Finding the right hotel can be frustrating for travelers. With so many options scattered across different websites, it’s hard to compare prices, amenities, and locations in one place. That’s why hotel directory websites are in demand. They help travelers make informed decisions while giving hotels a platform to reach more customers.
If you want to create a hotel directory website, you might be wondering where to start. Setting up a site, adding hotel listings, and managing bookings can seem overwhelming.
But with WordPress and aDirectory plugin, you don’t need to be a tech expert. The right tools and plugins make it easy to build a directory without coding.
In this guide, we’ll show you the exact steps to create a hotel directory website from scratch. By the end, you’ll have a fully functional site that helps travelers find hotels and helps hotels attract more guests. Let’s get started!
Why Should You Create a Hotel Directory Website?
A hotel directory website can make a significant impact in the travel industry. The travel and tourism industry is growing rapidly, with global revenue projected to reach $1.3 trillion in 2025.
People are always searching for convenient platforms to compare and book hotels, and a well-structured hotel directory can fill that gap perfectly.
We’ll now show you a few key reasons why starting a hotel directory website is a smart move:
I. High Demand for Hotel Listings
Millions of travelers look for accommodation daily. According to Google, 65% of travelers start their journey with an online search.
They prefer platforms where they can easily compare options based on price, location, and amenities. By offering a hotel directory, you cater to this demand and provide a go-to platform for travelers.
II. Opportunity to Earn Revenue
A hotel directory website opens the door to multiple income streams. You can charge hotels for premium listings, accept booking commissions, or run ads on your site.
For example, platforms like Booking.com earn billions every year from hotel bookings. You might not reach that scale, but even a small commission from bookings can add up fast.
III. Support Local Tourism
If you focus on a specific region or city, your directory can boost local tourism. Small and mid-sized hotels often struggle to compete with big chains for visibility.
By featuring them on your platform, you help them attract more customers while building a reputation as a trusted local directory.
IV. Minimal Start-Up Costs
Creating a hotel directory website doesn’t require a massive budget. With platforms like WordPress and plugins like aDirectory, you can build a fully functional directory without hiring a developer.
Addons let you include advanced features like filters, maps, and booking systems at a fraction of the cost.
V. People Love Convenience
Travelers want everything in one place – hotel options, reviews, photos, and booking links. A well-designed directory makes it easy for users to find what they need, leading to more frequent visits and recommendations.
If your site is user-friendly, you’ll gain loyal visitors who trust your platform.
Also Read: What is Directory Listing for Business
How to Create a Hotel Directory Website in WordPress
Creating a hotel directory website in WordPress is easier than you might think. With the right tools, you can set up a professional-looking site quickly.
WordPress offers endless customization options, and directory plugins make it simple to add features like hotel listings, filters, and bookings.
Now let’s check the steps that you need to follow to create a hotel directory website using WordPress:
- Choose a Domain Name and Hosting
- Install WordPress on Your Hosting Panel
- Pick a Directory-friendly Theme
- Install aDirectory – The Ultimate WordPress Directory Plugin
- Configure the Basic Settings of Your Directory Website
- Add Hotel Categories and Locations
- Create and Publish Hotel Listings
Now let’s get into the details!
Step 01: Choose a Domain Name and Hosting
The first step to creating your hotel directory website is selecting a domain name and hosting provider. Your domain name is the web address people will type to visit your site, so make it –
- short,
- memorable, and
- relevant to hotels or travel.
For example, names like BestHotelFinder.com or StayFinderHub.com work well.
Next, choose reliable hosting. A good hosting provider ensures your site loads quickly, handles high traffic, and stays online without interruptions. Look for features like –
- strong uptime guarantees,
- good customer support, and
- scalability.
Some popular hosting providers for WordPress are SiteGround, Bluehost, and Cloudways. Many hosting services even offer one-click WordPress installation to make things easy.
