Wix has a vast directory of templates, which is about the first thing anybody learns about the portal. But when thinking of actually creating a website with Wix, probably the "Most Popular" section is the best starting point. This makes the whole thing a bit less overwhelming. In particular, if looking for a Bed and Breakfast site, the first that will pop up is the template called B&B. As such, it very well should be an exemplary site for small accommodation business owners, is it though?
Main page
It's a well-known fact that first impression on websites is critical, and is made in milliseconds. But how well does this template perform without modifications in this perspective?
All in all, it's fairly designed, but lacks what it takes to be in the A game. First of all, the menu bar is simple and kind of organized as expected from it. I wouldn't put "ABOUT" in the second position as for costumers looking for a place to stay, reviews, photos, location, services are more important than the business' story. The other thing I would change immediately is the low contrast between the grey text of menu items and the black of the background. It's never a good idea to have similar shades of the same color as background and text. Aside from the menu, the landing page is 64% blank on my screen, which is a clear waste of space. On the page that ought to grab the attention of the customer leaving most of it blank is a crime against web design, not clean and simple as I guess it was meant to be.
It's not all bad though. As always the page comes with a mobile optimized side as well. The first screen here is way better, it really highlights the main photo. I would also keep the booking button at the top, separated from the menu button. The problem with the mobile version I think is the scrolling behavior. Obviously, mobile devices have smaller screens, and so designers must always carefully consider what's the most acceptable redundant element space they can afford on the page. In this case menu takes a lot of space, but it's necessary at the top of the site. Now, when scrolling down, it disappears and a "back to top" button icon appears. Since it's a single page web application this back to top button is there most of the time. A better solution would be to delete it and set the menu to reappear when scrolling up (which is absolutely an option on Wix editor).
Content & layout
Wix still has it all, nicely packed together. By default we've got a hotel booking app, an about section, a room details strip with a booking button on it, a section with amenities, a gallery for the photos, things to do section, a guest review section, we always have chat app, social bar on the sides, and lastly contact and location in the footer section. That's a lot to play with, basically everything needed to jump start the business, most of it thought through very well.
A lot of these elements are simple text boxes on background pictures, but there are also some vector arts, a slideshow, a gallery addon, a contact addon etc. Going with this template, there are some things that need attention. First of all that booking bar is just lost between the main page and the about section. It's small and insignificant. It needs to stand out more, could even get its own menu item. Thankfully, there is an option for a box layout for this booking item. Then there is the about section. That could be a different page. The least is to place it to the end of the single screen, as it's less important than all the other stuff. The gallery is too large, barely fits my HD screen's height, and only features 3 images at a time, which seem a bit few. These photos are (at least should be) a key the selling point of the business.
Premium plan
There is clearly value here, but let's see what's the cost and what else we get for it. The Business Basic plan is the cheapest that includes all features required for this kind of website, for 17 € / month (~19$) for the annual plan that is. The plan includes the usuals, like Wix ads removed, one year free custom domain, but most importantly this includes Online Payment. For this price the booking app of Wix does the heavy lifting. The booking app is a pleasure to work with, everything relevant is easily configurable.
Just to highlight the best of the booking features: there are seasonal rates, coupons and campaigns, different payment method settings, reservation management (also synchronization with other sites), amenities settings. The best of the best, they have TripAdvisor Instant Booking, meaning users can book directly on TripAdvisor and the booking will appear in the Wix app, all seamless. Up until you look at your bank account...
Verdict
Pros
The design is rather stylish as always
Every type elements needed are there, waiting for the content
The Wix Hotel app for booking management is awesome
Cons
Layout could be better without customization
$$Expensive$$
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