Definition
Schema markup is structured data added to a webpage in a format that machines (search engines and AI systems) can read and interpret precisely. It uses the vocabulary defined at schema.org, an initiative maintained by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and Yandex.
The “schema” is the set of defined types and properties: Hotel, LodgingBusiness, Accommodation, Restaurant, etc. each have defined properties (name, address, amenityFeature, etc.). Implementing schema markup means adding the correct type and relevant properties to your page in a standardised format.
The format
Schema markup for a hotel is typically written as JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data) in a <script type="application/ld+json"> block inside the page’s <head>. It is not visible to website visitors.
Why it matters for AI search
Schema markup removes ambiguity. Without it, an AI system has to infer what your hotel is from your website’s text content, which is unreliable and incomplete. With schema markup, you explicitly state: “This page is about a Hotel called [name] at [address] with [list of amenities].”
AI search systems that crawl websites (including Perplexity and search-augmented ChatGPT) prioritise schema markup as a high-confidence source when building property profiles.
What properties to include
Minimum: name, address (PostalAddress), geo (GeoCoordinates), telephone, url, starRating
Complete: all of the above plus amenityFeature, numberOfRooms, priceRange, description, image, checkinTime, checkoutTime
See also: What schema markup does a hotel need (full guide) | Get found: the technical playbook