7 Common Hotel Copywriting Mistakes That Cost You Direct Bookings
From cringe-worthy spelling errors to eye-roll-inducing clichés, I see the same mistakes popping up all over the hotel and tourism industry. And you know what? It’s not a good look. You could be losing bookings because of common, avoidable hotel copywriting mistakes.
You might think, meh, potential guests aren’t looking for a novel, they’re looking for a room! (Or a venue or a restaurant, etc.) And you’re not wrong there.
But the truth is, bad copy can be a huge turn-off.
If I can’t find the information I need, guess where I’m going? Yep, my favorite OTA — where I know I’ll get all the facts and zero fluff.
The power of good hotel copywriting is that you get the chance to tell your story BETTER.
So stop leaving revenue on the table! Or worse, handing those bookings over to your comp set! Let's take a look at a few common hospitality copywriting mistakes — and most importantly, how to fix them.
Prefer to watch? Check out the video version below!
These are the 7 “Deadly Sins” of Hotel Copywriting:
1. Spelling errors and poor grammar
Even the smallest spelling mistakes do stand out to discerning guests, meeting planners, and travel agents.
Websites full of errors and inconsistent grammar are SUCH a turn-off. It feels unprofessional, sloppy, and downright lazy.
Now, mistakes do happen, of course — hey, we’re all human!
But paying attention to what you publish matters. My friend and fellow copywriter Juliana Hahn gave this excellent advice on a recent workshop we partnered on: “Let your copy rest.”
If you’re DIY-ing the text on your hotel website, give it a minute before pressing “publish.” Come back to it after a day or so, with a fresh set of eyes — you’re much more likely to notice mistakes.
You can always ask a colleague to give it a once-over, too.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Microsoft Word’s “spell checker” isn’t always enough. There are a ton of great — FREE — tools you can use to sharpen up your copy, like Grammarly and Hemingway.
(Oh, and if writing is really not your jam, you may want to consider hiring an expert hotel copywriter.)
2. Fluffy, meaningless adjectives
Breathtaking views, hidden gems, world-class service… yawn.
Few things grind my gears like fluffy, meaningless adjectives and common travel copywriting clichés. Hotel and travel websites are riddled with meaningless phrases and buzzwords.
Not to worry, that means you have a better chance of standing out by focusing on compelling, readable copy instead.
Readability is another important part of good hotel copywriting.
Don’t mistake longer words or a higher reading level for better copy! Studies show that the average American adult reads at or just below an eighth-grade level.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Again — use the Hemingway Editor for this!
The tool highlights complex sentences and common errors that can make your writing harder to read. Hemingway offers suggestions to help you avoid passive voice, tighten up long-winded text, and find simpler alternatives to complex words.
3. Telling, instead of showing
Oh boy, do I hate this one…
Confidence is important, yes, but wow — boasting over and over again that your hotel is “the best” does NOT make it so, my friend.
So how do you demonstrate value in a compelling way? It’s not as hard as you might think.
First, use social proof — Bring in real guest reviews and client testimonials. Social proof is hands-down, one of the most important features on your hotel website.
Focus on the showing, instead of the telling.
As much as I love a clever turn of phrase, good copywriting is not about how creative you are — it’s about what the customer needs and how you speak directly to them.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Think about their pain points.
What do they need? What’s the problem they have and how can your hotel solve it?
Talk less about your product and more about the value it provides.
Planners don’t want a nice conference room. They want to run a seamless event that energizes and inspires their team!
Families don’t care about the square footage of your swimming pool. They care that there’s some activity for their kids to enjoy while they get to kick back and relax with a cocktail!
⬆️ None of THAT is useless fluff, BTW.
4. Keyword-stuffing
Since we’re talking about sins… allow me to introduce you to the cardinal sin of SEO: keyword-stuffing.
It’s also one of the most important SEO terms you should know.
When hotels are reeeeeeally trying to rank on Page One for something on Google, they love to throw their target keyword in everywhere:
As in, all over the body of the page, in every subtitle, in all the image “alt” text… over and over and OVER again.
Please. Don’t. Do. This.
Google is very smart. You are NOT outsmarting them — it? — by keyword-stuffing.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
There’s no official rule for an “optimal” keyword density, but as with everything else in this roundup, you need to always keep the reader in mind.
Instead of repeating the same keyword over and over, try to use a few variations of it instead.
If you need a little help with this, grab a free copy of my Hotel SEO Checklist below. It’s basically a step-by-step guide you can reference whenever you’re working on your hotel website! ⤵️
5. Zero personality
Your hotel’s “voice” should speak to the ideal guest persona you want to attract.
Upscale, elegant properties should convey an upscale, elegant tone. Funky and hip? Don’t be afraid to write your website in a more irreverent, playful style.
The trick to this? Consistency.
Once you’ve nailed down your hotel’s distinct personality, make sure it comes across on every page.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
The best way to do this is to create your own brand copywriting guideline and keep it handy.
Honestly, it can be as simple as a one-pager.
Imagine your hotel is a person — how would they speak? Are they quite formal or relaxed? Are they “cheeky” or dignified? Do they use too many memes and obscure pop-culture references, like me? (Fair enough.)
Create a list of words or phrases that you feel align with your hotel’s personality. And while you’re it, think about the words or phrases you want to avoid, too.
6. Trying to be everything, to everyone
Further to the above, you absolutely need to know your target audience. Write to them, and only them.
I know it’s tempting to keep your website copy generic and aim for broad appeal.
Oh noo, what if you turn off a potential customer?? *clutches pearls*
Consider for a moment whether you are trying to be everything to everyone…
Truth is, “being everything to everyone” is not a winning long-term marketing strategy for any business. Certainly not for a hotel and certainly not right now, when you’re focused on long-term business recovery.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Niche down and get specific.
If you’re a fun, kid-friendly resort with a super-casual atmosphere, own it! If you’re a small, sleek, corporate-heavy hotel, don’t shy away from that. If you’ve got a unique domestic staycation offer running, go with it!
Use what makes you *you* to your advantage.
This is how you attract the right guests — the ones who will love your property, rave about it on social media after they leave, and ultimately, come back.
7. No clear call-to-action
Your hotel website is live, your content strategy is on point, and the traffic is pouring in. Time to pop the bubbly, right?
Not so fast.
Attracting website visits is one thing but actually converting browsers into bookers? That’s another story.
Every page on your hotel website should fit somewhere in the customer’s booking journey. Therefore, it must have a clear call-to-action (CTA) that takes them further down the funnel.
Think of each CTA as your way of taking the guest’s hand and leading them on a journey from “just looking” to “booking.”
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
When writing copy for your hotel website, ask yourself what action you want a visitor to take on that page.
What journey are they on? Do they need to find meeting or event space? Explore your destination? Book a room? Make a dinner reservation?
CTAs can range from “Download Our Meetings & Events Fact Sheet” or “Speak With A Sales Manager” to “View Guest Rooms” or the classic, “Book Now.”
Landing pages with no clear purpose have no use on your hotel website. Give every page a job!
Final Thoughts
My final takeaway here is simple: Words matter!
Choose yours carefully, because falling victim to any of these common hotel copywriting mistakes can end up costing you big time in bookings.
Now that you know what NOT to do, it’s a good idea to check out some of my favorite hotel copywriting examples to see the flip side of these tips in action.
Reminder: Your website copy should be written for people first, search engines second. But honestly, pleasing both requires some strategy, training, and practice!
If you’d like to learn more about all of this, my new course Simple Hotel SEO opens for enrollment soon. To get early access, make sure you join the waitlist.
