Hotel and restaurant website photos: a shot list that sells
Guests decide with their eyes first. The right twenty photos can do more for your bookings than any paragraph of text. Here's what to shoot, how to shoot it and how to use it on your website.
By the Xuru Technologies team · 20 October 2026
Key takeaways
- Shoot what guests check before booking: the entrance, every room type, bathrooms, views, food and people.
- Natural daylight, tidy spaces and a level phone beat expensive gear.
- Honest photos prevent disappointment and bad reviews.
- Compress images and add descriptive alt text so pages stay fast and accessible.
What photos should a hotel or restaurant website have? Start with the photos that answer guests' real questions: what does it look like from outside, what does my room or table look like, how clean is the bathroom, what's the view, what's the food like, and who will welcome me. Then add atmosphere shots that make people feel something.
Shot list for hotels, guest houses and hostels
| Shot | Why guests want it |
|---|---|
| Front entrance and street | Helps them recognise you on arrival and feel safe |
| Each room type, wide angle from the doorway | Shows size, layout and beds honestly |
| Bathroom of each room type | One of the first things many guests check |
| View from the room or balcony | Often the reason they choose you |
| Common areas: lounge, rooftop, garden, pool | Shows how they'll spend time |
| Breakfast or signature meal | Food sells stays, especially at homestays |
| Hosts and staff | Builds trust and warmth |
| Nearby highlights | Beaches, temples, trails or markets within reach |
Shot list for restaurants and cafés
- Your three to five signature dishes, close up, in natural light.
- Drinks: coffee, cocktails, fresh juices.
- The dining room, both empty (to show the space) and busy (to show the atmosphere).
- The entrance and signboard.
- The kitchen team or chef at work.
- Outdoor seating, views or special corners.
Phone photography tips
- Use daylight: open curtains, switch off yellow ceiling lights, shoot mid-morning or late afternoon.
- Tidy first: remove bins, cables, toiletries and clutter.
- Hold the phone level: turn on grid lines so vertical walls look straight.
- Shoot rooms from the corner or doorway at chest height to show size without distortion.
- Get close for food and shoot from slightly above or at table level.
- Don't over-edit: bright and true beats dramatic filters that misrepresent the space.
Using photos on your website
Large, uncompressed photos are one of the most common reasons small business websites load slowly on phones. Resize images to the size they're displayed at, use modern formats like WebP where possible, and lazy-load images further down the page. Add short, descriptive alt text, such as "Deluxe double room with sea-view balcony", which helps screen reader users and search engines.
Use your best photos in the right places: one hero image on the home page, a small gallery for each room or menu section, and a few atmosphere shots on the about page. More ideas are in our boutique hotel website design guide and restaurant menu website guide.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a professional photographer?
It's worth it for your hero images if your budget allows. For everything else, a careful phone shoot in good light works well, and you can update photos as things change.
Can I use stock photos?
Avoid stock photos of rooms or food that aren't yours. Guests notice, and it hurts trust. Stock images of your town or region can work if clearly general.
How many photos per room type?
Three to six is usually enough: a wide shot, the bed, the bathroom, the view and one detail.
Your best photos, in a website that books.
Send us a few photos and we'll design a sample home page that shows your place at its best, before you commit.
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