Hotel Case Study
Project Overview
StaySphere is a hotel booking platform focused on delivering a seamless, trustworthy, and personalized booking experience. It caters to a wide range of travelers including solo adventurers, families, and business users. The app offers curated hotel suggestions, transparent pricing, verified listings, and simplified booking flows.
Problem Statement
Most hotel booking apps suffer from cluttered interfaces, unclear cancellation policies, misleading photos, and generic recommendations. Users often abandon bookings due to hidden fees, overwhelming filters, or slow search processes.
Solution
StaySphere solves these issues by offering:
A clean and minimal UI with smart filtering
Personalized hotel suggestions based on user behavior
Transparent pricing and cancellation visibility
A fast 3-step booking process
Compare and shortlist feature
Verified listings with real guest reviews
Design Process
Empathize
6 user interviews and 75+ survey responses
Pain points: overwhelming options, hidden charges, trust issues
Define
“Users want a fast, transparent, and personalized hotel booking experience they can trust.”
Ideate
Smart hotel tags (“Great View”, “Budget Gem”)
Compare listings feature
Transparent cost breakdown
Group planning shortlists
Design
Created low and high-fidelity wireframes
UI Kit with calming color palette and modern typography
Card-based layout with micro-interactions
Test
Conducted usability testing with 6 users
Iterated based on feedback (improved icon clarity, added tooltip hints)
Empathy Map
Think & Feel: “Will this hotel look like the photos?”
See: Too many listings, unclear info
Say & Do: “I need something close to the event.”
Hear: “You should check the reviews twice.”
Pain: Hidden costs, poor filters
Gain: Quick, clear, and safe booking
Name: Riya Malhotra
Age: 29
Profession: Content Strategist
Device: Mobile
Goals
Book quickly and confidently
Avoid hidden charges and cancellations
Compare hotels based on specific needs
Pain Points
Confusing pricing
Misleading photos
Slow booking process
Journey Map
| Stage | Action | Experience | Pain Point | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | Opens app, searches hotels | Neutral | Too many irrelevant options | Personalized recommendations |
| Filter | Sets filters, applies sorting | Frustrated | Poor filter clarity | Smart tags, grouped filters |
| Compare | Views hotel details | Confused | No side-by-side comparison | Compare feature |
| Book | Fills form, reviews prices | Anxious | Hidden fees, unclear refund | Transparent breakdown & UX |
| Confirmation | Gets receipt | Relieved | No save/share options | Add “Saved Trips” dashboard |
🎯 Competitive Analysis
| Feature | StaySphere | Booking.com | Airbnb | MakeMyTrip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personalized Suggestions | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Compare Listings | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Transparent Pricing | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Group Planning | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Verified Listings | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Saved Itineraries | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
User Flow
Home → Search Destination → Set Dates/Travelers → Apply Filters → View Listings → Compare/Shortlist → View Details → Book → Payment → Confirmation
Market Research & Trends
70% of bookings are now mobile-first
Users prefer verified reviews over star ratings
Trust, speed, and personalization are key booking drivers
Filters and maps significantly influence hotel selection
Accessibility Considerations
High contrast ratios for text readability
Keyboard navigation support
Alt text for all images
Inclusive filters (pet-friendly, wheelchair access)
Success Metrics (Hypothetical Goals)
Booking conversion rate increase by 30%
25% decrease in booking drop-offs
85% of users complete booking in under 3 minutes
User satisfaction score: 4.6+/5
Final Thoughts
StaySphere aims to humanize hotel booking. With a focus on clarity, speed, and trust, it bridges the gap between travelers and their ideal stay. Through thoughtful design decisions rooted in research, it provides a user-first experience that’s both delightful and efficient.