Web Site/Web Hosting Help!

Sarah1970

I need to create a website in order to advertise a couple of apartments for rent in Egypt. It will need to have an enquiry/availability search and also hold a database for bookings.

I have created just an advertising website in the past for my hubbys plastering business using FrontPage, however I don't have a clue when having to include things like databases and enquiry forms etc. Is it actually worth it? Would I be better just advertising them then having a link to email address for an enquiry and use a paper diary system?

Also, I would need the website hosting..............any recommendations? I currently use streamline for my hubbys.

I have thought of using one of the website builder packages............again any recommendations or should this be avoided if I can use FrontPage (although an extreme beginner!!)

Any advise would be very useful

Thanks

mattp_3

hi - think i have the solution for you - i used a really cheap and simple piece of software called Website X5 Evolution - cost £20-30 and allows you to build pretty good websites with no knowledge of html and you can set up a shopping cart and online payment also.

The database part is pretty tricky I'd say - unless you are prepared to invest quite a lot of time in learning its probably best avoided.

I use FastHosts for hosting and they have never let me down - not the cheapest but very reliable.

hope thats of some help
Matt

Yolko

There's an availability calendar that you can add to your website at http://www.availabilitycalendarscript.com/index.php?menu= - it requires just PHP and MySQL on your webserver and pretty much any commercial hosting account will offer that.

They'll install it for you for £95 but you could do it yourself and just pay for the script (£25).

Hosting accounts would typically be between £30 and £50pa. Pick a host by trusted person's recommendation rather than from advertising in magazines.

buglawton

www.worldhostelguide.com operates a booking system, apparently it can be set up to make no mention of 'hostel' and used for various types of accommodation.

You could set it up and link to your own site (it integrates neatly), which would not then need any fancy database just plain pages from Frontpage. There is no subscription and the potential guests/tenants pay a 1 Euro fee by card (a secure sytem not managed by you) for each booking they make. You could then accept the larger deposit or rent by Paypal if you can swallow the Paypal transaction charges of around 4.5%.