could be presented in dynamic videos that are immersive and accompanied by 360-degree photos.

• Filters

Users can filter the results according to their specifications. Users can enter their desired range of price or the desired rating range. The system can show the entire list of offers using this sorting system, however, the order they are displayed will be changed. Customers might, for example, prefer to look at hotels with the most favorable reviews or rooms with the lowest prices first.

• Customer Service (Chatbot)

When you activate a chatbot within your application it will assure your users that you will be always available to help them. Chatbots are a great way to help customers. The chatbot allows the user to contact customer support if they encounter any issues. The support team will resolve the issue and provides the customer with an amazing user experience.

• Notifications, push alerts

Customers expect a fast response from the app for booking especially when using last-minute booking options. The app you develop for hotel booking should include a real-time notification system for both visitors and hotels. Alongside confirmation of bookings, it could also notify customers of check-in and checkout times, rate changes, interruptions, and so on. It may also promote special offers such as deals, packages, or discounts in the restaurant of the hotel and remind guests of planned events and activities when they’re there.

• Reliable in-app payments

Mobile devices have speeded up and simplified the process of paying for those who are looking for a variety of payment gateways. Check that your hotel reservation application is connected to a trusted payment processor. Paying in real-time is feasible, and private user debit or credit card information is secured. By entering the payment details only once, and then saved in the app, facial ID or touch ID will ensure that subsequent bookings are quick and secure. In addition, users should be able to use their rewards such as coupons, bonuses, or promotional offers.

• An estimate of accommodation and travel expenses

We cannot assure you of the price of lodging and travel as they are constantly changing. In the creation of an algorithm that can take into account seasonal fluctuations, demand, and growth, promotions and discounts as well as airline offers can no longer be a hassle due to the abundance of historical information. Your application could make use of an algorithm that uses predictive analytics to aid customers in finding flights at a lower cost as well as hotel accommodation.

• Receipt for payment

The customer will require confirmation of the reservation after they have made it. The client can track the details of their reservation by receiving an automatic receipt sent to them by email or mobile.

• Reservations for car/taxi

Users do not require an extra taxi booking app because this feature is already within the app. When using the app for hotel booking, the user can request a taxi giving the drop-off and pick-up places. This request is considered if a driver is on hand at the nearest pick-up place, and the customer will be notified.

• Cancellation policy

Customers are covered by the cancellation policy for bookings. They can cancel their bookings in the event in the event of an emergency. It is possible that people will not appreciate the hotel booking application in the absence of cancellation policies as they might believe it’s limiting. Your cancellation policy should be flexible. It should also contain an option to refund if cancellations occur.

• Automatic recognition of languages and currency conversion

The app for hotel reservations must include an automated system for identifying languages in case you are targeting a global clientele. This will provide the user with a more personalized experience. If a user is logged into your application from Spain and a pop-up window reads “This app is currently in English. Do you want to switch to Spanish or Spanish?” ought to be displayed at the top of the screen.

In addition to the automatic detection of languages as well as currency exchange, it is an additional beneficial feature. It reduces the burden travelers face when they travel to another country.

Cost Estimates for Developing a Hotel Booking App

The price of hotel app development is contingent on many factors, such as:

• Booking app type

• The number of features required

• The project’s complexity

• Operating systems, which can include iOS as well as Android, and/or both

• The process of developing the mobile application (native or cross-platform)

• Essential technologies (languages libraries, frameworks, languages, AI, VR, etc. ).

• Team structure

• The cost of deployment and support.

The number of experts you require, which can depend on the application design, its features, and the complexity of the project, should be considered when estimating the total development cost for the hotel booking app.

Looking to Develop a Hotel Booking App?

Conclusion

iTechnolabs is a company of dedicated professionals who strive hard in developing your desired app structure. Our content, codes even the whole structure of the app is designed in such a way that it gives a user-friendly experience to the customer.