Review please - before I make changes!

Get some feedback on your site or ad from other rental owners and techies. Also a library of online resources so you can make DIY improvements to your web presence.
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linda147
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Review please - before I make changes!

Post by linda147 »

I have a bit of time on my hands this week as it is half term (I am a teacher) and want to try and improve our website. I have to change it a bit anyway as we now have a second house to include. Unfortunately we won't have any more pictures of this until our visit in April but I can get the page ready and just insert the pictures later. Be interested in any comments - good and bad! It is always difficult to see the faults in your own work!
Thanks in anticipation.

Just click on the link below my name.
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debk
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Post by debk »

Hi, Linda -

Your home page loaded very, very wide for me on Firefox. (At first, I thought the page wasn't working!) It loaded fine on my IE.

Overall, your site has good information, most everything I could think of to look for was readily available. Good work!

Personally, though, I don't like the way the link for the current page disappears. That was disorienting. I clicked around a bit trying to find out what was wrong... :( until I realized the current page was missing.

Your maps/location and attractions pages are great.

Before your trip in April, I do recommend that you read the "taking photo" hints on this forum. Making the bedrooms look special, removing the umbrella in the patio (makes the patio look crowded and uninviting), finding the most flattering angles for the common areas, etc, will make a big difference, I think.

Congrats on the second place. Hope 2007 is a good one for you!
debk
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linda147
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Post by linda147 »

thanks for that - hubby needs to take his wide angle lens in April! Forgot it when we took previous photos. I am going to put a bottle of wine, glasses and some food on the patio table for the next shot. Also towels, cushions on the beds etc.
I know about the problem with Firefox - hence the alternate home page - don't know what else to do about it if I want to keep the picture gallery.
What did you mean about the current page disappearing? Not quite sure about that one!
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debk
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Post by debk »

What did you mean about the current page disappearing? Not quite sure about that one!
Whoops. Sorry to be unclear! I was referring to the links. When I am on the prices page, the "prices" link disappears. And so on. It makes all the links move around a bit from page to page which I found disorienting. Hope that makes more sense.
debk
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Partridge
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Post by Partridge »

Hi Linda

I think all the info you need is on there, which is probably the hard bit, improvements I would make but obviously it's my preference would be:

Black type, I am defo one of those that thinks it looks more professional and 'clean'.

I would prefer smaller type eg the prices page, it seems to 'shout' at me a bit.

Agree re the umbrellas, they close the shot down.

Re take photos with the doors open, especially in the bedroom, I notice you have dark wardrobes like me and someone commented (rightly I feel) that it looked a bit sombre, so shot may be better ignoring that side and with the window open. Oh yes and NO bin.

Third bedroom needs a little warming up.
Don't waste energy on things you can't change.

Costa de la Luz apartment rental
www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/S5386.htm
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linda147
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Post by linda147 »

thanks for the comments so far - keep them coming!
I am re-doing the navigation for the whole website, I want to put it across the top of the page which I think would be much clearer. I hunted through all the pictures we have taken so far of the patio and they all have the umbrella up! Will take more photos at Easter.
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mon269
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Post by mon269 »

Hello Linda,

The first impression I got when opening your site was that the colours are very pleasant but the site very empty. The last one is because it is very wide and you need to scroll horizontally, which according to most recommendation I have read, is not recommened. The good thing though, is that the message pointing to the alternate home page was right in front of me and that one displays ok. Unfortunately, I think the alternate site is not the same and I have switched to IE (I was on FF).

As I read the home page text my mind kept asking, why is everything moved to the left? Personally, I think that if everything was centered on the window, it would look more balanced (me being very picky here but I am a bit weird like that). :oops:

I agree with the previous comments on the navigation bar. I for one, like clicking on the links in order and found myself lost a couple of times wandering where I was. :shock:

On the accommodation page it wasn’t until I got to the bottom pictures of the views from the house that I got the WOW factor. I would have like these pics to be the first thing I see when I open this page. Not to fond of the architect’s plan. The house looks very nice, very nicely decorated but could do with better pics.

WOW, WOW and WOW again for the beaches page. That’s what I call appealing! Great pics, this really sells the dream.

Overall, lots of good information, clear and easy to read, very nice colours.

I hope you can find some useful info on my review.

Good luck and many bookings!
jdabney
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Post by jdabney »

For what it's worth....... isn't it always personal?!

I think the completely symetrical design of your home page is maybe a bit soulless.... same no of photos each side of centred text. Man (woman) likes a bit of variety or surprise.

Clicking on Accomodation leads to an invalid url and clicking on the specific properties leads to floor plans. Believe me, one great photo is worth 50 floor plans. They are fine as a final descriptive.

Can you get the photos to enlarge to a smaller window or be bigger in the full window? They are lost now.

These are very much personal comments and probably ill conceived! I wish you all the best in your venture
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linda147
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Post by linda147 »

Thanks for comments - unfortunately I seem to have messed my site up over the weekend having changed hosting companies. I put up my new site which is a work in progress on a different web address but somehow the original website is now pointing to this address! I will fix this tonight.
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