Of course, it’s not as simple as it sounds to build a hotel booking mobile app that users will love. Instead, starting the hotel booking app development process without a plan is like running through an obstacle while being hit by gunfire.
Why is it crucial for hotels, resorts, and motels to have a hotel booking app? Well, an easy-to-use app makes booking, paying, customer service, and marketing easier and faster.
As per Statista, by 2024, the US hotel booking app will have generated $125.80 billion. By 2029 the market is expected to reach $151.40 billion. This covers not just lodging but also extra services and booking costs.
Our goal is to assist you in choosing the features, steps, and technology for hotel booking app development projects.
So, let’s begin!
Quick Summary: The business of booking hotels is expanding. What used to work for Booking.com and Expedia may not work for you if you’re wanting to launch a hotel booking app. The only surefire way to succeed is to be organized and to set reasonable expectations. This blog answers all of your questions before jumping on the bandwagon.
What is a Hotel Booking Mobile App?
An application for booking hotels links hotels with people who might want to stay at their properties online. Apps for booking hotels let people safely reserve rooms and pay right away, from anywhere and at any time.
It takes away the chance of making mistakes when making the ticket by hand. The online hotel booking apps like Booking.com, Expedia or Kayak makes it easy for people to book a room by letting them easily log in.
It’s easy for guests to find the perfect hotel based on features, location, check-in and check-out times, and price range. With hotel online booking apps, they can also compare hotels that fit their needs.
Future Predictions And Projections of Hotel Booking Industry
- The most money came from the Hospitality sector, which brought in 792 billion U.S. dollars. As expected, the value of all hotel reservation apps around the world would hit about 1.66 trillion U.S. dollars in 2027.
- By 2024, the hotel booking app in the US market will have brought in US$125.80bn.
- The market is projected to reach US$151.40bn by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.77% from 2024 to 2029.
- Another market that is expected to grow is the hotel booking market, which will have 256.80 million people by 2029.
- 30% of users will like the flight booking mobile app more now that it has more features.
- 20% of people who got trip booking apps did so because they made the experience better.
- Booking’s website was the most-visited travel and tourist site in the world in 2024.
Types of Hotel Booking Apps
First things first when finding options to develop an app to book hotels: decide what kind of online hotel booking app you need. Before you add hotel booking app features to your app, you need to know exactly what you can offer people. Below are some of the most popular types of apps to book hotels:
1. Hotel Chain Apps
One hotel or a group of hotels has its own mobile app developer that makes these kinds of apps. People can only book a room in that hotel chain. This is where applications like Hilton Honors, AccorHotels, Marriott Bonvoy, and more fit in.
For example: Hilton Honors
2. Hotel Aggregators
As the name suggests, these apps to book hotels collect information about hotels that are listed on different apps. Then, they put them on their websites so that users can easily compare prices for booking hotels on their hospitality app without having to go from page to page.
For example: App Like Trivago
3. Last-Minute Hotel Booking
You should use a last minute hotel booking app if any of your customers need to make an appointment at the last minute. People who decide to travel at the last minute will be able to book a hotel room with these kinds of apps for last minute hotel booking.
For example: HotelTonight
4. Hybrid Hotel Booking Applications
Customers can book both ahead of time and last-minute through this type of app, creating a mixed design that helps all users. They can also invest in flight booking app development.
For example: ALL.com
5. Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
These apps let you do things online, and their main goal is to make it easy to book multiple things at once. Hotel rooms, rental cars, plane tickets, resorts and more. All of these things are in these apps. Some well-known apps for hotel booking in this group are Trip.com, Hopper, KAYAK, and others.
For example: KAYAK
Steps To Build A Hotel Booking Mobile App
The approach used to build a hotel booking mobile app may make all the difference in the world. You can get ready-to-use apps for less money, or you can pay more for special programs that are made to fit the needs of your business. As this is a popular option with a high return on investment, we will talk in more depth about the custom mobile app development process.
1. Market Research and Planning
Before you build an app for hotel reservations, you should think about who you want to use it for. Consult with an iOS or Android app development services provider before launching your hotel booking app idea. It’s important to know exactly what the users want, what they like, and which traits they value the most. Starting point: look into the competition to find the market’s weak places or areas that could use improvement.
2. Choosing the Technology Stack
Now, picking the right tools for the front end or the back end is pretty important. One important factor is that frameworks like Flutter or React Native allow cross-platform programming. It means that you can build a hotel booking mobile app for both iOS and Android at the same time. People who work on the back end may use cloud services to store data, make reservations, and keep track of users.
3. Designing the UI & UX
The travel app development company will make an outline after they talk about the project in more depth. Once the sketch is done, the developers will start making mockups of your hotel booking app. To make a high-tech prototype that fits your business needs, they will look at wireframes from the previous stage, project requirements, and advanced UI/UX methods.
