Best Western Hotels GB
Redesigned for Revenue: Driving 32% year-on-year digital growth
Client
Best Western Hotels GB
Industries
Hospitality / Hotels
Duration
12 weeks
Services
UX Audit User Research Wireframes & Prototyping User Testing Art Direction High Fidelity Designs Versatile Component Library
Best Western Hotels GB website redesign
The Challenge
The website had fallen behind. A dated interface, a multi-step booking journey that caused drop-off, and a lack of meaningful value for logged-in users were all combining to push potential guests towards third-party booking platforms. Best Western needed a fundamental rethink of the digital experience, not a cosmetic refresh, with a clear focus on driving direct bookings and growing online revenue.
Research + Discovery
Insight Before Interface: Understanding the Problem Space
The project began with an in-depth discovery phase, aligning with key stakeholders to define objectives and understand pain points. Using a combination of analytics data, stakeholder insight, and qualitative user research, we identified the core experience challenges: dated UI, friction in the booking journey, and limited value for logged-in users.
We carried out:
A UX audit of the existing platform
Competitor and best-in-class benchmarking
Mapping of AS-IS user journeys and business processesInterviews with real users to uncover unmet needs and behavioural patterns
These insights informed a strategic roadmap, balancing near-term wins with longer-term transformation opportunities.
UX Design
Simplifying the Journey, Amplifying the Experience
Our UX team redefined the core user journeys – from hotel search and booking to account management and rewards – with a strong focus on reducing friction and increasing clarity.
We:
Restructured the site architecture for easier navigation
Streamlined multi-step booking flows
Enhanced pathways for logged-in users and rewards members
Identified opportunities for progressive disclosure to manage content complexity
Early concepts were rendered as detailed wireframes and extensively tested with users, allowing us to explore structure, flow, and interaction patterns quickly and collaboratively.
Mobile wireframe prototypes of the Best Western GB website redesign
User Testing
Designed with Users, Not Just for Them
Testing early and often was key to de-risking design decisions. We used clickable prototypes populated with real content to validate redesigned journeys with real users, capturing their feedback on usability, clarity, and confidence at key touchpoints.
Through testing, we were able to:
Confirm improvements to booking journey efficiency
Identify and address points of confusion in search and selection
Validate design decisions with both new and returning users
Feedback loops informed iterative refinements ahead of visual design, ensuring the final experience was not only beautiful but also intuitive and effective.
User testing was conducted across all journeys and interactions
Art Direction
Modern Warmth: Evolving the Visual Identity
We evolved Best Western’s visual identity to bring more warmth, clarity and consistency across the digital journey, while staying true to brand guidelines.
Our art direction focused on:
A fresh, modern visual style that feels clean yet welcoming
Elevated use of imagery to support both emotional engagement and practical decision-making
A colour palette optimised for accessibility and readability
Clear, typographic hierarchy to guide users effortlessly through content
The goal was to create a UI that felt premium, trusted, and easy to engage with, across every screen.
Brand design for Best Western Hotels GB new website design
UI Design
From Concept to Click: Designing for Impact and Scalability
Building on the new visual direction, we delivered high-fidelity UI designs for all key templates and interactions. We also created a modular digital design system to ensure scalability and maintainability as the site evolves.
Key outputs included:
Fully responsive UI mockups for desktop, tablet and mobile
Interactive components, states and transitions
A flexible design system to support future features and development
Annotated specs and design documentation to support developer handover
We continued to support the development team post-handover to ensure quality and consistency through build and launch.
Responsive design views for Best Western Hotels GB website redesign
Conclusion
The website redesign for Best Western Hotels GB has been a marked success. We worked hand-in-glove with the client team to create a modern, user-friendly site that has enabled the Best Western team to deliver a future-proofed best-in-class platform from which to evolve and grow.
Our methodical, insight-based approach, clear design plans and continuous support made it easy for the development team to build and launch the new site seamlessly.
Importantly, it has provided a basis from which we have developed a powerful partnership supporting Best Western Hotels GB as they move forward with their ambitions.
"From the start, we needed a partner who could bring our vision to life. LION+MASON’s structured five-step approach kept our guests at the centre of every decision, helping us create a platform that meets today’s needs and supports future growth. With them as our design partner, we’re confident in delivering ongoing improvements and increasing direct bookings."
Chris Bowling
Head of Digital & Consumer Marketing Best Western Hotels GB
