Would anyone care to have a look on casaflordesal.com and comment?
We are on various listing sites and use the website mainly to shove more and better pictures and to tell a bit more about the place and the area.
My main headache at the moment is how to balance the rental part (how to make people find out about accommodation, rates and booking, and providing other information which may be of more general interest, e.g. birding.
I am partly through the remodelling but need some input.
Target: Families with children, couples, birdwatchers
Selling point: Peaceful without being isolated, bird life, unspoilt Algarve.
Why us: Great location, we put our love into it.
Thanks!
Review of casaflordesal.com
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Wendy@NorthIdaho
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:03 pm
- Location: North Idaho, USA
- Contact:
Hi Stork,
Your place looks wonderful! I'm no website expert so take or leave my comments.
On your "Come and Stay" page, you may want to phrase it "was built" instead of "is built". I would replace loosing with losing on the same page.
On Stork house page, I think you mean wonderful views instead of wies?
Calendar: Is there anyway to have the calendar directly underneath the pictures instead of needing to scroll to the right? I had a hard time understanding the different colors, they seemed confusing to me. The pink meant booked so what does red mean? and unknown was just confusing... Could just be me!
The link for prices didn't work for me, took me to a page that said website could not be found. Clicked on Accomodation and it took me to them.
On the Surroundings/Activities page I would not state a negative, but play up the positives of your location. Tell them the distance to the disco's and let them figure out if it's close enough for them. Same with skiers, no need to mention them if it's not available. The word available is misspelled on this page.
I like your FAQ page, I felt like you were talking to me and I like that, makes me feel as though I know you.
You may want to add a google map, so people can put you in context of the country of Portugal, and then another showing where it is in relation to the nearest town.
I hope this isn't too negative, I'm still working on my website and have lots more work to do, so I know these things are a work in progress...
I like the looks of your place and enjoyed your beautiful pictures. Would be a great place to stay if I'm ever in Portugal!
Wendy
Your place looks wonderful! I'm no website expert so take or leave my comments.
On your "Come and Stay" page, you may want to phrase it "was built" instead of "is built". I would replace loosing with losing on the same page.
On Stork house page, I think you mean wonderful views instead of wies?
Calendar: Is there anyway to have the calendar directly underneath the pictures instead of needing to scroll to the right? I had a hard time understanding the different colors, they seemed confusing to me. The pink meant booked so what does red mean? and unknown was just confusing... Could just be me!
The link for prices didn't work for me, took me to a page that said website could not be found. Clicked on Accomodation and it took me to them.
On the Surroundings/Activities page I would not state a negative, but play up the positives of your location. Tell them the distance to the disco's and let them figure out if it's close enough for them. Same with skiers, no need to mention them if it's not available. The word available is misspelled on this page.
I like your FAQ page, I felt like you were talking to me and I like that, makes me feel as though I know you.
You may want to add a google map, so people can put you in context of the country of Portugal, and then another showing where it is in relation to the nearest town.
I hope this isn't too negative, I'm still working on my website and have lots more work to do, so I know these things are a work in progress...
I like the looks of your place and enjoyed your beautiful pictures. Would be a great place to stay if I'm ever in Portugal!
Wendy
New Vacation Rental called DayStar Lodge! (Sold Narrows Cottage now have a rental management company called A-List Rental Management)
The site layout in general is nice clean and works well, except that I found when looking around that I go a bit lost.
I can see you have several properties but there is no basic information about these on your first page. Something like a brief summery of how many beds facilities etc would have been nice.
When I click on the links they take you away from your website.
Some pages have different widths to others. Most are not so drastically different but it does spoil a very nicely presented website.
In your home page you say you have a sea view but I cannot find a photo of it. Could you add one?
I cannot find a location map, is there one?
There seems to be a few errors in your CCS files but the HTML passes with flying colours.
BTW the new electronic toll roads WILL be introduced just before Easter. They have them up in the North and it is causing a lot of pain for everyone. The toll roads are much emptier and the Spanish did have a great deal of difficulty purchasing toll passes. It is easier for the Spanish now but not that simple.
I can see you have several properties but there is no basic information about these on your first page. Something like a brief summery of how many beds facilities etc would have been nice.
