M15 Sopot — gastro-recreational complex on the beach
In 2 months we built a comprehensive corporate website for M15 Sopot — a unique venue combining a restaurant, saunas, and a beach zone directly on the Baltic Sea. The site supports 36+ language versions, integrates an online store for vouchers, presents the events and catering offer, and meets EU-funding requirements.
Client and business context
M15 Sopot is a multi-functional venue at ul. Franciszka Mamuszki 15 — directly on the Sopot beach, a few steps from the sea, with a view of the pier. The venue combines several services in one complex: a signature restaurant based on seasonal products and Polish tradition, the only Sopot beach saunarium with a sea view, beach access, an event hall for businesses, organisation of family events (weddings, communions, birthdays), as well as external catering and breakfasts served to apartments.
The client is based in Sopot and serves guests from around the world — domestic tourists, German, Scandinavian, and increasingly Asian guests. This international character of Sopot tourist traffic shaped specific technical and language requirements for the project.
The complex received funding from European Union resources, which imposed additional formal requirements on the website implementation — particularly compliance with digital accessibility guidelines (WCAG) and appropriate project markings.
The challenge
The client needed a website that could carry several different businesses in one — restaurant, saunas, events, catering, store — without confusing guests as to which business they were looking for. The online store had to handle voucher and gift card sales — products typical for the HoReCa industry, but with different flows (vouchers with code generation, gift cards with amount, gifts with physical delivery).
The most serious language requirement was supporting multiple language versions — Sopot welcomes guests from around the world, so the site must be available in English, German, but also Scandinavian, Spanish, Italian, Czech, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and many others. In total, we designed the structure for 36+ versions.
The EU-funded project imposed additional requirements: WCAG 2.1 compliance, appropriate EU and program logos, and formal implementation documentation. Accessibility had to be implemented in reality — not just as compliance with requirements, but also in practice for people with visual, hearing, motor impairments.
Specific requirements
- Presentation of 6 offer areas: restaurant, saunas, beach, business events, family events, catering
- Online store with vouchers and gift cards (WooCommerce mechanics + custom extensions)
- Phone booking for each of 3 areas: tables, saunas, events (different numbers)
- Support for 36+ language versions with easy expansion
- Full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance — contrasts, ARIA, keyboard navigation, screen readers
- EU funding markings according to program guidelines
- Implementation in 2 months — short deadline due to season start
- Mobile device adaptation — most tourist traffic from phones
- Social media integration (Facebook, Instagram)
2-month implementation process
Implementation in such a short time was possible thanks to the team's WordPress + WooCommerce experience and previously prepared, proven patterns for the HoReCa industry. We divided the project into 4 phases with weekly sprints.
Discovery and specification
1 weekWorkshops with the client, venue analysis (photos, videos, offer descriptions), defining content structure for each of 6 areas. User journey mapping.
UX/UI design
2 weeksDesigning all key views: home page with 6-area preview, thematic subpages, voucher store, booking forms, contact with different numbers for different services. Premium aesthetic suited to the seaside location.
Development and multilingual setup
4 weeksWordPress theme implementation, WooCommerce integration, WPML/Polylang configuration for 36+ languages. Custom voucher plugins (unique codes generation, validation, usage tracking).
WCAG, testing, optimization, deployment
1 weekFull WCAG 2.1 AA audit, Core Web Vitals optimization, EU funding markings configuration, production deployment, client team training.
Technical solution
The technology stack is based on WordPress + WooCommerce + dedicated ByteWave plugins. This choice is deliberate — WordPress is a mature CMS that allows the client to independently edit content after deployment: changing the restaurant menu, adding a new event, updating photos, adding a new voucher in the store. This is key for a seasonal business that changes its offer often.
The online voucher and gift card store required custom WooCommerce extensions — ready-made voucher plugins do not handle all the necessary cases (different values, different services to choose from, universal vouchers, vouchers for a specific service). We wrote our own plugins integrating with WooCommerce, generating unique PDF codes, validating during use at the venue.
We support multilingualism through the proven WPML/Polylang stack with an additional dedicated mechanism for rare languages. Main content (EN/PL/DE/SE/FI/CZ/RU) is translated manually and maintained continuously. The remaining ~30 languages are handled by automatic translation via API with the option of manual correction of key phrases by the client.
Why WordPress and not headless CMS?
The client needed a fast start (2 months) + self-maintenance after deployment. Headless CMS would require a programmer on every change. WordPress + Elementor allows the client to update content independently.
Why dedicated voucher plugins?
Standard voucher plugins for WooCommerce do not handle the diversity of M15 vouchers: for a specific service (e.g. only sauna), universal (for any service), with amount to use, with physical delivery. We wrote custom extensions handling all these cases in one store.
Why 36+ languages?
Sopot welcomes guests from around the world, including a large group from Asia (Japan, Korea, China). Although automatic translations are not perfect for rare languages, the very availability of the site in the native language significantly increases conversion.
Key website features
Each function was designed with the real user in mind — a tourist looking for a complete experience in one place by the sea.
6 offer areas in coherent narrative
Restaurant, saunas, beach, business events, family events, catering — each area has its own subpage with dedicated content, but the narrative is coherent.
Voucher and gift card store
WooCommerce + custom plugins handle 3 product types: vouchers for specific service, gift cards with amount, physical gifts.
Optimised phone booking
3 dedicated numbers for 3 areas (tables, saunas, events). Each subpage shows the correct number + email — guests do not waste time on a central switchboard.
36+ language versions
Main languages translated manually, others automatically with correction option. Special emphasis on Asian languages due to growing tourist traffic.
Full WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
Real accessibility for people with disabilities: colour contrasts, ARIA, focus states, keyboard navigation, screen readers. EU project requirement implemented in practice.
Photo/video gallery of complex
Professional photos of restaurant, saunas, beach, event hall with lazy loading for fast loading. 360° virtual walk for saunas.
Thematic blog
Content marketing section — articles about weddings, communions, business events, seasonal dishes. Helps with SEO and shows expertise.
Social media integration
Facebook, Instagram — feed on the site with the latest client posts. Builds trust and shows venue activity.
EU funding markings
EU and funding program logo in footer, according to guidelines. Site meets formal project requirements.
Mobile-first design
Most tourist traffic comes from phones — during a walk, on the way to Sopot. The site is designed mobile-first.
Tech stack
Proven WordPress stack giving fast time-to-market and client autonomy after deployment.
Results
The M15 Sopot website was deployed according to the 2-month schedule and has been running stably since 2024. The client maintains content independently — adds new vouchers to the store, updates restaurant menu, publishes blog articles. This does not require involving programmers from ByteWave, which lowers operational costs for the client.
From the client's perspective, two aspects are most important: (1) all 6 offer areas were coherently presented without confusion for guests, and (2) the voucher store works stably during peak season (holidays, summer, Valentine's Day — when it generates a significant portion of revenue).
The WCAG 2.1 AA requirement was met in reality and confirmed by an accessibility audit. EU funding markings according to guidelines. All required project formalities completed.
What's next
The M15 site is actively developed — the client adds new seasonal offers, events, promotional campaigns. Plans include adding an online booking system for saunas (currently phone booking), and integrations with the restaurant POS systems.