Google Shifts Focus To Amenities in New Test UI for Hotel Search

Our team recently spotted a user interface test on Google Hotel Search, which places a greater focus on a property’s amenities.

Zooming in on Featured Amenities

In the current iteration of Google Hotel Search, a traveler’s search results include a listing of relevant properties that each feature a short, custom description about the hotel. In Google’s new testing UI, the hotel description is replaced with a list of eight featured amenities and a ninth entry titled “+X amenities”, where ‘X’ is replaced with the number of remaining amenities the property has to offer. When users hover over the “+X amenities” entry, a small pop-up expands to show them those amenities.

The update also adds a visual flair when shoppers use the “Amenities” filter to define their needs. Once the filter is applied, the selected amenity items will display in bold for each property in search results.

Support for Additional Images

To help properties showcase their amenities, Google has also added support for four more preview images on the search results page. When users hover over a smaller thumbnail beneath the hotel’s main photo, the smaller image will replace the main photo. This feature allows the user to inspect a property in more detail before clicking

How Hotels Can Prepare

For now, Google prioritizes the amenity list order in the same manner for each property. From top to bottom priority: star rating, breakfast and its relative price, free wi-fi, parking and its relative price, indoor pool, air conditioning, pets allowed, fitness center, all-inclusive stay, bar, restaurant, and more. Hotels can prepare for this possible update by making sure that their amenities list is up to date. Additionally, there are a few potential impacts on search traffic to consider. With more information at their disposal pre-click, shoppers are more likely to click on the property they intend to book with.

This increased volume of qualified leads could help bring in a higher CTR and CVR. Subsequently, when users are better able to find the listing they want without shopping around, hotels may see a drop in overall click and search volumes. Looking more long term, it is also possible we will see larger CPCs as the market adjusts to the increased worth of a high-conversion click.

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