Your website’s navigation is the roadmap that guides guests to book with you. Today, we’re excited to share a powerful new feature that puts you in complete control of that experience: Custom Menu Items in our Refined 2.1 template (with rollout to other templates coming soon).
Craft Navigation That Fits Your Brand and Drives Bookings
Great navigation isn’t just about looking professional—it’s about conversion. When guests can easily find what they’re looking for, they’re more likely to book. Whether that’s browsing your properties, learning about local destinations, or hitting that “Book Now” button, every menu item should serve your booking goals.
Build Navigation That Converts: Six Menu Types Now Available
We’ve designed six distinct menu types to give you the flexibility to craft exactly the guest journey you want:
1. Logo Placement
Your logo anchors your brand. While it’s fixed at the root level, you can now drag it to the center position for a more balanced header layout.
2. Page Menus
Link directly to your custom pages, such as “About Us” or “Contact,” which help build trust and answer guest questions.
3. External Links
Send visitors to partner websites, local attraction pages, or any external resource that enhances their stay experience. You can choose whether links open in new tabs.
4. Container Menus (Dropdowns)
Perfect for organizing related content. Create a “Destinations” dropdown that showcases different areas you serve, or group properties by location or type.
5. Properties Menu
This is where the magic happens. Display all properties, feature-specific listings, or highlight your best performers. It’s one of the most powerful tools for driving bookings.
6. Featured Menu
The default search redirect is perfect for multi-property operators. When guests want to browse all your options, this gets them there fast.
Bonus: Smart Placeholders
Use placeholder menu items to perfect your layout alignment—especially useful for keeping your “Book Now” button prominently positioned on the far right.
The “Book Now” Button: Your Conversion Champion
Speaking of that “Book Now” button—we strongly recommend keeping it visible at all times. It’s your direct line to bookings, and every second a guest spends on your site should lead them closer to clicking it.
Getting Started
Access your new menu controls by navigating to: Site → Manage Templates → Edit Template → Header → Menu → Edit Menu Items
The interface is intuitive—drag to reorder, click to configure, and save to publish your changes instantly.
What This Means for Your Business
Custom menu items aren’t just about aesthetics. They’re about:
- Faster guest decision-making through clear navigation
- Higher conversion rates with strategic menu placement
- Better SEO through internal linking to key pages
- Professional presentation that builds booking confidence
Rolling Out to All Templates
While custom menu items are live in Refined 2.1 today, we’re actively working to bring this functionality to all CraftedStays templates. Because every host—regardless of design preference—deserves this level of control.
Ready to optimize your navigation? Log into your CraftedStays account and start building menus that convert. Questions? Our team is here to help.