In order to define the keywords to target in Google Ads for a hotel, you need to put yourself in the shoes of your customers and understand what your competitors are doing. Finding out which keywords are already working is a great way to get started.
If your competitor bids on certain keywords, it is likely that OTAs will bid on them as well. A good strategy will allow your site to compete in this sales channel and increase your direct bookings.
Paid tools like SpyFu, SEMrush, Ten Scores, Mix Rank are interesting to analyze keywords, but at least you should use Google's Keyword Planner which is a free tool. It allows by entering a relevant URL in the planner to generate keyword suggestions. You will also have access to a list of these keywords, the average cost per click and the average search volume per month.
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Google Keyword Planner - Hotel Alfred Sommier
When selecting keywords for your Google Ads campaign, keep in mind the intention of the user. Search for these terms in Google to see what other results there are before you start bidding on these keywords. If you search Google and find other results for a company, a movie of the same name, or any other results that are not related to your target market, then beware! These keywords can quickly drive up the cost of your Google ads while resulting in zero bookings.
Due to the competition from OTAs on your hotel keywords there are two types of campaigns: "Brand Protection" or "Brand Protection" and "Conquest" or "Conquest". Brand Protection campaigns directly target keywords related to the hotel name. (Ex: Hotel de la Paix Paris, ) Conquest campaigns exclude the name of the hotel (Hotel 4* Paris).