I have started to design another website.
Please tell me what you think.
Only the first navigation column is currently loaded.
thanks,
Renata Gozdziak
ww.Daytona-Vacation-Rental.com
Please Critique my site
Please Critique my site
Renata Gozdziak
Chicago Illinois---Daytona Beach Florida
Chicago Illinois---Daytona Beach Florida
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marcus
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 10:37 am
- Location: Lot-Garonne / Dordogne borders
- Contact:
Those menus are brilliant (though a bit slow to load even with our ADSL connection).
I would make the heading picture a bit less high and get more of the menus / content on the front screen, especially the big picture of the 'inn' itself.
I like blue, although I am less sure that the 'light' and 'dark' blue go together, so myself I would tone down the 'lighter blue to be a lighter tone of the dark blue, rather than a different blue - does that make sense?
Overall impact is very good,a and I kept clicking on the rental rates to see if i could afford to come...
I would make the heading picture a bit less high and get more of the menus / content on the front screen, especially the big picture of the 'inn' itself.
I like blue, although I am less sure that the 'light' and 'dark' blue go together, so myself I would tone down the 'lighter blue to be a lighter tone of the dark blue, rather than a different blue - does that make sense?
Overall impact is very good,a and I kept clicking on the rental rates to see if i could afford to come...
Renata,
Thanks for reviewing others' sites! It's not only the right thing to do, but it also reminded me that I hadn't yet reviewed your site.
To be clear, I'm reviewing the site daytona-vacation-rental.com, which is different from the site linked to by your "www" button.
You've got a lovely top banner -- shows the beach and palm trees and makes it clear that that's the view from within the condo, by showing a bit of the balcony and wall. You might consider a caption for the banner stating that this really is the view from your studio. People are sometimes wary of seeing an image like that and then getting there to find that their particular unit faces the parking lot instead of the ocean. Reassure them!
From the title, "Hawaiian Inn Oceanfront Resort" -- I at first wasn't sure whether you were advertising a property in Florida or one in Hawaii. Is that a good thing? I know you probably want to put people in the Hawaii frame of mind, but you might consider adding "Daytona, Florida, USA Vacation Rental" to the end of your page title -- just to make it very clear and add more search engine keywords.
Have you considered using a fixed table width rather than a percentage-based table width? I have a high resolution setting on my monitor, and when my Firefox window is maximized, the page space is large enough that the light-colored central table has extra space on the right, and the top menu isn't centered under the top banner. Also, some of the tables inside your main table are relative as well and look a little stretched when my window is maximized. If you set your table width to fixed, you would avoid that issue, and it would make no difference to people with lower-resolution monitors. However, I should say that you've done a good job with this -- the differences are apparent to me, but it doesn't look horrible even with my window maximized.
I also noticed that what appear to be separate paragraphs are only separated by line breaks in my browser. You are using the <P> tag, and in Firefox that ought to put a blank space between paragraphs, so this must be somehow specified in the stylesheet. Maybe someone else can chime in as to whether this is a Firefox effect or a general effect in all browsers.
Example: what I believe is supposed to look like
Lastly, is it the case that the menus are filled in but not yet fully linked to other pages? If so, fine -- if the site is complete, I can't access most of the pages from the menus.
Overall, I think this is a very good start!
Thanks for reviewing others' sites! It's not only the right thing to do, but it also reminded me that I hadn't yet reviewed your site.
To be clear, I'm reviewing the site daytona-vacation-rental.com, which is different from the site linked to by your "www" button.
You've got a lovely top banner -- shows the beach and palm trees and makes it clear that that's the view from within the condo, by showing a bit of the balcony and wall. You might consider a caption for the banner stating that this really is the view from your studio. People are sometimes wary of seeing an image like that and then getting there to find that their particular unit faces the parking lot instead of the ocean. Reassure them!
From the title, "Hawaiian Inn Oceanfront Resort" -- I at first wasn't sure whether you were advertising a property in Florida or one in Hawaii. Is that a good thing? I know you probably want to put people in the Hawaii frame of mind, but you might consider adding "Daytona, Florida, USA Vacation Rental" to the end of your page title -- just to make it very clear and add more search engine keywords.
I love this quote! What a wonderful idea to put this on your front page. In fact, I would consider switching text positions (and sizes) between this phrase and the caption "Hawaiian Inn Ocean Front Pool and Patio."How many vacations do you get a year? Make this one special!
Have you considered using a fixed table width rather than a percentage-based table width? I have a high resolution setting on my monitor, and when my Firefox window is maximized, the page space is large enough that the light-colored central table has extra space on the right, and the top menu isn't centered under the top banner. Also, some of the tables inside your main table are relative as well and look a little stretched when my window is maximized. If you set your table width to fixed, you would avoid that issue, and it would make no difference to people with lower-resolution monitors. However, I should say that you've done a good job with this -- the differences are apparent to me, but it doesn't look horrible even with my window maximized.
