Case study
Swanage Cottages
A website for Swanage Cottages, a traditional Purbeck stone holiday cottage in old Swanage, with photography, availability and prices, and guest comments.
- Services provided
- Website design, Responsive design, Photography, CMS integration (Atlas CMS), UX/UI design
- Sector
- Accommodation
- Built
- 2009
The Challenge
Swanage Cottages is the website for Mia’s Cottage, a traditional Purbeck stone self-catering cottage in the heart of Swanage, with views of the Purbeck Hills and the Swanage Steam Railway. It sleeps a family of up to six plus a cot, or three couples.
When the owners came to us in 2009, they needed a website that showed the cottage at its best and answered the questions every holiday-let guest asks: what is it like, when is it free, how much will it cost, and what is there to do nearby? They also needed to be able to keep availability up to date themselves.
Our Approach
We took photographs of the cottage and its rooms and designed a new website on our Atlas Lite CMS, with a separate page for each question a guest is likely to have:
- The cottage: galleries of the rooms and the views
- Availability and prices, which the owners update themselves
- Booking information and a FAQ that answers common questions before a guest has to ask
- Events and attractions in and around Swanage
- Guest comments from previous visitors, and a contact page
The site also works well on phones.
The Results
The website presents Swanage Cottages as a comfortable, well-located place to stay, and gives guests the information they need to book without having to phone. Because availability and prices are managed in the CMS, the owners can keep them accurate throughout the season.
Long-Term Impact
The site has been serving the cottage since 2009 and still carries an Apexweb credit in its footer. A simple, well-organised website with honest guest comments and clear availability is still one of the most effective ways for a small holiday let to take direct bookings.
If you let holiday property, see how we build websites or get in touch.
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