How To Develop a Hotel Booking App: Step-by-Step Guide (2024)

What are Hotel Booking Apps?

Hotel booking applications have been designed to simplify booking accommodations such as hotels, hostels, resorts, and more. With just a few clicks, users can book their stays from anywhere, at any time.

This has revolutionized the way people book hotels as they no longer have to physically visit numerous hotels with their luggage to find a suitable one that fits their budget.

Nowadays, individuals prefer online bookings as they can easily access reviews from other users and take them into consideration before making their decisions.

Moreover, users can also avail themselves of various discounts and offers, helping them to save a few bucks on their bookings.

Here is the list of top 5 hotel booking apps:

Types of Hotel Booking Applications   

If you are looking for hotel booking app development solutions, you must first choose the type of online hotel booking application. 

You must have a clear notion of what you can offer customers and what hotel booking app features you want to add to your app.  

The following are some of the most common types of hotel booking apps: 

• Hotel Aggregator Applications   

These hotel booking applications are designed to gather all the necessary information about hotels and provide it to users. 

These apps enable users to select a hotel that suits them based on amenities, location, and other factors and make a reservation.  

• Hotel Chain Applications   

Large hotel chains such as Marriott develop these applications, which list all the properties within a particular hotel chain. For instance, users can access all Marriott Bonvoy’s properties worldwide on their app. 

• Last-Minute Booking Applications  

These apps are popular among spontaneous travelers who prefer to make reservations at the last minute. Previously, finding a place to stay at the last minute was challenging until these applications came to the rescue.  

• Advanced Booking Applications  

Users can reserve hotel rooms up to a year in advance using this hotel booking app. Many hotel booking apps like Priceline and Expedia adhere to this traditional hotel booking format. 

• Hybrid Hotel Booking Applications   

This type of app allows users to book in advance as well as on short notice through their mobile apps, resulting in a hybrid design that combines the benefits of both types of users.  

Benefits/Advantages of a Hotel Booking App  

Hotel booking apps have revolutionized how we travel, offering many advantages for both travelers and hoteliers. 

Here are some of the key benefits: 

How To Develop a Hotel Booking App in 2024: A Step-by-Step Guide  

Let’s take a closer look at the entire development process for a bespoke hotel booking app:

1. Acquiring Project Details 

The first step in developing an app is to gather and organize all the project details. This involves collecting the technical requirements and formulating a development plan with precise specifications. 

The UI/UX team then creates a wireframe for each screen based on the specifications. 

2. UI/UX Design 

After the wireframes are approved, the UI/UX design team creates a prototype for each screen based on the wireframes and the overall development vision. 

3. The Development Process 

Once the prototype screens have been created, the development team starts working on developing the app as per the specifications. 

At Vrinsoft, each development stage is divided into sprints, including coding, testing, and deployment. 

4. Quality Assurance and Testing 

The QA engineer is responsible for testing the developed product and generating a bug report. The report is then returned to the development team to fix the bugs. 

5. Product Launch 

After all the bugs have been fixed and the final touches have been added, the app is ready to be launched on the market. Once the app is launched, the team takes feedback to improve the product. 

6. App Support and Maintenance 

Maintenance and updating the app is a regular process to ensure the final product is continuously improvised.  

Although the abovementioned processes seem simple, they are time-consuming. It is crucial for dedicated resources to participate and collaborate in order to successfully develop a custom hotel booking application.  

Must-Have Features of a Custom Hotel Booking Application  

To develop a hotel app, it is essential to focus on the features that will make it user-friendly and establish a reliable brand identity. 

Therefore, it is necessary to include the right set of features that can appeal to travelers and enhance their experience. 

Here is a list of such features that can help your app gain popularity among users: 

• Research Online   

When someone wants to book a hotel online, they usually look for the best option available within their budget. 

Therefore, it is crucial to have a comparison feature that allows users to easily compare two properties and choose the right one based on their needs.  

