Hotel Renderings vs. Photography for Your Website: Which to Choose and When
The short answer
If the hotel does not exist yet, the rendering; if it is already open and finished, photography. The usual approach is to combine them: rendering until opening and photos afterward. Here you see when each one fits and what to ask of a hotel rendering.
By Andreu Cabot, architect · Updated: November 2026
- 15-20 daysbusiness days in the typical hotel commission
- 1-2 viewsof the typical guestroom, the core of the commission
- 2 roundsof revisions per view
- 24 hfixed-price proposal, in business hours
When does a rendering make sense?
Four moments when the hotel does not exist yet and has to be shown.
A rendering is the right tool when what you want to show does not exist yet:
- Before opening. To start marketing and taking bookings before the hotel is finished.
- In a renovation. To show how it will look, including when it is done in phases, as with Ibiza Gran Hotel.
- During pre-sales. To present the project to operators and investors.
- When closing the design. So the interior designer and the owner can approve materials, furniture and lighting before building.
When is photography better?
With the hotel open and finished, and the in-between case.
When the hotel is open and finished, photography shows what the guest will find, with real light and space. A rendering does not replace that image, and it is rarely worth ordering one for a hotel you can already photograph.
The in-between case is an open hotel with an area that is not built yet, such as a spa under construction or a terrace being renovated. There, photography covers what exists and the rendering covers only what is pending, with the same approach to light so they don't clash.
How to get a believable rendering
Three conditions for the hotel to end up looking like the rendering.
A hotel rendering is only useful if the hotel later looks like it. To make sure it does:
- It should start from the interior design project, with the real furniture and materials, not generic pieces.
- The whole series should share light and atmosphere, so the website looks like a single hotel.
Two views of the same hotel, reception and lounge: same light and same atmosphere, so they read as a single place. - It should not anticipate anything that is not in the project: a rendering with furniture or finishes that are never installed creates an expectation that real photography will contradict.
How to combine rendering, tour and photo
What to use before opening and what after.
The practical approach is usually: renderings of the typical guestroom, common areas and facade for pre-sales and marketing, and photography when the hotel opens. The website is updated with the real images and the renderings are no longer needed.
There is one more format between the two: the 360° virtual tour, which lets you walk through a guestroom or the common areas from the browser. For the hotel in Budapest, in addition to fourteen views, we made a 360° virtual tour of the suite. More at 360° virtual tour.
Two mistakes to avoid
Deciding late and mixing without criteria.
They almost always appear when the decision is made late or without clear criteria:
- Waiting until the hotel is finished to start communicating. If marketing starts before opening, the images have to exist before the building does.
- Mixing renderings and photographs without a clear approach. If they live on the same website, make the light and framing similar, so they don't look like two different hotels.
What it includes and how long it takes
The typical hotel commission: views, timeline and where to see the schedule.
The typical hotel commission includes the typical guestroom in one or two views, plus reception, restaurant and common areas, with furniture and materials faithful to the project. It takes 15 to 20 business days.
The material needed to quote and the day-by-day schedule are in timeframes and pricing and in renderings for hotels.
In short
The essentials, in four sentences.
- Rendering if the hotel is not yet open or finished: opening, renovation, pre-sales and marketing.
- Photography when the hotel is open and finished.
- A good rendering starts from the interior design project, anticipates nothing that is not in it and keeps consistent light across the whole series.
- The practical approach is usually to combine them: rendering until opening, a 360° tour if you want to walk through it, and photography afterward.
Frequently asked questions
Three questions from whoever manages a hotel's website.
Can I replace the renderings with photographs when the hotel opens?
Yes. The website can be switched to real photography as soon as it opens: the rendering covers the period when there is still nothing to photograph.
Does the hotel have to be under construction to order renderings?
No. They can be made from the design, before construction starts, with the drawings and the interior design project. In fact, that is when they add the most, to approve the design and start marketing.
On a small budget, which views should I order first?
Start with the typical guestroom, in one or two views, and the main common area: that is the core of the typical hotel commission. Reception, restaurant and facade can be added later, with the same light and atmosphere.
Have a project?
Send us your drawings or your model and a short description. Within 24 business hours you receive a fixed-price proposal.