Step 02: Install WordPress on Your Hosting Panel
To install WordPress on your hosting account, follow these steps:
a) Access Your Hosting Control Panel
Login to your hosting account, and navigate to the control panel (cPanel) provided by your hosting provider. You can typically access cPanel by entering your domain name followed by “/cpanel” in your web browser’s address bar.
b) Locate the WordPress Installer
Once you’re in cPanel, look for the “Softaculous Apps Installer” or “WordPress Installer” icon. This tool simplifies the process of installing WordPress by automating most of the steps.
c) Select WordPress for Installation
Click on the WordPress icon to launch the installation wizard. You’ll be prompted to choose the domain where you want to install WordPress if you have multiple domains associated with your hosting account.
d) Configure Installation Settings
Fill in the required information, such as the site name, site description, admin username, and password. Make sure to choose a strong password to secure your WordPress admin area.
e) Complete the Installation
Review your settings, double-check everything, and click the “Install” button to begin the installation process. The installer will automatically create the necessary database and configure WordPress for you.
Once the installation is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation message with a link to your WordPress dashboard.
Step 03: Pick a Hotel Directory-friendly Theme
Choosing the right theme for your hotel directory website is crucial. A directory-friendly theme ensures your site looks professional and functions smoothly which provides a great user experience.
Look for a theme that is responsive (works well on mobile devices), fast, and easily customizable.
When selecting a theme, check for these features:
- Directory Layout: The theme should offer an easy-to-navigate layout with options to list and filter hotels.
- Customization Options: It should allow you to change colors, fonts, and add your logo without coding.
- Search and Filter Functions: A good theme will have built-in search and filter options to make it easy for users to find hotels.
- Integration with Plugins: Make sure the theme works well with directory plugins like aDirectory.
To help you find the best theme for a hotel directory website, we have done the research part and come up with the Hotelsun theme. It’s a hotel listing WordPress theme.
Now let us guide you on how you can install this theme to your WordPress website:
- First, purchase the theme and download it from your account. However, if you are using the aDirectory premium version, you will get this theme in the package. That means you don’t need to buy this theme separately.
- Then log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance -> Themes -> Add New Theme -> Upload Theme.
- Then upload the theme from your computer and hit the “Install Now” button to install the theme.
- Finally, activate the theme to complete the full procedures.
Step 04: Install aDirectory – The Ultimate WordPress Directory Plugin
Now that your WordPress site is set up and your theme is in place, it’s time to add the core functionality with a directory plugin. aDirectory is an excellent choice for creating a hotel directory website.
It’s user-friendly, highly customizable, and packed with features designed specifically for directories.
Now let us show you how to install this plugin!
- To install the aDirectory plugin, navigate to your WordPress dashboard -> Plugins -> Add New Plugin, and type the plugin name – aDirectory in the search box.
- Install and activate the aDirectory plugin from the search result.
However, if you want to use the premium version of the aDirectory plugin, buy a plan, and navigate to your account. There you’ll find the downloadable package.
After downloading the package, go to your WordPress dashboard -> Plugins -> Add New Plugin -> Upload Plugin, and then upload the zip file.
After that, install and activate the plugin to use it on your website.
Also Read: Introducing aDirectory – The Ultimate WordPress Directory Plugin
Step 05: Configure the Basic Settings of Your Directory Website
Once you’ve set up your directory plugin and theme, it’s time to configure the basic settings of your directory website.
- To configure the basic settings, go to your WordPress dashboard -> aDirectory -> Settings & Builder.
- Then click on the “Settings” tab. There you’ll find the settings to configure.
On this interface, there are:
- Listing Default Expire Date: Defines how long a listing remains active. Keeps your directory content fresh and relevant.
- Listings Per Page: Sets the number of listings displayed on each page. Improves usability and ensures faster loading times.
- Default Preview Image: Assigns a placeholder image for listings without pictures. Helps maintain a uniform appearance.
- Hide Email Agent Page: Disables email visibility on agent pages. Protects privacy and reduces spam risks.
- Select Currency: Allows you to choose a currency for transactions. Aligns payment options with your audience’s preferences.
When you’re done with the configurations, don’t forget to hit the “Save Change” button to save all the changes.
Step 06: Add Hotel Categories, Tags, and Locations
Organizing your hotel directory is an essential step to make it user-friendly. Adding categories, tags, and locations helps visitors easily find the hotels they’re looking for.
a) Create Categories
Create categories based on hotel types or features, such as “Luxury Hotels,” “Budget-Friendly Hotels,” or “Pet-Friendly Hotels.” Categories help users quickly narrow down their search to specific types of accommodations.
- To create a category, go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to aDirectory -> Categories.
- Click Add New Category and:
- Enter a name.
- Enter slug.
- Add a description (optional but helpful for SEO).
- Assign a parent category if needed.
