Overview
This ongoing project focuses on designing a simple and elegant website for a family-owned holiday home in southern Italy.
The goal is to help the owners move away from booking platforms and attract guests directly through a personal, trustworthy digital presence.
Business Problem
The owners of a holiday home in Italy get many guests through word of mouth.
Until now, they have only advertised on Booking.com, but they would like to start moving away from such platforms due to high fees and the fact that many potential guests come through personal recommendations.
Design Challenge
How might we design a website that:
presents the holiday home in an attractive and trustworthy way,
allows users to quickly contact the owners,
supports three languages (Italian, Polish, and English),
works seamlessly across both desktop and mobile devices?
Opportunity
They need a simple website for the house — a digital “business card” that they can share directly with potential guests to showcase the property, instead of sending a Booking.com link.
Research
Comparative Analysis
To better understand design patterns and user expectations for small-scale accommodation websites. I analyzed three competitor websites (referred to here as Website A, B, and C) — all representing small-scale Italian vacation rentals — to identify patterns in storytelling, usability, and design.
Define
Name: Anna, 34 — married, two kids
Location: Large city, works in a corporate environment
Context: Planning summer holidays with her family
Goals:
Find a cozy, authentic place close to the sea
See real photos to confirm the house fits her family’s needs
Quickly check availability and contact the owner easily
Frustrations:
Websites with too much text and poor-quality photos
Lack of clear information (e.g., child/pet policy)
Hidden pricing and no quick contact options
Needs from the website:
Large, authentic photos (interior and exterior)
Clear, concise practical information
Immediate contact options (WhatsApp, email)
Ideate
Sitemap
The main navigation was divided into five key pillars, answering the user's fundamental questions: What is this place? (Our place), Who is behind it? (About Us), Where is it and what can you do there? (Region), How to get in touch? (Contact), and language versions (Languages).
Secondary elements are content sections within a single page rather than separate subpages. The structure is designed to keep navigation simple and intuitive for international guests.
