Google Ads for Hotels: Waste of Money or ROI Goldmine?

Let’s be honest — Google Ads have a bit of a reputation. Some hotel owners see them as a bottomless pit where budgets go to die. Others swear they’re the best thing they’ve ever done.

So which is it?

The truth is: Google Ads can absolutely be a goldmine for hotels — but only if they’re set up and managed properly. Otherwise, yes, they’ll burn your budget quicker than a stag party at your minibar.

Let’s break it down.

1. Why Google Ads Can Work Brilliantly for Hotels

Think about it — your potential guests are literally searching for what you offer:

• “boutique hotel in [your town]”

• “dog-friendly hotels near [event location]”

• “spa weekend Hampshire deals”

If your hotel doesn’t show up, someone else’s will. And chances are, it’ll be an OTA — meaning you still get the guest, but at a 15–25% cut.

✅ With Google Ads, you can skip the middleman and get that direct booking instead.

2. The Most Common Mistake Hotels Make

Here’s where many go wrong: they try to manage Google Ads themselves (or let a general agency do it), without really understanding how the platform works.

Common slip-ups:

• Targeting broad, expensive terms like “hotels UK”

• Not tracking actual bookings (so they can’t see what’s working)

• Letting ads run 24/7 with no optimisation

• Competing with their own OTA listings

It’s not that the ads don’t work — it’s that they’re not set up to win.

3. But Isn’t It Expensive?

It depends. You’re bidding on keywords — and some are pricey. But unlike print ads or directories, you only pay when someone actually clicks.

What matters more is how much revenue those clicks bring in.

Let’s say you spend £300 on ads and get 10 bookings worth £1,500 — that’s a 5x return. And that’s before upsells, email nurturing, and guest loyalty kick in.

4. Our Take: Don’t Rule It Out

Google Ads aren’t for every hotel, every month, or every room type. But used smartly, they’re a powerful tool to:

• Fill low occupancy periods

• Target specific guest types (families, spa-goers, wedding guests)

• Cut out OTA commission fees

• Grow your direct booking percentage

And that’s where we come in.

We Make Google Ads Work for Hotels

At Mintly Digital, we don’t “set and forget” campaigns. We run ads that are:

✔️ Geo-targeted to your ideal guests

✔️ Optimised for bookings, not just clicks

✔️ Designed to beat OTAs at their own game

No fluff, no wasted spend — just real, trackable results.

👉 Thinking about testing Google Ads?

We’d be happy to audit your current setup (or build one from scratch) and show you what’s possible.