When I click on the links they take you away from your website.
Some pages have different widths to others. Most are not so drastically different but it does spoil a very nicely presented website.
In your home page you say you have a sea view but I cannot find a photo of it. Could you add one?
I cannot find a location map, is there one?
There seems to be a few errors in your CCS files but the HTML passes with flying colours.
BTW the new electronic toll roads WILL be introduced just before Easter. They have them up in the North and it is causing a lot of pain for everyone. The toll roads are much emptier and the Spanish did have a great deal of difficulty purchasing toll passes. It is easier for the Spanish now but not that simple.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
It is a big advantage having non-geeky testers! I have worked with web for 12 years, one way or the other.Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote:Hi Stork,
Your place looks wonderful! I'm no website expert so take or leave my comments.
Yes, thanks.Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: On your "Come and Stay" page, you may want to phrase it "was built" instead of "is built". I would replace loosing with losing on the same page.
On Stork house page, I think you mean wonderful views instead of wies?
The scrolling puzzles me - what browser and size of screen are you using?Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: Calendar: Is there anyway to have the calendar directly underneath the pictures instead of needing to scroll to the right? I had a hard time understanding the different colors, they seemed confusing to me. The pink meant booked so what does red mean? and unknown was just confusing... Could just be me!
The calendar I use is from Holidaylettings, I picked it because the with suited me. HR's was too wide. Pink and red is both booked, pink being weekend. I would prefer only to show the defined periods. Perhaps I should look for another calendar?
Fixed, thank you!Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: The link for prices didn't work for me, took me to a page that said website could not be found. Clicked on Accomodation and it took me to them.
Thanks.Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: On the Surroundings/Activities page I would not state a negative, but play up the positives of your location. Tell them the distance to the disco's and let them figure out if it's close enough for them. Same with skiers, no need to mention them if it's not available. The word available is misspelled on this page.
I like your FAQ page, I felt like you were talking to me and I like that, makes me feel as though I know you.
Making mental note for future versionWendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: You may want to add a google map, so people can put you in context of the country of Portugal, and then another showing where it is in relation to the nearest town.
Thank you very much, Wendy. You probably know how you get blind to things when you know them very well.[/quote]Wendy@NarrowsCottage wrote: I hope this isn't too negative, I'm still working on my website and have lots more work to do, so I know these things are a work in progress...
I like the looks of your place and enjoyed your beautiful pictures. Would be a great place to stay if I'm ever in Portugal!
Wendy
Any suggestion for better organisation? There are breadcrumbs, but they don't really work. I am not perfectly happy either.casasantoestevo wrote:The site layout in general is nice clean and works well, except that I found when looking around that I go a bit lost.
Will think of how to fit that in.casasantoestevo wrote:I can see you have several properties but there is no basic information about these on your first page. Something like a brief summery of how many beds facilities etc would have been nice.
That is by purpose. I don't like opening new windows all the time, and as the Back button is the second-most used feature most users know it. See http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990530.htmlcasasantoestevo wrote:When I click on the links they take you away from your website.
I thought I had found them allcasasantoestevo wrote:Some pages have different widths to others. Most are not so drastically different but it does spoil a very nicely presented website.
You actually see it on the picture on the starting page, it is just that we are not very high, and with a few dunes there is only a small strip of blue - but it is real, also if you are not an estate agentcasasantoestevo wrote:In your home page you say you have a sea view but I cannot find a photo of it. Could you add one?
Here's another: http://casaflordesal.com/property/outdo ... -full.htmlNo location map. CSS and HTML made (largely) by Rapidweaver.casasantoestevo wrote:I cannot find a location map, is there one?
There seems to be a few errors in your CCS files but the HTML passes with flying colours.
BTW the new electronic toll roads WILL be introduced just before Easter. They have them up in the North and it is causing a lot of pain for everyone. The toll roads are much emptier and the Spanish did have a great deal of difficulty purchasing toll passes. It is easier for the Spanish now but not that simple.[/quote]
Yes, that will be a royal pain. Even in summer, the motorway is never full, and the old (to remain toll-free) main road fairly clogged. Complete stupidity, IMNSHO. But tolls generally are.
