Imagine a place that provides a home-from-home experience with the luxuries of a hotel, where breathtaking lake views meet carefully curated menus. Guests can choose to book the entire house for a fully catered luxury escape – where everything is included in the rate – or an individual suite for a more intimate guest house experience, with additional charges for extras, like staying at a hotel. Welcome to Dome House.
Hayley Hadfield, chef and manager, and her husband, Dave, who runs front-of-house operations, have created a property that’s equal parts retreat, experience, and indulgence. “It’s a bespoke experience, and once you’ve booked the whole house, you don’t have to pay for anything else, unless you want to book a massage or another activity, which we can arrange for you, of course,” says Hayley.
Dome House was originally featured on Grand Designs, a testament to its visionary architecture. After a fascinating backstory involving the original builder running out of funds and the current owner stepping in to complete the project, the property has evolved from a three-bedroom B&B into a five-bedroom exclusive-use home, complete with a games room, pool, hot tub, and sauna.
Hayley and Dave moved from Altrincham to take on the new challenge of managing the property. “We gave up our previous business and moved lock, stock, and barrel. It was a fresh start, and we wanted to create something really special.”
Managing Dome House is no simple feat:
Hayley knew they needed a system that could handle this complexity without adding stress.
Hayley discovered freetobook through extensive research and advice from hospitality forums. She was drawn to:
“The customer support is invaluable. If you’re looking for a platform that will give you the service and support you need, freetobook is the number one place to look.”
Setting up freetobook was mostly straightforward, but Dome House’s dual-model complexity added some extra steps. “I consider myself computer savvy, but I did hit a few stumbling blocks. Heather [freetobook’s Account Manager] was amazing, helping me tweak the system so it worked perfectly for us,” says Hayley.
The onboarding process highlighted what makes freetobook different: fast, personal support, not endless automated replies.
Hayley loves being able to make instant changes to bookings. For example, they recently accommodated a one-night weekend stay despite their usual two-night minimum. With freetobook, it was as simple as a few clicks.
2. Messaging Automation
Once templates were set up, messaging became effortless. “I didn’t have to think about anything,” says Hayley.
3. Flexibility Feature Selection
Being able to choose exactly which features to use allows Dome House to adapt and manage costs efficiently.
Since launching in August 2025, Dome House has seen:
Hayley sums it up nicely:
“With the current economic situation, it’s great that with freetobook you only pay for the features your property needs. It really is value for money.”
Exciting plans are on the horizon: Dome House is preparing a special Valentine’s themed luxury weekend in 2026, promising an unforgettable luxury staycation. With freetobook supporting both operational efficiency and guest communication, Dome House is ready to take its bespoke experiences to the next level.
Dome House shows that bespoke luxury can meet operational efficiency and that the right technology partner makes all the difference.
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