Bed & Breakfast needs new website design

Candlight Cottages

We require a redesign of an existing website (http://www.candlelightcottages.com.au). The site targets people looking for accommodation getaway in the Dandenong reanges, a mountain retreat area on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.

Design assets can be downloaded from http://www.candlelightcottages.com.…Images.zip (@13mb)

The prime objectives of the new design will be:
1. Increase conversion rates of site visitors.
a. Landing page needs to be very enticing and visually appealing,
b. Drawing people into the site (primarily drawing them into the cottages page).
c. Effectively communicate the luxury, serenity and privacy provided by the cottages.
d. Site needs to direct people through the site, with final outcoming being to either pick up the phone and book or book online.

2. Further increase SEO opportunities.
a. Headings to maximise effective use of h1, h2 and h3 tags in mark up.
b. Dynamic content (currently short poem in banner and monthly special on bottom right of current site).

We essentially want to retain the current structure of pages, as this seems to work well (we will be looking to reduce amount of wording though).

Home page needs to contain the following elements:
- easily navigable menu system.
- Space for random piece of poetry or spiel.
- Introductory text.
- Teasers into each cottage. (layout of these teasers needs to be fluid to allow removal or addition of cottages. There are currently 4 cottages, but this may increase or decrease over time).
- Monthly specials section.
- Contact Information
- Looking to ‘Booking Online’ and ‘Gift Certificates.

We will also require design/layout for the following inner pages:
1. A ‘cottage’ page. Layout to cater to all information in current cottage page, including a prominent photo slideshow element.
2. “Guest Services” page.
3. Packages page.
4. Contact Us page.
NOTE: please don’t do these inner pages unless I ask. Please just provide homepage concept to start with. I will only be asking for inner pages from a final shortlist of 2-3 designers towards the end of the contest.

Design assets can be downloaded from http://www.candlelightcottages.com.…Images.zip (@13mb)