Filey Bay Direct

Our online holiday rental booking system has helped make many of our clients jobs much easier and we love hearing all about your journeys with Bookalet! We got in touch with the owner of Sea Urchins Cottages on the Yorkshire Coast, Paula, to talk about her properties and her experience with the Bookalet system.

The owner Paula was working as a Government Statistician when she bought Sea Urchins beach house in 2014, and in 2016, she left her 23 year career and bought Sea Urchins cottage in the same holiday village on the Yorkshire coast. With direct access to one of the UK’s best beaches, and onsite amenities including a pool, pub, playground and fitness suite, the properties were perfect for family holidays. The log burner and breath-taking sea view from the balcony were both very popular with guests.

Sea Urchins Beach House

Paula found her two properties were almost always fully booked and she was having to turn people away, so she decided it was time to take her business one step further and offer her management services to other owners in the same holiday village.

Paula told us that “as I was expanding my business, I needed an online booking system that had no limits on number of properties, that would make my job easier, but also looked professional and was easy to use by potential guests”

Paula then signed up for a free 30 day trial, which Bookalet offer all new customers. “I signed up [for the free trial] in December 2017, asking the team lots of questions, and was made to feel confident that it would meet my specific needs. I subscribed in January 2018. I liked the fact that I could easily add new properties whenever I needed, for only a small fee. The widgets to add calendars, prices, property features and more to my websites are so easy to design and look great. I just love the ‘ping’ of when I get a new text message with a booking request – very satisfying!”

Inside ‘Anchor at the Bay’

“Everything was going smoothly, and I was expanding my property portfolio, when in August 2018 my world turned upside down. I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I knew that I would be having chemotherapy, so I spent a bit of time making sure everything was as automated as possible – adding new email templates, making sure all of my calendars were synced, and switching on automated email functions for guests and housekeepers. I was ready.

I had 10 months of treatment, and even when I was really poorly, I could use my laptop or iphone from bed and with a quick click I could accept booking requests and send emails. During those months, I welcomed over 500 sets of guests, and without a system like Bookalet, I have no idea how I would have managed. I even trained my husband up to use the system!

I have had a lot of support form the Bookalet team and love the Facebook hub where I learn something new all the time from the team and other Bookalet users. The team listen to feedback and are always enhancing the system. I now have 19 properties listed, including 1 bed apartments, 2 bed beach houses and cottages, 3 and 4 bedroom houses sleeping up to 8 guests. Some have wood burners, balconies,  sea views,  smart TV’s and BBQ’s for guests to enjoy during their stay. All of the properties have free access to the gym, indoor pool, WiFi and onsite entertainment.

I have had guests feed back to me how easy the booking process was to use. I’m sure the increase in bookings is a testament to Bookalet as well as the range of properties I now offer.”

If you would like to stay in these properties, visit fileybaydirect.com and use the Bookalet calendar to make your booking!

To start a 30 day free trial with Bookalet today, click here!