This is a template for a site that I have been fiddling with on and off forever - a stop-go sort of client, who seems finally to have decided on go. The navigation bar is a bit of a gimmick - do you think it works?
http://www.linkks.org/sery/template.htm
Problem is I cannot get the word Accommodation to fit on the signpost - without having one big long sticky out one - and they do arrange accommodation in more than hotels. Should I scrap the navbar for a simpler one that takes in the word? Stick with hotels and let the page explain that there are also other forms of accommodation?

I could just about fit 'Lodging' but it seems a peculiar word, can anyone think of another alternative?

Also is the montage at the top a bit twee or does it fit in with the image you would expect of Ireland? The site is aimed squarely at Americans so I am interested in the view from the US.

The reason for the clients recalcitrance is that his old site has produced zero results, though he was charged a lot of money for it. I am really anxious that this one will hit the right note for him. This is the old one by the way, three years up and has generated one small job: http://www.failte.com/miforr/

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Katherine

InKK Design
LinKKs - Kilkenny's Online Magazine

Fancy a return to your childhood English lessons? Class, can you create sentences with the phrases 'Ireland vacation' and 'Ireland tour' in them?

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"Dogs have owners, cats have staff!"

[This message has been edited by abbeyvet (edited 05-22-2001).]

[This message has been edited by abbeyvet (edited 05-22-2001).]

Very nice template....thematic, clean, simple.

The Logo: Sorry, but the mule/donkey (?) as the main focal point of the logo just doesn't do anything to entice me to visit or take a tour. I envision old castles, villages, pubs, pastoral settings, the blarney stone and something magical about Ireland. I would rethink that part of the logo.

"Small Escorted Tours of Ireland": Was a bit confused if this meant small duration of tours or small groups of people or both. Would it be better to refer to the tours as custom or personalized tours in your heading?

"Coach": Most americans know this means a bus but would typically refer to it as a motor coach or charter bus.

"Company and Incentive tours": This is a biggie among both small and large companies. Every business owner or corporation likes to take a tour that can be a tax write-off. I would give it more prominence higher up on the page.

The Smithsonian is known by every American. A recommendation from someone there is great. This could stand out more.

Sorry, tried to think of a different word for accommodation and couldn't. The posts are great but it would also look great with text or another alternative.

[This message has been edited by b. carey (edited 05-22-2001).]

Lodging is a very American word there would be no doubt in my mind that it meant a variety of accommodations.

I like the montage at the top except the guy facing right just to the left of the castle. Actually it startled (almost scared!) me. I think of beautiful green cliffs and old castles and elderly gentlemen in slightly worn tweed suits walking hunched. The mule is ok but maybe to the side and put the castle or the cross in the center. The text kind of gets lost on it but I have no idea where else it would go.

It does look nice though, and I would really love to go!

I don't much care for the mule on this... at least not so much of a focal point.

The comment about the Smithsonian is a smart one... maybe have that as a graphic or sidebar that's viewable without scrolling?

Either Hotels or Lodging seems fine for an alternative to Accomodation.

Linda

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I liked it, I liked it a lot. - It even made me homesick :-)

(I'm a mix of Irish and a few other things, true Jackeen that I am the onset of summer makes me think of Dublin.)

The donkey is a little large but I'm not sure it detracts.

I *love* your navbar.

Accom .... there's no way such an appallingly BAD typist as I am is going to even try. In the current context "Lodgings" sounds better to me - I ran it through Microsoft's (American English version) thesaurus, I think I'd go for lodging.

"itineries" should read "itineraries"

A general point:

Americans think of *what* when they think of Ireland - what's the meta image they have?

What I'm getting at here is that every French person I've ever met thinks of Ireland as consisting entirely of:

Ruined castles.
The Cliffs of Moher.
Bogs.
Lakes.
Mountains.

Do you remember the Bord Failte campaign on RTE a few years ago where at one point they played South Amercican pan pipes as the view panned up a tree laden river? It really *shocked* a French guest I had staying with me at the time.

Language:

"We specialize in creating unique and magical vacations for company or incentive groups. "

that's great and perhaps you should higlight that a bit more - at the moment the language is a little formal - and doesn't really convey the whole point of the business - that it's a friendly and hospitable company showing vistors a friendly and hospitable land and it's people.

Resource:

Around the turn of the century an astonishgly talented photographer did views of quite literally every part of Ireland, Towns, villages, sweeps of countryside - you name it.

They're now in the National Museum and are collectively known as "The Lawrence Collection" The museum make copies available for a tiny fee from the original negatives either as sepia or black and white.

I mention it either as a resource for graphics for you or as somthing of which your client might be able to offer as an extra service.

Good luck.

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Hope this helps :-)
Gorilla
aka Mark Saunders

www.computerdriving.com

Actually I recently looked on the internet for information on vacations in Ireland and Scotland. However my search terms were golf, Ireland and Ballybunion. His current site did not show up.

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Shirley
Money Tree Web Design
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