BackgroundHand Picked Hotels are a collection of country house properties in the UK currently operating under the name of Arcadian Hotels. As part of a major investment programme, they are undergoing significant interior redesign to capitalise on their exceptional qualities, so that they will offer guests a completely new kind of hotel experience.

The Hand Picked website is an important communication tool for its existing and potential clients, especially as the web becomes an established channel for making travel arrangements. The site has to appeal to leisure customers as well as corporate customers and travel agents.TaskLIDA’s task was to design, develop and deliver a completely new website for Hand Picked Hotels. The site had to communicate the values of the brand, give visitors a comprehensive insight into the character, facilities and service offerings of the hotels and encourage visitors to make a booking enquiry.

The site went live in March 2003 with Chilston Park as the first hotel and another 8 hotels launching by October 2003.EffectivenessThe site is generating significantly more booking requests and enquiries for weddings, celebrations and conferences. For Chilston Park Hotel, the uplift in enquiries was 200% in the first month alone.