When Google Ads makes sense for a hotel
It makes sense when the site can take direct bookings and when rooms are free in the campaign period. It makes no sense in August for a full hotel, nor for a site without a booking engine. It makes a lot of sense in April-June and September-October, when tourists plan and Booking’s competition is lower.
The simple rule: Ads fills the rooms that would stay empty, not the ones that fill themselves.
Defending the hotel name
Search your hotel name on Google: often the first ad belongs to Booking, which pays for your name and takes the commission. The first and cheapest campaign is the one on your own name: it costs little, because Google recognises your site as the most relevant, and brings back guests who were already looking for you.
It is the campaign with the highest return for any hotel, and many hotels do not have it.
The right searches
“Hotel Vlorë”, “hotel Sarandë sea view”, “hotel Ksamil pool”, “hotel Durrës beach family”, “albergo Valona”, “hotel Saranda Albania”: searches with booking intent. Avoid “Albania tourism”, “most beautiful beaches”: those are curious people, not guests. Campaigns are split by language: Albanian for the local market and Kosovo, Italian for Italy, English for the rest.
Each search group has its own page: someone searching “hotel with pool” must land on the pool page, not the home page.
Budget by season
In Albania the cost per click for hotels ranges from a few cents for Albanian searches to 1-2 euros for Italian and English searches in season. A reasonable budget for a mid-sized hotel concentrates on April-June and September, with little or nothing in August. The budget is split by market: more Italy if you are in Vlorë or Sarandë, more Kosovo if you are in Durrës.
Campaigns pause when the hotel fills up and restart when rooms open: that is the weekly work of whoever manages the campaign.
The page behind the ad
The click costs; the page decides whether it becomes a booking. You need: a visible booking engine, the price, a direct offer, photos, reviews, a WhatsApp contact for those who will not pay online. Each campaign has its own sales page, not the home page with ten links.
If the page loads slowly on mobile, half the clicks are lost before the price is seen.
Measuring bookings
Without measurement you do not know whether the campaign works. We set up tracking of bookings from the engine, clicks on WhatsApp and phone, and forms. Every month you see: how many clicks, how many bookings, what each booking cost, what it is worth. If a direct booking costs 15 euros of advertising and saves 60 euros of commission, the campaign earns.
The report must be readable by the owner, not only by the agency.
Google Hotel Ads
Beyond classic ads, Google shows hotel prices directly on the map and in search, with “Book” from the official site next to Booking. To appear you need a booking engine connected to Google. When the guest sees the direct price is lower than Booking, they click on you. It is the fastest-growing channel for independent hotels.
The mistakes that cost money
Generic “Albania hotel” campaigns with no language split. Ads leading to the home page. The same budget every month regardless of season. No measurement. A campaign left to run alone all summer. Missing negative keywords (jobs, map, wikipedia). Each of these mistakes burns up to half the budget.
What management costs
Managing a hotel campaign is a fixed monthly fee plus the ad budget that goes to Google. The account is always in the hotel’s name: if you change agency, the campaign history stays yours. Ask for a monthly report and a written seasonal calendar from the start.
Remarketing: bringing back those who left
Most visitors look at the site and leave without booking: they compare, wait for payday, ask the family. Remarketing shows your ad in the following days, on Google and YouTube, with the direct offer. It costs little, because it speaks only to people who already know you, and brings a good share of direct bookings.
Mind the period: seven to fourteen days are enough; longer becomes annoying.
A typical yearly calendar
January-February: name defence and a small early-booking campaign with a discount. March-June: full campaigns for Italy and Kosovo, the highest budget of the year. July: name and remarketing only. August: pause or name only. September-October: late-season campaigns, couples without children, lower prices. November-December: pause, yearly analysis, preparing next year’s offers.
The calendar is written at the start and adjusted monthly with booking data.
Frequently asked questions
How much budget do I need to start?
For a mid-sized hotel, a modest monthly budget in April-June and September is enough to see results. It grows only if bookings come back.
Does Ads bring results immediately?
Clicks yes, from day one. Bookings depend on the site: with a booking engine and a direct offer, within the first week.
Should I advertise in August too?
Usually not, if you are full. The budget is kept for the empty periods.
Who owns the account?
You do. We open it in your name and manage it with access.