These days it is important to be able to make basic changes to your own site – including text and images. Internet users expect sites to be 100% up to date so if you have an incorrect price, inclusions, facilities or photo online there could be serious repercussions. These occurrences can leave you feeling powerless and very frustrated.
Some of potential pitfalls could be being forced into taking a booking based on old prices or getting negative online reviews, or cancellations on check-in from guests who are disappointed by the variation between what was shown online and what they found on arrival.
When looking for a new website ask your designer if they also provide a user-friendly content management system (CMS).
You may also want to ask whether the CMS is open-sourced so that you benefit from a wide community of developers enhancing the system over time and to avoid you being locked into a relationship with that specific designer.