Adding Bookalet significantly improved the user experience

Amy and James moved to France in 2016 with a dream of running a gîte business, catering to cycling and active holidays in the French Pyrenees.

They discovered a traditional farmhouse in the tiny village of Castelvieilh, offering breathtaking views of the Pyrenean mountain range, and decided to make it their home.

The farmhouse, having been uninhabited for over 40 years, required a complete overhaul, and they embarked on a massive renovation project. Their plan was to create two gîtes, two B&B rooms, and a family home.

For nearly three years, Amy and James lived in a caravan on-site. By 2020, they had completed two gîtes. They moved into one and prepared the other for letting. Initially, they relied on Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) for bookings but aimed to facilitate direct bookings.

In 2022, they launched their website and realised the need for an online booking and availability feature. Amy, with her background in the self-catering holiday industry in the UK, was familiar with Bookalet and decided to integrate it into their website.

“The first couple of years we primarily used OTAs for our bookings but knew we wanted to be able to take bookings direct,” said Amy. “Adding Bookalet significantly improved the user experience, resulting in an increase in direct bookings. The system is easy to integrate and use. I love that I only need to update Bookalet, which then manages my OTA calendars, guest communication and overall booking management.”

Amy and James are now focusing on completing their B&B rooms and plan to add them to Bookalet once they are ready.

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