Improve the loading speed of your hotel website
Optimizing performance for a better customer experience
Key points • Reduce the size of images and media • Optimize scripts, animations, and integrations • Speed up loading through best technical practices • Regularly test website performance
A slow hotel website directly impacts your bookings, search engine rankings, and the overall guest experience. Loading speed is often affected by a combination of large visual elements, external scripts, and a lack of overall optimization. Here's how to identify the most common causes and effectively improve your website's performance.
Reduce image size
Images often represent more than 60% of the total size of a hotel page. Check: • Maximum recommended size: 1200px • Preferred format: WebP for photos • Systematic compression before importing • Removal of unnecessary or overly large images 💡 Tip: Keep a web-optimized version, rather than using the original high-definition version.
Optimize embedded videos and media
Autoplay videos, large slideshows, and animated backgrounds slow down the entire site. Instead, use: • Smaller videos (< 3 MB) • External hosting (YouTube, Vimeo) rather than direct upload • A poster image to delay loading • Disabling sliders on mobile devices
Limit external scripts and integrations
Marketing tools, widgets, and booking systems each add their own scripts, which can slow down the site. Identify unused scripts and remove them whenever possible: • Inactive live chat • Outdated marketing pixel • Forgotten A/B testing scripts • Weather, reviews, and social media widgets
💡 Every script removed improves speed and stability.
Enable lazy loading of images
Lazy loading loads visuals only when they become visible on the screen. This can drastically reduce initial load time, especially on visually rich homepages.
Optimize fonts
Custom fonts can add up to 300–400 KB each. Check: • Number of variants actually used • Modern formats (woff2) • Asynchronous or delayed loading
Ideally, limit yourself to one main font family and one for headings.
Clean up unused code and elements
Over time, the pages of a hotel website can accumulate: • Hidden sections • Orphaned scripts • Unused styles • Duplicate content Regular review helps keep a site clean and fast.
Check the hosting and cache
If your site receives a lot of traffic or uses heavy content, check: • The effectiveness of the cache system • The availability of the CDN network • The server response time These parameters directly influence the speed perceived by visitors.
Testing the site's performance
Regularly use an analytics tool to identify priority areas for optimization. Check: • Mobile load time • Total page weight • Blocking scripts • Uncompressed images 💡 Perform these tests after each new release or feature addition.
Conclusion
A fast hotel website is essential for maximizing bookings and providing a seamless experience for travelers. By optimizing images, limiting external scripts, and adopting performance best practices, you can sustainably improve your site's speed and its marketing impact.