Macdonald Hotels launches new website to click with consumers

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct. 7, 2011 - Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, the UK’s largest privately owned hotel group, has launched its new website (www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk), offering its business, conference and leisure customers a streamlined, easily navigable 'browse to book' consumer journey.

Macdonald Hotels (http://www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk ) & Resorts has a portfolio of more than forty 4 and 5-star properties throughout the UK.

Developed by Equator, Scotland's leading digital agency, it's believed Macdonald Hotels & Resorts is now the first UK hotel group to incorporate 'responsive design' into its website.  This key feature ensures visitors view the same beautifully crafted pages, regardless of the platform used (laptop, tablet or smart phone) to browse for information.

Ruaridh Macdonald, Sales and Marketing Director of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, explained: "The new website seamlessly blends modern page design with extremely user-friendly functionality.  As an organisation that priorities the needs of our discerning business, conference and leisure guests, it is very important for us to ensure the website reflects their needs. Consequently, throughout the entire build process, we have extensively consulted with our customers. In the months ahead, we will continue to listen to their views and ensure the website design and functionality considers valued customer feedback.

"Whatever the requirements of the browser, from seeking information about a seasonal offering to placing an online reservation for dinner or a luxury weekend break, the informative yet easy to navigate site perfectly complements the quality offering and service our discerning guests expect of Macdonald Hotels & Resorts."

Browsers can view at a glance and quickly book the very latest offers that are available across the group.  This removes the frustration many browsers in the hotel and travel sector feel when they are aware of offers but can't readily identify how to access and book available dates.

Additional features of the stylish website include a simple 3-step, 'look to book' reservation process, eye-catching images and a simple automatic calculator function that allows the user to see at a glance how much a request for specific extras, such as champagne in the room, treatments at spa hotels (http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/spa-fitness/ ) or a round of golf will add to the cost of a reservation.

Commenting on the new website, John McLeish, managing director of Equator, added: "This was a great project to work on and all at Equator are delighted with the outcome. The Macdonald Hotels team have been fantastic to work with, giving us the freedom to create a site which is undoubtedly cutting edge in both design and function. The site puts the customer front and centre and with the adoption of responsive design techniques the site will respond to the user's behaviour and environment based on screen size, platform and orientation. We are excited to be working with Macdonald Hotels & Resorts and look forward to continuing to develop this relationship over the coming months and years."

About Macdonald Hotels:
First established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues Macdonald Hotels & Resorts operates over 40 hotels in the UK (http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/our-hotels/ ) and ten resorts throughout the UK and Spain. Macdonald Hotels employs over 4,400 staff and operates in excess of 4,134 hotel rooms. Its focus is on developing its strong portfolio of four and five star hotels in the UK (http://www.MacdonaldHotels.co.uk ), with each offering the quality and attention to detail expected of the Macdonald brand.

In particular, the company prides itself on the seasonality and provenance of its food within the hotels, from breakfast through to dinner, as well as its wide range of specially selected wines. As testament to the excellent level of service the Group provides, Macdonald Hotels restaurants (http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/eat-drink/ ) have on numerous occasions won several prestigious accolades, most notably the AA Hotel Group of the Year 2007-08 and the National Customer Service Awards for Leisure and Tourism.

Press Contact:
Lucy Wheeler
Senior Account Executive
Forsyth House
93 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 3ES
Scotland
United Kingdom
+ 44 (0)131 243 2552
www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk