When someone searches for your hotel's name or "bed and breakfast in [your city]," Google displays a card with photos, reviews, map, phone number, and sometimes price. This card is the Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business. It's free, often the first point of contact for guests, and with the introduction of AI booking on Google, it has also become one of the sources of information that artificial intelligence reads.
This guide shows, step by step, how to create or claim the card, verify, fill in the hotel information, and turn a Google visit into a direct booking.
Before You Start
- use a company Google account, not an employee's personal account;
- have the exact address and the hotel name as it appears on the facade;
- separate a phone number that can receive SMS (voice-only automated systems do not receive the code);
- gather current photos and a list of amenities and services;
- set the check-in and check-out times.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Google Business Profile
1. Search for the hotel before creating. Log into business.google.com with the company account and search for the hotel's name. Google often creates cards from other sources. If yours already exists, claim it instead of creating a new one.
2. Choose the right category. Hotel, bed and breakfast, hostel, or resort. The category determines which accommodation fields Google displays.
3. Confirm the address and the pin on the map. The wrong pin can send guests to the wrong place and generate bad reviews before they even arrive.
4. Verify the card. Google offers different methods depending on the type of business and the region:
- video: recommended by Google when available. Show the facade, the street, the surroundings, and proof that you manage the hotel;
- phone or SMS: the code will be sent to the company's number;
- email: when the address appears on the verification screen;
- postcard: the code will arrive by mail, generally within 14 days.
5. Fill in the hotel details. In the dashboard, select Edit Profile and then Hotel Details. Search for each amenity or service, such as Wi-Fi, breakfast, parking, pool, and pet acceptance, fill in and save. Only verified cards can edit these features. Operating hours cannot be changed for hotels, as Google considers them open 24 hours for guests. Check-in and check-out times can be specified.
6. Publish good photos. Facade, reception, each type of room, bathroom, breakfast, and common areas, with natural light and up-to-date. This is what guests look at first.
7. Connect prices and booking links. The prices and booking links on the card come from the Hotel Center, Google's tool that receives rates and availability. The connection is made through a connectivity partner, such as a booking engine, channel manager, or PMS. Until then, the card appears in search and Maps but without prices. Paid links appear with the "Ads" label, and free ones are in "All Options."
8. Respond to all reviews. Both positive and negative, quickly and politely. Request reviews after check-out, when the experience is still fresh. See how to organize this with reputation management.
Common Mistakes in the Google Business Profile
- duplicate cards of the same hotel, which split reviews;
- card created in someone's personal account who has left the company;
- wrong category, which hides accommodation fields;
- old photos, which create the wrong expectations and complaints upon arrival;
- unanswered reviews, which give the impression of an unresponsive hotel;
- a phone number that no one answers, instead of the hotel's WhatsApp.
From Google to Direct Booking
The card brings the guest to the door, but the sale happens in the response. Those who click to call on WhatsApp expect a reply within minutes, at any time. With AI on the hotel's WhatsApp, the question turns into a quote with a payment link right away. And those who click on the website need to find a booking engine that is fast and clearly shows the total price.
The card also weighs in the era of AI search: see what changes with AI agents in hospitality.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Google Business Profile
Is the Google Business Profile paid?
No. The card is free. Paid hotel ads are a separate and optional product.
How long does verification take?
It depends on the method. Video, phone, and email are usually faster. By mail, the code generally arrives within 14 days.
Can a bed and breakfast have a Google Business Profile?
Yes. Google uses "hotel" in a broad sense, for accommodations with permanent staff on-site, which includes bed and breakfasts, hostels, and resorts.
A complete card brings the guest. Quick service closes the booking. DeskHotel combines WhatsApp, AI, quotes, CRM, and a booking engine in one platform, from click to payment.
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Sources: Google Business Profile Help ("Verify your business on Google" and "Manage your hotel information"); Hotel Center Help ("How travelers find hotel booking links").