- Insert Image.
- Finally, hit the “Add New Category” button to add the category.
You will see the category list on the right sidebar if you can successfully create a category.
b) Create Tags
Tags are great for adding extra details about hotels, like “Free Wi-Fi,” “Swimming Pool,” or “Beachfront.” These tags make it easier for users to discover hotels that match their specific needs.
- To create a tag, navigate to aDirectory -> Tags in the dashboard.
- Click Add New Tag and provide a name.
- Save the tag and apply it to relevant listings during their creation.
c) Create Locations
Add location-based filters such as cities, regions, or even neighborhoods. For example, create locations like “New York City,” “Downtown Los Angeles,” or “Paris.” This feature is especially helpful for travelers planning their stay in a specific area.
- To add a location, go to aDirectory -> Locations.
- Click Add New Location and:
- Enter the name of the location (e.g., “New York City”).
- Add a parent location if it’s part of a larger area (e.g., “USA”).
- Save your location and assign it to listings as needed.
Step 07: Create and Publish Hotel Listings
Once your hotel directory website is set up, it’s time to add hotel listings. This is the core of your site, where visitors can browse and find the hotels they’re looking for.
a) Create Listings from the Backend
To create a hotel listing, go to your WordPress dashboard and open the aDirectory plugin. Click on “Add New Listing” to start. Fill in all the important details like the hotel name, description, address, contact information, room types, and pricing. You can also add high-quality images to make the listing more attractive.
Don’t forget to assign the listing to the right category, tags, and location. This helps users find the hotel easily when they search or filter results. Once you’ve added all the information, click “Publish” to make the listing live on your website.
Repeat this process to add more hotels. If you plan to allow hotel owners to submit their own listings, aDirectory offers front-end submission forms.
This way, hotel owners can create and manage their listings directly from your website without accessing the WordPress dashboard.
Let’s find out how to do that!
b) Create Listings from the Frontend
Allowing hotel owners to add their listings from the frontend makes your directory more user-friendly. They don’t need to access the WordPress dashboard, which keeps things simple and secure.
With aDirectory, you can easily enable frontend listing submissions. To let hotel owners sign up to your directory website, first, you need to enable this feature on your site.
Navigate to your WordPress dashboard -> Settings -> General, and scroll down a bit, there you’ll find the option “Membership”. Tick this box to enable anyone can register.
Now the hotel owners can register to your directory website.
After signing up as a hotel owner, click on the “+Add Listing” button and you’ll be redirected to a new interface.
This is your dashboard. From this interface, click on the “Add Listing” option.
Now you need to insert the information for hotel name, description, location, contact details, amenities, pricing, and photos.
Once a hotel owner submits a listing, you can choose to review and approve it manually or set it to publish automatically.
When you are done with your directory website, your site will look like this:
Bonus: Optimize Your Site for SEO and Mobile Devices
To attract more visitors to your hotel directory website, you need to optimize it for search engines (SEO) and mobile devices. This helps your site rank higher on search results and provides a better user experience, especially since most people search for hotels on their phones.
For SEO:
- Use an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math to optimize your content.
- Add relevant keywords to your page titles, meta descriptions, and headings.
- Create unique descriptions for each hotel listing with keywords like “budget hotel in New York” or “luxury hotel in Paris.”
- Optimize images by using proper file names, alt text, and compressing them to improve load speed.
For Mobile Optimization:
- Choose a responsive theme that adjusts automatically to different screen sizes.
- Test your website on different devices to make sure it’s easy to navigate.
- Improve loading speed using caching plugins like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache.
A mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized website will help you reach more people, rank higher in search engines, and keep visitors engaged.
Also Read: Top Directory Submission Sites in 2025
Are You Ready to Create Your Hotel Directory Website?
Building a hotel directory website might seem challenging at first, but with the right tools and steps, it’s easier than you think. WordPress, combined with a powerful plugin like aDirectory, makes the whole process simple and hassle-free.
From choosing a domain to publishing hotel listings, you now know exactly what to do.
A well-organized hotel directory helps travelers find the best places to stay and gives hotel owners a platform to reach more guests. Plus, it can be a great source of income if you monetize it through paid listings, ads, or affiliate partnerships.
So, are you ready to create your hotel directory website? Get started today, and turn your idea into a fully functional website that connects travelers with the perfect hotels!