• Search Option  

This is one of the most crucial features that every hotel booking app should have. This feature lets users quickly search for a specific property in a particular area. 

The search box helps to save time and effort that would otherwise be spent scrolling through numerous properties.  

• Reliable Payment Gateway   

Most travelers prefer to pay for hotel bookings online because it is convenient and saves time. Therefore, it is essential to have a secure payment gateway that allows customers to make payments easily and securely.  

• Push Notifications  

Travelers appreciate getting constant notifications about the latest offers, deals, and booking details. This feature can also create a positive brand image in the user’s mind. 

• Cancelation and Refund  

Sometimes, travelers need to cancel their bookings due to sudden changes in plans or medical conditions. In such situations, they should be able to cancel their bookings and receive a partial refund of their booking amount.  

• User Profile   

It is mandatory for every user who reserves a hotel room through your application to have an account. 

Essentially, it would be like a personalized dashboard for them to view their previous, current, and future bookings along with payment status. 

• Multiple Language Compatibility 

It is a well-known fact that every country has its own language. To ensure the worldwide success of your application, it is essential to launch it with multiple language support so that every person can easily access the application. 

• Taxi and Car Reservations  

Users do not need to use a separate app for booking taxis, as this feature is available within your application. When using the app for hotel booking, the user can request a taxi by providing the drop-off and pick-up locations. 

Requests will only be approved if a driver is available at the nearest pick-up location, and the customer will receive confirmation.  

• Virtual Experience  

Using this feature, users can have a virtual tour of the property they plan to book in the upcoming days. It provides a better idea of the property and helps in decision-making.  

• In-App Navigation  

Travelers often face difficulties reaching their booked hotel as they are unfamiliar with the place. The in-app navigation feature can assist travelers in reaching their hotel conveniently and saving a lot of time. 

The Tech Stack Required to Build a Hotel Booking App  

Utilizing the latest technology is the best option to develop a hotel booking app that outperforms the competition. 

Below are the required tech stacks for hotel app development: 

How Much Does Hotel Booking App Development Cost?  

The cost of hotel mobile app development for iOS and Android depends on several factors, such as the size and complexity of the app. 

In addition, the location of the app developers and the total number of hours spent creating the app also play a significant role in determining the total investment required for the project. 

We have gathered information about the fees charged by developers from different parts of the world. 

How to Monetize/Earn Money with Your Hotel Booking App?  

Let’s discuss how to earn profits by selling your app. It takes a lot of time and effort to plan and develop the application, so it’s only logical to make money from it. 

Let’s explore the monetization strategy:

1. Service Fees

You can impose a cost on the transaction when someone makes a reservation through your app, similar to how many travel websites like Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and Booking.com charge fees for their services.

2. Marketplace

You can collect fees from hotels that want to be listed within your app. 

3. Marketing

This is the most commonly used method. Hotels may pay to promote your app to be featured in the top rankings of search results.

4. Subscription

Offering subscriptions allows you to provide additional options, discounts, and benefits to your customers. 

Conclusion

The widespread use of mobile devices presents an excellent opportunity for hospitality businesses to engage with customers at every stage of their journey. 

By adopting hotel booking apps, you can expand your customer base and attract those who prefer to book their stays quickly and conveniently. This will save them from the hassle of traditional booking methods and help you grow your business. 

Create a Robust On Demand Hotel Booking application with Vrinsoft 

The advent of Internet and mobile phone technologies has significantly impacted the tourism and hospitality sectors. 

With several technological advancements taking place, it is imperative to entrust your hotel mobile app development to experienced professionals. Vrinsoft Technology is the best hotel booking app development company in India specializing in creating hotel booking applications that are replete with every feature imaginable.

We have the experience and expertise to assist you in hotel booking app development services, which require a great deal of effort and skilled professionals. 

With our knowledge and your ideas, we can help take your hotel business to new heights.  

FAQs: Hotel Booking App Development