Thanks for input
Random comments:
1. Home page shows a glorious picture of what I thought was a lovely large Villa. Of course, its totally unclear how many people can be accommodated at this stage, and I assumed a lot of people. Eventually after a lot of clicking AND scrolling one can find out that its really 3 separate properties of 4 persons each.
Suggest that this is made clear on the home page, then offer to click thru directly to individual units.
2. The dynamic menu actually turned out to be more confusing than helpful. I really do not like changing menus. You forget where you clicked to get "here" - breadcrumbs are sort of helpful though.
3. Couple of glitches in the menu:
a) When you click on "Surroundings" the menu moves to Activities. Turns out that these are one and the same ?
b) Come and stay at Flamingo leads to ???
Happens in Chrome and Firefox
and finally a bit of contention.....
I'm not sure you are right about external links not opening separate windows.
The article to which you refer was written in 1999, which in Web terms predates cave paintings. Today's modern browsers will open separate tabs which are far less intrusive.
Even some of Nielsen's later works suggest that these are more widely used by savvy users.
i) If the external website is slow to load, then many users will give up and just close the tab. You have now lost them from your website too.
ii) Once your web visitor has clicked on an external link they wander off all over the place, get bored, and close. You have lost them for no reason.
IF your tab were still there, they could more simply continue.
Despite the above, I acknowledge that the back button is still heavily used, but its nowhere near as ubiquitous as your comments and the 1999 article suggest.
Otherwise, its a very welcoming website and any of these criticisms are only because we're being analytical rather than typical holidaymakers. For the typical holidaymaker, all the right info is there
......eventually - sorry, that menu really hurts.
1. Home page shows a glorious picture of what I thought was a lovely large Villa. Of course, its totally unclear how many people can be accommodated at this stage, and I assumed a lot of people. Eventually after a lot of clicking AND scrolling one can find out that its really 3 separate properties of 4 persons each.
Suggest that this is made clear on the home page, then offer to click thru directly to individual units.
2. The dynamic menu actually turned out to be more confusing than helpful. I really do not like changing menus. You forget where you clicked to get "here" - breadcrumbs are sort of helpful though.
3. Couple of glitches in the menu:
a) When you click on "Surroundings" the menu moves to Activities. Turns out that these are one and the same ?
b) Come and stay at Flamingo leads to ???
Happens in Chrome and Firefox
and finally a bit of contention.....
I'm not sure you are right about external links not opening separate windows.
The article to which you refer was written in 1999, which in Web terms predates cave paintings. Today's modern browsers will open separate tabs which are far less intrusive.
Even some of Nielsen's later works suggest that these are more widely used by savvy users.
i) If the external website is slow to load, then many users will give up and just close the tab. You have now lost them from your website too.
ii) Once your web visitor has clicked on an external link they wander off all over the place, get bored, and close. You have lost them for no reason.
IF your tab were still there, they could more simply continue.
Despite the above, I acknowledge that the back button is still heavily used, but its nowhere near as ubiquitous as your comments and the 1999 article suggest.
Otherwise, its a very welcoming website and any of these criticisms are only because we're being analytical rather than typical holidaymakers. For the typical holidaymaker, all the right info is there
......eventually - sorry, that menu really hurts.
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
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Wendy@NorthIdaho
- Posts: 744
- Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 7:03 pm
- Location: North Idaho, USA
- Contact:
The scrolling puzzles me - what browser and size of screen are you using?
I am using MSN explorer, my screen is on a 17 inch lap top.
The calendar I use is from Holidaylettings, I picked it because the with suited me. HR's was too wide. Pink and red is both booked, pink being weekend. I would prefer only to show the defined periods. Perhaps I should look for another calendar?
I don't know, the one I use is HomeAway Connect, it's free and compatible with a lot of websites. But I don't know if it "shows" on your own website or if it can only be clicked through to.
I second theh opinion on having links open in another window. I know I've lost websites that way... and WE want people sticking around...
Wendy
I am using MSN explorer, my screen is on a 17 inch lap top.
The calendar I use is from Holidaylettings, I picked it because the with suited me. HR's was too wide. Pink and red is both booked, pink being weekend. I would prefer only to show the defined periods. Perhaps I should look for another calendar?
