Key Takeaways
- Elie Getaways is a family-run business based in Elie, Fife
- They manage 28 active properties across Elie, Earlsferry and nearby
- The business has doubled in just under a year
Bookster is designed to help holiday rental managers.
Free Booking Performance Review… or get started nowWe caught up with the team at Elie Getaways about growing a family-run holiday let business on the Fife coast, and how Bookster has helped them scale from a handful of properties to 28 active lets in just a few years.
Our Bookster powered website is now bringing in more direct bookings than the other platforms combined. This is where we want to be.
A family business on the Fife coast
Elie Getaways is a family-run business that lives and works in Elie, serving Elie, Earlsferry and a handful of outlying properties. They aren't technically a 24/7 operation, but in practice they're not far off it. Because they live locally, they're on hand when guests have a question or an issue, and can resolve things quickly.
Since Kenny came on board full time last March, the business has grown fast. They now have 28 active properties, one going through licensing and one undergoing renovation - the business has doubled in just under a year. Kenny's 30 years of construction experience as a Civil Engineer has also allowed Elie Getaways to take on larger renovation projects alongside the usual annual maintenance.
Before Bookster: a raft of spreadsheets
Before Bookster, everything ran on spreadsheets: from bookings to accounts. It was achievable when the business was smaller, but it was labour intensive, and doing things manually was holding them back.
"Doing things manually prevented us from growing," they told us. Bookster's Property Management Software changed that. It gave them room to grow organically, and just as importantly, the confidence to grow, knowing there was a resilient team behind the curtain.
Choosing Bookster for the people
Elie Getaways chose Bookster for the people. As they put it, theirs is a people business, and they like to work with like-minded souls. They felt comfortable with the Bookster team from the outset, and that relationship has continued. They get the service they need, when they need it.
They also needed a PMS that could do everything Bookster does. The channel manager let them branch out onto other platforms for global reach with minimal effort - though they're quick to point out that their own website now brings in more direct bookings than all the other platforms combined.
An effortless onboarding
Switching can feel daunting, but Elie Getaways found the setup straightforward. They talked through what they needed Bookster to do, and Adam (our onboarding specialist) set it up for them:
"The onboarding process was effortless. We discussed what we needed Bookster to do and Adam set it up. Throughout our time with Bookster, we've tweaked it a bit, but generally it's the same as it was 5 years ago."
Bookster in action
Day to day, communication is everything — closely followed by bookings — with accounts handled once a month. Having all their platforms and guest conversations in one place makes coordination and control far easier, and taking bookings and paying owners is much simpler than it used to be.
The features they lean on most are bookings, the timeline, arrivals and analytics. The timeline gets plenty of use for forecasting months ahead, while the analytics give easy access to insights — letting them see how the business is performing and benchmark it against previous years. As they note, growth in line with expectations can be confirmed with a few clicks of the mouse.
They don't use dynamic pricing (their owners aren't keen on it) but the timeline and Analytics help them focus on occupancy where it matters most. Summer is always busy; it's the off-season months they work hardest to fill.
The results
Moving to a PMS made a real difference. Where the team had been tied to a desk for hours on end - with other jobs left undone - work now feels more structured and efficient. The channel manager has removed the risk of double bookings entirely. Time management has improved compared with the old manual system.
Most importantly, Bookster has allowed them to grow. With the business doubling in under a year and their own website out-performing every other platform for direct bookings, Elie Getaways are exactly where they want to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Was switching to Bookster as difficult as you expected?
- Not at all. The onboarding was effortless - we talked through what we needed and Adam set it up. Five years on, it works much the same way.
- Has Bookster actually helped you grow?
- Yes. Doing things manually was holding us back. Bookster gave us the room and the confidence to grow, and the business has doubled in just under a year.
- Are you getting more direct bookings?
- Our Bookster powered website now brings in more direct bookings than all the other platforms combined. That's exactly where we wanted to be.
- How do you avoid double bookings across platforms?
- The channel manager has removed the risk of double booking for us. Everything stays in sync across the platforms we list on.
- Would you recommend Bookster to other holiday let owners?
- Yes, and we have. We like the people, we love the simplicity, and it's helped us on our journey.
Elie Getaways started out juggling spreadsheets and a growing list of properties. Today they manage 28 active lets, win more direct bookings through their own website than through every OTA combined, and run it all with the simplicity they value most. As they put it: sometimes, a clean simple system is best.
Elie Getaways chose Bookster to grow their family business organically and take control of their bookings. Book a free demo to find out how Bookster can help your holiday rental business.
