The verdict in three sentences
Before outsourcing a London hotel's Google Business Profile, the deciding question is ownership: the profile must stay in the hotel's account, with the agency added as a manager. Next come review reply times, which should be 24 to 48 hours, and the reporting, weekly and built on calls, direction requests and clicks to your booking engine. An agency that is vague on any of those three will cost more than it earns, whatever its fee.
Why a London hotel needs a question list
A 90-room business hotel near Liverpool Street or Paddington competes with dozens of properties within a ten-minute walk. Google shows hotels with a rich profile: star class, amenities, photos, prices and booking links, including free booking links that send guests straight to your own engine. Every outdated detail (a closed restaurant, a gym under refurbishment) turns into a one-star review. The rules have also tightened: since April 2025 the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act lets the CMA fine businesses directly, up to 10 % of global turnover, for fake reviews or for hiding negative ones, and guest emails used for review requests fall under UK GDPR.
Ten questions, with the good and the bad answer
| Question | Good answer | Bad answer |
|---|---|---|
| Who will own the profile? | The hotel. We are added as managers. | We recreate it under our account, it is easier. |
| How fast do you reply to reviews? | Within 24 to 48 hours, every day, with management sign-off on 1 and 2 star reviews. | Once a month, in a batch. |
| How do you generate new reviews? | Post-stay email to every guest, no incentive, no filtering. | We only send requests to guests who rated us 5 on our survey. |
| How many photos per quarter? | 20 to 60: rooms, meeting rooms, breakfast, lobby, exterior at night. | Your current photos are fine. |
| Will you connect booking links? | Yes, free booking links and your engine, checked monthly for rate parity. | Not our scope. |
| What is in the report? | Weekly calls, directions, booking clicks, rankings, reviews. | A screenshot PDF. |
| What if the profile is suspended? | Documented reinstatement process, 2 to 6 weeks. | It never happens. |
| What contract length? | 12 months, 3-month notice, data export. | 36 months with a 6-month exit fee. |
| Do you guarantee the top spot? | No, we commit to actions and measurement. | Number one in 30 days, guaranteed. |
| Who is my contact? | A named account manager with a phone line. | A ticket queue. |
The review gating answer matters most in the UK. Sending review requests only to happy guests is treated as concealing negative reviews under the new rules, and Google prohibits it too.
What a serious provider costs in London
London pricing in 2026 (estimates, excluding VAT at 20 %) ranges from 150 GBP a month for a freelancer posting occasionally to 900 GBP for an agency running profile, reviews and measurement.
| Option | Price | Commitment | Reporting | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occasional freelancer | 150 to 300 GBP a month | None | Rare | Occasional posts |
| Hospitality marketing agency | 400 to 900 GBP a month | 6 to 12 months | Irregular | Posts, reviews, sometimes rankings |
| Kolonell visibility audit | 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), credited within 30 days | None | Audit report | Rankings and nearby competitors |
| Traffic Engine Présence | 125,000 FCFA (about 191 EUR) a month | 12 months | Weekly | Visibility in your area |
| Traffic Engine Momentum | 225,000 FCFA (about 343 EUR) a month | 12 months | Weekly | Gaining places against nearby hotels |
| Traffic Engine Flood | 350,000 FCFA (about 534 EUR) a month | 12 months | Weekly | Several neighbourhoods and searches |
| Traffic Engine setup | 300,000 FCFA (about 457 EUR), once | Initial set-up |
Mini case study
Illustrative example, fictional hotel: Hannah is general manager of a 90-room business hotel near Liverpool Street. The profile shows 4.0 stars on 640 reviews, 210 unanswered, and photos from 2023. She asks three agencies the ten questions, rules out two (one recreates profiles, one filters review requests) and signs at 600 GBP a month, 7,200 GBP a year.
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If better replies, photos and booking links add 30 direct room nights a month at 165 GBP, and direct bookings save about 18 % in OTA commission, the hotel gains 4,950 GBP of direct revenue and roughly 890 GBP in avoided commission each month (2026 estimate). The annual fee is covered in under two months of results.
FAQ
Does the agency need access to our main Google account?
No. Add them as a manager on the profile and stay primary owner. Removing access takes under 5 minutes.
How many reviews can a London business hotel expect?
With a post-stay request to every guest, 40 to 80 new reviews a month is realistic for 90 rooms. Reply to each within 48 hours.
What happens if Google suspends the profile?
Reinstatement usually takes 2 to 6 weeks with evidence such as a utility bill and photos of the signage. A competent agency has a written procedure.
Can we offer a discount in exchange for reviews?
No. Incentivised reviews break Google's policies and can expose the hotel to CMA action with fines up to 10 % of global turnover.
Get found by the travellers already searching for you. Start with a visibility audit at 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), credited against setup if you start within 30 days, then the Traffic Engine plan that fits your neighbourhood, with a weekly report on calls and booking clicks. Traffic Engine. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