I don't know, the one I use is HomeAway Connect, it's free and compatible with a lot of websites. But I don't know if it "shows" on your own website or if it can only be clicked through to.
I second theh opinion on having links open in another window. I know I've lost websites that way... and WE want people sticking around...
Wendy
New Vacation Rental called DayStar Lodge! (Sold Narrows Cottage now have a rental management company called A-List Rental Management)
Thanks for comments generally. As I said, most guests come from Listing sites and thus have an introduction to the place, but I am not too happy about the menus either.e-richard wrote: and finally a bit of contention.....
I'm not sure you are right about external links not opening separate windows.
The article to which you refer was written in 1999, which in Web terms predates cave paintings. Today's modern browsers will open separate tabs which are far less intrusive.
Even some of Nielsen's later works suggest that these are more widely used by savvy users.
i) If the external website is slow to load, then many users will give up and just close the tab. You have now lost them from your website too.
ii) Once your web visitor has clicked on an external link they wander off all over the place, get bored, and close. You have lost them for no reason.
IF your tab were still there, they could more simply continue.
Despite the above, I acknowledge that the back button is still heavily used, but its nowhere near as ubiquitous as your comments and the 1999 article suggest.
......eventually - sorry, that menu really hurts.
I searched on the opening windows issue, and in 2005 Mr. Nielsen reiterated his position. I would like to see newer data.
I tried to google "usability new window", and it all sticks to the 1999 recommendation.
In any case, I think it is most important to care for the least savvy users - the hardened ones can better take care of themselves (you can open in a new window/tab yourself, right?).
I am willing to change my position; as Keynes said: "When the facts change, I change my opinion. What do you do?"
I guess you signal "other website" if you consequently write the ulr as the link?
Stork,
Don't get me wrong. I am certainly not religious about opening separate windows/tabs. I remain totally open and uncertain about the rights or wrongs, so I'm glad you raised it.
An interesting recent Nielsen article that set me thinking was http://www.useit.com/alertbox/students.html
I observe my wife using a computer, and she doesn't know the difference between a window, a browser or a desktop app, she just clicks on "things" (and, of course, uses the back button a lot), but she manages to empty my credit card with on-line shopping and even got her bus pass online, so that tells you a few things.
However, if you read the above article, I suspect that the younger generations will accept and use tabs much more readily, even perhaps without knowing what they're doing or why.
So who is your target market ?
Don't get me wrong. I am certainly not religious about opening separate windows/tabs. I remain totally open and uncertain about the rights or wrongs, so I'm glad you raised it.
An interesting recent Nielsen article that set me thinking was http://www.useit.com/alertbox/students.html
I observe my wife using a computer, and she doesn't know the difference between a window, a browser or a desktop app, she just clicks on "things" (and, of course, uses the back button a lot), but she manages to empty my credit card with on-line shopping and even got her bus pass online, so that tells you a few things.
However, if you read the above article, I suspect that the younger generations will accept and use tabs much more readily, even perhaps without knowing what they're doing or why.
So who is your target market ?
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
It is an interesting discussion, and from my previous life in IT I have had a lot of opinionated discussions on the subject :-/
I am fascinated by how slow habits are actually changing, have you read this one? http://www.useit.com/alertbox/user-skills.html
Our target group? 30+. As a significant part of what we offer is peace and quiet, we don't appeal to the disco crowd anyway. Our pattern is families with schoolchildren in the summer, couples aged 30-70+, (some of the younger with small children) the rest of the year.
Would like to attract (even) more birders off-season.
By the way: I find that about 2/3 of booking come from women - I have read somewhere they often decide for the holiday accommodation.
I am fascinated by how slow habits are actually changing, have you read this one? http://www.useit.com/alertbox/user-skills.html
Our target group? 30+. As a significant part of what we offer is peace and quiet, we don't appeal to the disco crowd anyway. Our pattern is families with schoolchildren in the summer, couples aged 30-70+, (some of the younger with small children) the rest of the year.
Would like to attract (even) more birders off-season.
By the way: I find that about 2/3 of booking come from women - I have read somewhere they often decide for the holiday accommodation.