United Kingdom
Websites for UK holiday lets, cottages and villas
Stryx Collective designs websites for UK holiday let, holiday cottage and villa owners and managers, working remotely from Ballito, South Africa. Hospitality is its first focus industry. The aim is a site that takes direct bookings and enquiries and connects to the property management system already in use.
Direct bookings versus platform commission
A booking that comes through a listing platform carries that platform's commission. A booking made on the owner's own website does not. A holiday let or holiday cottage website does not have to replace the platforms. It gives returning guests, and people who search for the property by name, somewhere to book direct.
Connecting the website to the property system
A booking website is only useful if it talks to the system that holds availability and guest records. Stryx has connected websites to property management systems such as Guesty and Hostaway.
A website can be connected to almost any system, provided the system offers an API or another established way to connect.
Booking engines
Where a website hands the guest over to a separate booking engine, two problems can follow. The first is tracking. Whether tracking survives the handover depends on the engine and what it allows: sometimes it is lost, not always. The second is design. Booking engines limit design choices, so the booking step often looks and works worse than the well-designed website that led to it.
Hospitality comes first
Hospitality is the first of Stryx's two focus industries: hotels, lodges and villas. Each project starts with research into the business, its guests and how they search.
Working from South Africa
Stryx is not based in the UK. It is based in Salt Rock, Ballito, and works remotely. South Africa is 1 hour ahead of the UK in summer and 2 hours ahead in winter, so the working day is shared almost in full.
Clients
Stryx works with these holiday accommodation clients outside the UK:
- The Bliss Collection, a luxury villa rental business in Cape Town
- Bella Rocca, a beachfront villa rental in East End, Grand Cayman
- Botanica, boutique guest cottages in Grand Cayman
Related pages
How it works
How a website project runs
Ryan Cumming runs the first call, plans the site and builds it.
You can follow the project in a client portal. When a stage needs your input, a task is assigned to you there.
The process can change to suit the project. Where it does, the changes are set out in your proposal.
- 01
Discovery
Business goals, target audience, keyword research, competitor and market research, content gaps, user experience and technical requirements.
- 02
Site architecture
A visual sitemap of every page and how the pages connect.
- 03
UX design
Wireframes that set the layout and flow of each page before any visual design.
- 04
Outlining and copywriting
Each page is outlined and its copy written.
- 05
UI design
The visual design, and a design system so the site stays consistent as it grows.
- 06
Development
A responsive build on a staging server, with performance, integrations and SEO best practice built in.
- 07
Launch
Browser and screen testing, image optimisation and technical SEO checks, then the site goes live on your domain.
What you get
Everything that's included
- Market, keyword and competitor research
- An opportunity report
- A visual sitemap
- UX wireframes
- UI design and a design system
- The built website, tested on staging
- Analytics and conversion tracking set up
- Redirects from old URLs, where the site replaces an existing one
- A handover document: where everything lives, how it is built and who has access
- Launch and post-launch support
Some of the 80+ businesses we work with
Questions
Questions about Websites for UK holiday lets, cottages and villas
Can't see yours? Ask Ryan directly and you'll get a straight answer, usually the same day.
Ask on WhatsAppCan a holiday let website connect to a property management system?
Yes. Stryx has connected websites to property management systems such as Guesty and Hostaway. A website can be connected to almost any system, provided the system offers an API or another established way to connect.
Will a holiday cottage website replace listing platforms?
Not necessarily. The website gives guests a way to book direct, without platform commission on that booking. Many owners keep both.
Is Stryx based in the UK?
No. Stryx is based in Salt Rock, Ballito, in South Africa, which is 1 or 2 hours ahead of the UK. It works remotely.
How long does a website take to build?
A typical website project takes about 6 to 8 weeks. Complexity, and how quickly content and feedback come back, can make it shorter or longer.
Do you only build in WordPress?
No. WordPress is the usual recommendation for sites that need custom functionality such as bookings, reservations or forms. Where another platform fits better, such as Shopify for e-commerce, Stryx recommends that.
Who owns the website when it is finished?
You do. Once the project is paid in full, the website and the visual elements created for you are yours.
How does payment work?
50% is paid up front and secures your place in the work queue. The remaining 50% is paid before launch.
Will my site rank on Google?
Every site Stryx builds can be indexed by search engines at launch. Rankings depend on many factors and no one can honestly guarantee them. Ongoing SEO is a separate service.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I rebuild my site?
Old URLs are mapped to the new structure and redirected at launch, which keeps the search visibility the old site had earned.
How do I keep track of the project?
You get a login to a client portal where you can see the stage the project is at and any tasks waiting on you.
What happens after launch?
Bugs that existed before launch are fixed at no extra charge. Hosting, backups, updates and content changes are covered by a website care plan.
Start a project
Be the business they find first
Tell Ryan what you sell and who buys it. You'll get a straight answer on what's holding your website back and what to fix first. There's no obligation to go ahead.
More enquiries you can trace. You'll see which search, page or ad brought in each call, booking and form.
Higher in search results. On Google, in the map results and in AI answers, for the searches your customers make.
One person to talk to. Ryan answers on WhatsApp and sends a plain-language report on results every month.