4. Backend Development
Before you start to build a hotel booking mobile app, make sure your idea is clear and that you know how you will make money from it. If you want to charge for your hotel room booking app, the iPhone app development company should think about a way to make money over and over again.
If a Motel reservation has an MVP, it has a core feature that makes it useful from the moment it comes out on the market. This will bring in customers and give them an idea of what your app does, which will help you get more new users to become regular customers of your booking platform.
5. Testing and Quality Assurance
Nobody is perfect, so mistakes can happen. This is where QA testers come in. You can be sure that your book hotels app is free of bugs and meets foreign quality standards by having them try it several times. After testing is done, they will give the suite booking app the go-ahead for the official release.
6. Final Launch
Based on the tests, the booking lodging hotel app could then be put on the app stores for either Android or iOS. It is important to set up a soft launch as soon as possible so that the app can be tested in a real-world setting and changes can be made as needed.
7. Post-Launch Activities
Once an escort app is released, it goes through activities like tracking its success, getting input, and making changes and updates based on this. In the second part, marketing also spit fire, which led to more mobile apps.
“Although the project is still under way, thus far the outcomes satisfy the expectations of the internal team. Dev Technosys has been ready to meet changes in the direction of the project and requirements. Over the whole process, they have been timely, creative, and cooperative.”
Smit Abdelfattah.
Key Features To Develop A Hotel Booking App
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, it’s vital to think about how to make it easy for users and how to make the brand stand out. Therefore, it is crucial to provide the right set of features with the help of dedicated developers that will help tourists and make their experience better. Here’s a list of features like these that can help people like your app:
1. User Panel
Feature |
Description |
Search & Filters |
Users can look for hotels by location, date, type of room, price range, features, guest rate, and other useful filters. |
Hotel Listings |
Show a lot of information about the hotel, like high-quality pictures, video tours, descriptions, a list of services, guest reviews, and maps that you can interact with. |
Price Comparison |
To get the best deals, look at prices on a number of booking sites like SkyScanner and times. |
Availability Calendar |
Show real-time availability for the times and kinds of rooms you want. |
Secure Booking |
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, allow safe online booking with a number of payment gateways (such as credit cards, digital wallets, etc.). |
User Account & Login |
Users should be able to make accounts so that you can remember their preferences, handle plans, keep track of loyalty points, and see a list of past bookings. |
Reviews & Ratings |
An app like Expedia allows reviews and scores from users to help other people make smart choices. |
Wishlists & Saved Searches |
Users should be able to save their best hotels and finds for later use. |
Push Notifications |
Use push alerts to send promotional deals, confirmations of bookings, and important news. |
Mobile Wallet & Digital Key |
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, add the ability to use a mobile card and a digital key for cashless check-in (optional, but needs hotel integration). |
2. Admin Panel
Feature |
Description |
Property Management |
You can add, change, and remove hotel entries. |
Room Management |
You can control the pictures, prices, availability, and room types. |
Booking Management |
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, you can see, accept, change, or cancel reservations. |
User Management |
You can see and change information in user accounts, such as visitor profiles and past bookings. |
Promotion Management |
Make deals, discounts, and packages, and then handle them. |
Analytics & Reporting |
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, make data on plans, sales, and how users behave. |
Content Management |
Change things in the lounge booking app like the “FAQs,” “About Us,” and “Contact Us” sections. |
Messaging System |
You can talk to people directly through the app to ask questions or make special wishes. |
Best Hotel Booking Apps that Rock
If you want to build a hotel booking mobile app for your hotel business, you should look at the apps that are already out there. To stand out from others, find out what they are doing that no one else is. Here are some of the hotel booking apps you should use to book a hotel:
Best Hotel Booking Apps |
Available Platform |
USP |
Downloads |
Ratings |
Trivago |
Android | iOS |
Compares hotels across hundreds of sites to find the best price |
100M+ |
4.0 |
Expedia |
Android | iOS |
Deals on flights, hotels, vacations, and car rentals, all in one place |
50M+ |
4.7 |
Booking.com |
Android | iOS |
The largest selection of hotels, apartments, and other unique places to stay |
500M+ |
4.4 |
KAYAK |
Android | iOS |
Search flights, hotels, and rental cars to find your perfect travel deal |
10M+ |
4.8 |
SkyScanner |
Android | iOS |
Compare millions of flights from hundreds of airlines to find the cheapest option |
50M+ |
4.7 |
Benefits of Hotel Booking App Development
The surge in online hotel booking is unstoppable and poised for continuous growth in the coming years. Hotel booking app development brings a win-win situation for all stakeholders. Let’s delve into the advantages for each end-user given by an android app development company.
1. Increased Visibility and Reach
When you build a hotel booking mobile app, possible guests from all over the world can access your hotel at any time. This lets a lot more people find your website, not just locals and people who happen to be in the area.
2. Improved Customer Engagement
You can offer personalized deals, answer questions, and address concerns right away through direct contact through the hotel booking software, which builds better relationships with your guests.