I also noticed that what appear to be separate paragraphs are only separated by line breaks in my browser. You are using the <P> tag, and in Firefox that ought to put a blank space between paragraphs, so this must be somehow specified in the stylesheet. Maybe someone else can chime in as to whether this is a Firefox effect or a general effect in all browsers.
Example: what I believe is supposed to look like
instead looks likeThe Hawaiian Inn Resort has long been a favorite in the area, known for the largest Oceanfront Pool and Patio in the South Beach of Daytona, known as Daytona Beach Shores.
Hawaiian Tiki Bar and Oceanfront Gazebo await the sun lovers who surround the pool. Guests will be treated to entertainment poolside by several talented artists from the area. Oceanfront hammocks, will invite you to enjoy the warm ocean breezes...
which to me doesn't look as good.The Hawaiian Inn Resort has long been a favorite in the area, known for the largest Oceanfront Pool and Patio in the South Beach of Daytona, known as Daytona Beach Shores.
Hawaiian Tiki Bar and Oceanfront Gazebo await the sun lovers who surround the pool. Guests will be treated to entertainment poolside by several talented artists from the area. Oceanfront hammocks, will invite you to enjoy the warm ocean breezes...
Lastly, is it the case that the menus are filled in but not yet fully linked to other pages? If so, fine -- if the site is complete, I can't access most of the pages from the menus.
Overall, I think this is a very good start!
Brooke
http://www.Daytona-Vacation-Rental.com
I can't believe that I did not put the correct web address in.
Sorry.
I can't believe that I did not put the correct web address in.
Sorry.
Renata Gozdziak
Chicago Illinois---Daytona Beach Florida
Chicago Illinois---Daytona Beach Florida
Renata,
A nice site which downloads quickly - a must for those of us still on slow connections!
I like the idea that you have a 'Daytona Events' page, although none of your links aren't working for me (I assume you are still working on these?).
The only other thing I would add is I personally don't like having to scroll from left to right to read the text - but this is a personal view.
My other half is very jealous - he's a big bike fan and would love the chance to visit the bike show! Maybe one day....
A nice site which downloads quickly - a must for those of us still on slow connections!
I like the idea that you have a 'Daytona Events' page, although none of your links aren't working for me (I assume you are still working on these?).
The only other thing I would add is I personally don't like having to scroll from left to right to read the text - but this is a personal view.
My other half is very jealous - he's a big bike fan and would love the chance to visit the bike show! Maybe one day....
Renata,
Here were my first impressions:
1. The pics at the top could be better. They are a little washed out, the weather looks like it is just before or after a storm, and the one on the left isn’t straight.
2. It’s in Hawaii, so I must be in the wrong place, because I want to go to Daytona – next! This does not apply if Hawaiian Inn is so well known that you are only targeting people who know where it is.
3. I would actually take a line from an inner page, adapt it to reflect the location, and use it on the homepage:
"What is so special about our Dayton Beach Condo Rentals?
A Million Dollar View."
4. At the first mention of Hawaiian Inn I would explain that these are Hawaii-themed condos, and why that is a good thing.
5. Between each paragraph there should be a blank line, for ease of reading.
6. I am not crazy about using ‘Inn’ instead of ‘in’ in the text. Inn fact I don’t like it because it looks like perhaps you can’t spell ‘in’!
7. I like the way the left column follows a chain of thought: ‘enjoy the sun, enjoy the sand, enjoy the good life’, and then ends it with a positive call to action: “Ask about our Ocean Walk Resort Units…�
But there should be a mechanism right there for getting in touch with you – email link and phone. Otherwise the moment will be lost.
8. Looks like there will be some good local links and content when you have the site finished.
Here were my first impressions:
1. The pics at the top could be better. They are a little washed out, the weather looks like it is just before or after a storm, and the one on the left isn’t straight.
2. It’s in Hawaii, so I must be in the wrong place, because I want to go to Daytona – next! This does not apply if Hawaiian Inn is so well known that you are only targeting people who know where it is.
3. I would actually take a line from an inner page, adapt it to reflect the location, and use it on the homepage:
"What is so special about our Dayton Beach Condo Rentals?
A Million Dollar View."
4. At the first mention of Hawaiian Inn I would explain that these are Hawaii-themed condos, and why that is a good thing.
5. Between each paragraph there should be a blank line, for ease of reading.
6. I am not crazy about using ‘Inn’ instead of ‘in’ in the text. Inn fact I don’t like it because it looks like perhaps you can’t spell ‘in’!
7. I like the way the left column follows a chain of thought: ‘enjoy the sun, enjoy the sand, enjoy the good life’, and then ends it with a positive call to action: “Ask about our Ocean Walk Resort Units…�
But there should be a mechanism right there for getting in touch with you – email link and phone. Otherwise the moment will be lost.
8. Looks like there will be some good local links and content when you have the site finished.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Lay My Hat