New West Sussex Holiday Cottage - www.patchingholidays.co.uk

[PatchingHolidays]

Hi,

We have just started a holiday cottage business in the South Downs National Park near Worthing in West Sussex, UK. We are currently marketing through a local agency with good results, but have just started our own website (www.patchingholidays.co.uk) to try and gain more direct bookings. We are using the new 52Rentals holiday cottage website builder and management system (www.52rentals.com) which seems to include everything that we could want including calendar and payments.

I would be grateful for any constructive comments about our website - it's not perfect yet, and probably never will be but we start with evolution not revolution.

Many thanks
Neville Child

[CSE]

Hi and welcome to LMH
It is the second one from the same hosting company in the last few days are they new or something?
A standard layout from a hosting company so you may not be able to change anything.
So before I do suggest changes what access do you have to the website?

[PatchingHolidays]

Dear casasantoestevo,

Many thanks for your welcome.

Yes this is a new hosting company and you can change just about anything once you are familier with it. It is aimed specifically at holiday cottage letting and has many features specifically for this. I added PayPal payments yesterday - all no my own!

I have access to modify a great deal within the flexible template structure - change structure, colour palette, text, pictures, add/remove pages etc. etc.

Any comments on my implementation are gratefully received.

Regards
Neville & Sara Child

[Jimbo]

I strongly believe that the primary function of a photo gallery is to showcase your property and, by its quality, stop casual surfers in their tracks and get their feet under your table. So, for me, 'record' shots, such as the kitchen pans and the staircase, don't fulfil that lofty purpose.

Such shots could usefully be employed elsewhere on the site - to illustrate a tricky staircase or a magnificent range of ovenware, or whatever - but (IMO), you should keep the main photo gallery for 'selling the dream'. And every photograph in the gallery should pass muster in your property's Hall of Fame.

Jim

[CSE]

As it is a package design I will not comment too much on the general coding, as it should have most of the correct coding in place.
I would rethink the order of the menu at the top. What would you want to look at first then second etc?
The left column sometimes has a slide on it. This means the column is too narrow for the information written there.
I did not like the way you click on the map pin and it shows a photo related to the location. Why not make a balloon appear above the pin to give more details?
I also feel that eh booking form is overly complicated. Is there an reason why one must add passwords?
Even though you have a tick box for T&Cs you do not have them on your website. How can someone agree to them? It is not workable under U.K. law.
How near the sea are you?
I agree with Jimbo about the photos. The description could be a bit more generous too. Because on principle you seem to have a nice place.


PS I have just noticed you have a cot European size? what is that size as far as I know each country has slightly differing sizes, just like beds and pillows.

[Margalide]

Hi,
We are using the new 52Rentals holiday cottage website builder and management system (www.52rentals.com) which seems to include everything that we could want including calendar and payments.

Hi

We are using the same website system! Your website looks kind of familiar & different at the same time.

I see you have the short breaks (1,2,3 nights etc) enabled - I'm just looking at that and trying to work out the pricing and options - might have to come back to you if I get stuck!