The Brief
voco® Reading approached us with a clear goal: to create a standalone website that truly reflected the personality of their hotel. Previously sitting under the wider IHG Group digital presence, the hotel’s new ownership wanted a dedicated platform that honoured the voco® brand identity, while giving them the freedom to showcase exactly what makes voco® Reading unique.
A short drive from many popular local attractions, and perfectly positioned beside Reading Football Club's stadium, the hotel caters to a wide range of guests. The new website needed to speak to all audiences - from football fans and families, to corporate travellers and those simply seeking a relaxing escape - clearly presenting every offering and driving higher occupancy.
The Website Scope
A key goal was reducing reliance on third-party booking channels. To make direct booking the obvious choice, the new website needed to deliver a seamless user experience and engaging content.
Whilst the main objective is ultimately driving room bookings, voco® Reading has many other onsite facilities to promote. They wanted their new platform to be flexible and scaleable, allowing them to promote not just their rooms, but multiple onsite restaurants, a full spa and leisure centre, wedding packages, Christmas events, and seasonal offers and promotions.
They also needed the flexibility to easily update content themselves as needed, whilst having us on hand for more advanced development needs and optimisations.
The Result
The voco® Reading website brings the brand to life through a well designed, user‑driven experience. Key features are:
- Looped video headers to immerse visitors in the hotel.
- Interactive maps highlighting nearby attractions.
- Custom enquiry forms to generate high‑quality leads.
- Integration with room and restaurant booking systems for a seamless user journey.
The website has now welcomed over 60,000 users. The % of revenue generated by third party platforms dropped from 14% to 10% within 2 years of launch, and they have since reported one of their best years for room revenue.
We continue to support voco® Reading with Google Ads campaigns, social media management, and regular content days.