3. Streamlined Operations and Reduced Costs
Real-time access management and automated booking tools cut down on mistakes and give staff more time to do other things. In the long run, this can save you a lot of money.
4. Enhanced User Experience
Club hotel applications make it easier and more fun for guests to stay at hotels by letting them check in and out, order room service, and get suggestions for things to do in the area. When people have good experiences, they write better reviews and come back.
5. Direct Bookings and Increased Revenue
You can avoid the fees that third-party booking sites charge by letting people book directly when you create a mobile app. This lets you keep more of the money that comes in for your business.
6. Valuable User Data and Marketing Opportunities
The guest app gives useful information about tastes and booking habits. You can use this information to make more bookings and money by using it for focused marketing efforts and personalized deals.
How Much Does It Cost To Build a Hotel Booking Mobile App?
As you may have seen, mobile app development companies hide the cost to build a hotel booking mobile app in mystery. This is because they can’t give an accurate app quote without knowing everything that needs to be done.
The rough cost to develop a hotel booking app is between $10,000 and $15,000 for a single version with the fewest features. The process takes three to six months.
The hotel booking app development cost will add more tools and connections. It can cost up to $25,000 or even more to make a hotel booking app, especially if you want to make a complicated app with AI-powered features. The table below shows the cost to build a hotel booking mobile app.
App Complexity |
Cost Estimation |
Simple Hotel Booking App |
$10000-$15000 |
Medium Hotel Booking App |
$15000-$20000 |
Complex Hotel Booking App |
$25000+ |
Also, use the following method to figure out the cost to build a hotel booking mobile app:
Total Hotel Booking App Development Cost = Developer’s Hourly Rate * Development Time
Now that you know the cost and how to figure it out, you should get in touch with a reputable hotel booking app development company. They will give you a thorough rundown of the costs based on your budget.
5 Monetization Strategies of Hotel Booking App
Different income models exist, and choosing the one that works best for your online hotel booking app will help you make more money. As a result of these earning paths, entrepreneurs can make money through hotel residency apps.
1. Membership Fees
Hotel booking apps can charge users membership fees that let them get savings, more personalized benefits, and other perks.
2. Service Fees
In the marketplace model, admin can charge service fees to each hotel for every successful appointment made by a guest through the online hotel booking app.
3. Listing Fees
In the marketplace approach, you can charge hotels that are mentioned on your app like Marriott Bonvoy a fee to be on it. Besides that, you can charge extra as a “Priority Listing Charge” to put the hotel at the top of the list.
4. In-app Ads
Displaying ad banners in the app for booking hotels will give you a chance to make money. Anyone who makes a hotel booking app can add this type of passive income stream to it.
5. Subscription or Premium Fees
It costs hotels a special fee to be mentioned in the marketplace hotel app booking. This fee is paid once and the hotel has access for life. The fee that is charged once a month or once a year is called a membership fee. This type of income stream can usually be followed with the marketplace app.
Planning To Create A Hotel Booking Mobile App?
At last, we are at the end of this blog packed with all of the details to build a hotel booking app. Eventually, it’s very clear that hotel booking mobile app development is a good way to make money.
Therefore, if you want your hands on large revenues, then rush and have your hotel booking app made right away by the top mobile app development company in the business.
Before hiring, be sure to review the portfolio of the team of developers to guarantee their capacity to provide the desired outcome.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact us right away for your best hotel booking app development solution!
FAQs
Q1. How Long Will It Take To Develop a Hotel Booking Mobile App?
The time to build a hotel booking mobile app may be affected by the factors like app complexity, features and tech stack. It can be between 2-3 months for a simple hotel booking app while a complex app can take more than 9 months. However, a hotel booking website development cost is somehow similar to an app but it varies with functionalities.
Q2. How Much Does It Cost To Build a Hotel Booking Mobile App?
The cost to make a hotel booking mobile app can be between $10000-$25000. It can fluctuate depending on the project requirement. So, it is vital to take help from a mobile app development company about the actual cost.
Q3. What Are the Benefits of Hotel Booking App Development?
You can get many benefits to develop a hotel booking app. Here are some of them:
- Increased Visibility and Reach
- Improved User Experience
- Streamlined Booking Process
- 24/7 Customer Support
- Valuable Data and Insights
Q4. Can I Decide Features That I Want To Add In My App?
Yes, in many cases you can decide the features to add to your app. Here are some factors to consider:
- Your target audience: What problems do they need solved? What features would make their lives easier?
- Your app’s purpose: What is the main goal of your app? What features are essential to achieving that goal?
- Your budget and resources: How much time and money do you have to develop and implement new features?
Q5. How Does A Hotel Booking App Work?
- Users search: Pick location, dates, & desired features (price, amenities).
- Compare options: See photos, reviews, and pricing for various hotels.
- Secure reservation: Choose a hotel and room, then confirm booking with payment.
- Manage trips: View and modify bookings, get directions, and contact hotels.