In a busy town like Pitlochry, considered a gateway to the Highlands, standing out isn’t just about offering a great stay; it’s about making it effortless for guests to choose you.
At Atholl Villa, owner James has seen exactly what happens when you remove friction from the booking journey: more guests stop browsing… and start booking.
After introducing BloomPro’s Express Checkout, Atholl Villa saw a 19% increase in conversions, helping drive more valuable direct bookings, meaning no OTA commission fees, stronger guest relationships, more guest data, and greater opportunities for repeat stays and reviews.
When James first opened the 12-bedroom guest house, Online Travel Agents (OTAs) dominated bookings.
“Two years ago, we were about 70% booking.com.”
Fast forward to today, and the picture looks very different:
“Now it’s more like 43%, with direct bookings at 57%.”
That shift didn’t happen accidentally; it’s also a major transformation in how the business generates revenue.
And while smart pricing strategies like implementing an OTA surcharge and incentives for longer stays played their part, there was another key driver: a better direct booking experience.
“The look of our booking pages helped… It’s definitely taken a massive step forward compared to a couple of years ago.”
Unlike flashy marketing campaigns, the impact of BloomPro is subtle but powerful.
James doesn’t see guests praising the booking journey directly. In fact, he doesn’t hear about it at all. That’s the point.
“If it’s working well and as it should, then we’re not being alerted to it.”
Instead, the changes show up in behaviour.
While the impact of any single feature can be hard to isolate, BloomPro’s biggest strength at Atholl Villa has been simple: making it easier for guests to book.
With features like Express Checkout, guests can secure a room in seconds, without filling in unnecessary details.
James began noticing a clear behavioural shift:
“I’ve noticed quite a lot of bookings coming in with only the required details for Express Checkout. It shows people are taking the path of least resistance and just going for it.”
That “path of least resistance”, when a guest chooses to book instead of hesitating, is where BloomPro makes the difference.
With fewer steps and less effort required, guests are far less likely to drop off mid-booking.
The results speak volumes; Atholl Villa saw a 19% increase in conversions after introducing Express Checkout. No extra effort or workload for the property, just a smoother path for the guest to book.
For James, one of the biggest advantages is how little he has to think about it.
“Freetobook’s essentially a hands-off system… BloomPro’s just an evolution of that good system.”
Even when he’s away, the business keeps moving:
“We go on holiday and just deal with Messages in the evenings if we get any questions.”
BloomPro doesn’t add complexity, it actually removes it.
“BloomPro’s just an evolution of that good system.”
Crucially, the improvements don’t feel bolted on. The booking journey still feels like Atholl Villa.
“It feels familiar on your website.”
So while the experience is smoother for guests, the brand identity remains intact.
For James, the decision to adopt new features like BloomPro comes down to trust.
“Freetobook is a forward-looking company… if they’re making changes, they’re doing it for the right reasons. That’s comforting, knowing someone cares about what they’re doing and about your business.”
At Atholl Villa, the results aren’t loud, but they’re meaningful:
Or, as James put it:
“It shows people saw the easiest option…
and went for it.”
And in today’s competitive market, that ease can make all the difference.
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