Lay My Hat Forum

[Tivoli]

Because this is all about peace and quiet, I have chosen to avoid widgets as I don't think they are in keeping with the atmospere. I am currently trying to establish WaveApps credit card booking but so far they do not cover Greece. I am prepared to take time and add items as they become available in preference to rushing in and selecting the wrong provider.
http://www.ysyhia.com/
Feedback gratefully received, thanks

[Casscat]

Please can I come and stay there Tivoli. Now as a preference

[Casscat]

First comment - photos. The display on my Mac is not flattering. One photo is wide and lovely and inviting but the others look like the view you'd get if someone was showing you a shot on their mobile - narrowed down. Also certain photos look like they've been taken while squatting on the floor so the angle is peculiar. Still want to stay there though

[French Cricket]

I want to stay too, please

The photos display okay on my laptop, but I do think you're missing a trick, Tivoli, in that quite a number of them are portrait rather than landscape so they're much smaller than they need or should be, and don't quite give the 'wow' effect that they could.

It's a lovely place. In your shoes I'd add just a couple of things to the site: an 'in a nutshell' bullet list with just the bare details, and an 'about us' page: we find that potential guests are always interested in how we came to be living halfway up a Pyrenee, and I'm sure yours would love to know your story too.
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Holiday retreat for grown-ups in the French Pyrenees
French Foothills

[COYS]

As I don't publish my personal/web details I probably shouldn't critique other websites or I'll be sent to the naughty step!
But as a Grecophile & to quote Ronald McDonald "I'm lovin' it"
Per FC, widen out the wow shots.
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This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.

[Tivoli]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and input. Arty-farty professional photographer friend and neighbour who shoots what he wants for no charge, I may ask him to have another go or I may try myself since I have invested in quite a sweet little camera which did the bathroom bottle close-up. Yes, I will add an 'About us' page, thanks!
Casscat - Yes of course you can come and stay, we'd like to see a few more bookings in our 2017 calendar
French Cricket - What in your opinion would be the important highlights to list?

[French Cricket]

Tivoli, I would just pick out the essential selling points and combine them into a list. I'm a bit like you - don't like widgets or gadgets or anything much that upsets the flow of my website, but just as an example, this is my bullet point list:

IN A NUTSHELL
stunning barn conversion for one couple
just for grown ups
spacious open plan sitting room with well equipped kitchen and dining area
bedroom with king size bed and second sitting area
large bathroom with XXL shower
second bedroom, shower room and extra sitting room can be added for two couples
lots of extras
green and environment friendly
private terraces and garden, managed organically
non smoking (including outside)
open April to October, minimum booking 7 nights
totally flexible arrival days throughout season
simple, transparent and inclusive price - the same all year

I have it close to the top of the detailed page for the accommodation, next to a large photo. Then below those are the detailed narrative paragraphs and photos. That way, if the nutshell version puts someone off, they don't need to scroll down and read any more.
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Holiday retreat for grown-ups in the French Pyrenees
French Foothills

[Tivoli]

Thanks so much French Cricket. Your site was one of the very first I looked at and it's really impressive! I guess that since you are 'just for grown-ups' as we are, you can keep your rate flat all season because there is no need to take account of school holidays. We really wanted to do this and our pricing structure is way less complex than many who take advantage of every half term and bank holiday but we simply cannot get away with a flat across the board rate, much as we'd love to.

Have you been to Greece? Would you include 'toilet paper down the toilet' as part of the highlights list? I know it seems strange but a lot of people get very excited about that aspect.

[Casscat]

Your home page doesn't say where it is! I know Skopelos (not stayed there but stayed on Skiathos many times - always meant to try Skopelos and Alonissos) but the home page just gives the name of the property and mentions Glossa. The word 'Greek' hints at a vague atlas point, but perhaps internet search traffic can be more readily directed via several references to Skopelos?

[Tivoli]

Thanks for the tip Casscat I will amend that right away

[Tivoli]

Hi again all I have been doing a spot of tweaking, adding a couple of pages and generally taking on board your recommendations. Just this minute there is nothing I can do about the gallery shots of the cottage itself because it's full of guests! So I will address that later on and make sure we have some sexy landscape shots in place of the portrait ones, but meanwhile, any comments on my tweaks would be gratefully received - always!

Thanks all
Tivoli