At Reliance Retreats/ Devon Holidays, we are constantly reviewing not only our pricing strategy and marketing performance, but also the guest journey from enquiry to arrival.
Over recent months, we have spoken directly with guests — particularly those who enquired but did not proceed with a booking — to better understand any friction points in the decision-making process.
One consistent theme emerged:
Guests were put off by seeing the break price, only to then be asked to pay a £125 refundable breakage deposit — and wait for its return after departure.
While the deposit was always refundable (subject to no damage), the perception of “extra cost” and the inconvenience of waiting for funds to be returned was creating unnecessary hesitation — especially for direct bookings.
As a result of this feedback, we have made an important improvement to our process.
The Previous Process
Previously:
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Guests paid the full cost of their stay.
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A £125 breakage deposit was physically taken from their card.
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The £125 was held by us.
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After departure and property checks, the £125 was refunded (subject to no damages).
Although administratively sound, from a guest’s perspective this meant:
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The total payable amount appeared higher than the advertised break price.
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They had £125 tied up for several days (sometimes longer depending on banking timescales).
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The booking did not feel as “clean” or transparent as it could have been.
In an increasingly competitive UK staycation market, small psychological barriers can impact booking decisions.
The New Process – Pre-Authorisation Instead of Collection
Following discussions with Super Control and our card processing provider, we have implemented an improved system.
What has changed?
Instead of physically taking a £125 deposit, we will now:
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Place a £250 pre-authorised hold on the guest’s card prior to arrival.
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The funds are not taken from the guest’s bank account.
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The amount is simply authorised (similar to hotels).
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Unless we request payment due to damage, the hold automatically drops off.
Important:
No money leaves the guest’s account unless there is genuine damage.
From the guest’s point of view:
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They pay the advertised break price.
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No additional money is physically deducted.
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There is no refund to wait for.
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The booking process feels simpler and more transparent.
Why Increase to £250?
You may notice that the pre-authorised amount is higher than the previous £125.
There are two reasons for this:
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Since we are no longer physically holding funds, we need adequate protection in case of damage.
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The psychological impact is entirely different — because the money is not taken.
- The cost of repairs and replacement items are alot more now, than when we started in 2018
Guests are far more comfortable with a pre-authorisation hold than with a deduction and refund process. This is standard practice in hotels, car hire, and many hospitality environments.
In effect:
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Protection for owners has increased.
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Guest inconvenience has decreased.
A win–win outcome.
How This Improves Direct Bookings
This process change is not just operational — it is strategic.
One of the biggest challenges in driving direct bookings is price perception.
When a guest compares:
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OTA listing price
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Direct website price
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Final checkout totals
Any additional line item can create friction.
Previously, a guest might see:
Break price: £750
Plus £125 deposit
Total payable now: £875
Even though £125 was refundable, the psychological perception was that the holiday “cost” £875 upfront.
Now they see:
Break price: £750
Total payable: £750
From a marketing and conversion perspective, that difference is powerful.
Clearer, Cleaner Advertised Pricing
One of the strongest advantages of this change is how it improves our advertised pricing strategy.
In marketing, clarity converts.
When guests see:
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“From £695 for 3 nights”
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“Midweek break £495”
They expect that to be the real price — not a price that grows at checkout.
Reducing visible add-ons means:
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Stronger click-through rates.
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Lower abandonment during checkout.
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Higher trust in the brand.
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Fewer pre-booking questions.
In a market where guests are comparing multiple tabs at once, simplicity matters.
Competing More Effectively Against OTAs
Online Travel Agents often appear simple because:
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The guest sees one total.
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Deposits are not always highlighted upfront.
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The experience feels seamless.
By refining our own process, we ensure that:
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Direct bookings look cleaner.
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The price displayed is the price paid.
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There are no “surprises”.
This strengthens our ability to promote:
“Book Direct for the Best Rate.”
Now that the direct price does not appear inflated by a separate deposit line, our pricing advantage over OTA listings becomes clearer and more compelling.
Marketing Opportunities This Creates
This operational improvement opens several marketing opportunities:
1. Clear Messaging
We can confidently promote:
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No upfront breakage deposit taken.
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No waiting for refunds.
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Simple, transparent pricing.
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Hotel-style security authorisation only.
2. Website Conversion Improvements
Cleaner checkout pages mean:
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Less friction.
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Improved conversion rate.
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Higher direct revenue.
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Reduced commission costs.
Even a small uplift in direct conversion has a meaningful financial impact across a season.
3. Social Media & Email Campaigns
We can create messaging such as:
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“What you see is what you pay.”
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“No hidden extras.”
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“No waiting for deposit refunds.”
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“Simpler bookings. Better holidays.”
Clarity sells.
Financial Protection Remains Strong
It is important to emphasise that this change does not weaken owner protection — in fact, it strengthens it.
Previously:
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We held £125.
Now:
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We pre-authorise £250.
If damage occurs, we have a stronger position.
If no damage occurs, the guest experiences zero inconvenience.
This aligns protection with professionalism.
Responding to Guest Feedback
The most important element of this change is what it represents.
We listened.
Guests told us:
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They disliked seeing extra costs added after selecting their dates.
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They did not enjoy waiting for refunds.
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They compared total checkout prices across platforms.
In a competitive UK holiday market — especially with increasing cost-of-living awareness — perception matters more than ever.
This is a small operational tweak with potentially significant booking impact.
Strengthening Trust in the Devon Holidays Brand
Brand trust is built on:
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Transparency.
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Fairness.
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Professional systems.
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Clear communication.
By aligning our process with standard hotel practice, we reinforce Devon Holidays as:
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Professional.
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Modern.
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Guest-focused.
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Easy to book with.
That reputation feeds directly into:
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Better reviews.
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Higher return bookings.
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Stronger word-of-mouth referrals.
Supporting Long-Term Revenue Growth
Everything we do operationally is measured against one question:
Does this improve bookings and revenue for our owners?
This change supports:
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Increased direct bookings.
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Reduced OTA commission exposure.
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Higher conversion rates.
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Better price perception.
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Improved competitiveness.
And crucially — it removes one of the small barriers that can stop a guest clicking “Confirm Booking”.
In today’s market, small improvements compound over time.
Working Together to Stay Competitive
The UK holiday market remains competitive. Guests have more choice than ever. Expectations are higher. Booking journeys must be simple.
By refining our systems and listening to real guest feedback, we position your property more strongly for:
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Higher occupancy.
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Cleaner marketing.
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Stronger price positioning.
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Increased profitability.
This change is another example of how Devon Holidays is proactively evolving — not waiting for problems, but anticipating them.
In Summary
What has changed:
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No more £125 deposit physically taken.
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£250 pre-authorisation instead.
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No funds leave the guest’s account unless damage occurs.
What this means:
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Cleaner advertised prices.
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Improved direct booking appeal.
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Reduced psychological booking barriers.
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Stronger owner protection.
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Increased marketing flexibility.
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Long-term revenue opportunity.
As always, we will monitor performance data closely — including direct booking conversion rates — and share meaningful updates as trends emerge.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. By refining processes together and responding to market feedback, we continue building a stronger, more competitive future for your property.