Case Study

Pembroke Cottage

Vacation Rental • Guthrie, OK

A charming B&B with genuine warmth—buried under a website that made visitors work too hard.

Pembroke Cottage website after refresh AFTER
Pembroke Cottage website before refresh BEFORE

Drag to compare before and after

Overall Score

3.75

Before

7.25

After

2x Improvement

Experience

4 → 8

+4 points

Information

2 → 9

+7 points

Trust

6 → 8

+2 points

Booking

3 → 7

+4 points

Based on our 50+ point diagnostic framework for hospitality websites

The Problem

Pembroke Cottage had genuine charm and satisfied guests, but the website assumed visitors already knew what this was.

Someone landing on this page for the first time couldn't answer "What is this, what does it cost, and can I book it right now?" within 8 seconds.

No Pricing Visible

Zero rates shown anywhere. "Contact us for rates" is hospitality code for "probably expensive and definitely annoying to book."

Google Calendar Booking

"Check Availability" opened a raw Google Calendar embed. Visitors expected to select dates and pay—not interpret a calendar.

Vague Headline

"Best street in Historic Guthrie" says nothing to outsiders. It's written for people who already love Guthrie.

Missing Property Details

No bedroom count, no amenities list, no explanation of what guests actually get.

What We Fixed

1

Clear Value Proposition Above the Fold

New headline: "Your Private Cottage in Historic Guthrie" with subhead showing bedrooms, kitchen, capacity, and distance from OKC. Visitors know exactly what this is in 3 seconds.

2

Visible Pricing

Rates prominently displayed with clear fee structure. Removes the #1 barrier to booking consideration.

3

Clear Booking Path

Prominent "Check Availability" and click-to-call buttons. Still phone-based (their preference) but friction dramatically reduced by setting expectations.

4

Property Details & Destination Context

Clear amenities list, bedroom descriptions, and a section explaining why Historic Guthrie is worth visiting. Sells the destination, not just the cottage.

"The new design really shows off the cottage's real character and guests can learn about the charms of Guthrie!"

— Pembroke Cottage Owner

Our Methodology

Every audit uses a structured diagnostic framework. Here's how we evaluated Pembroke Cottage.

For B&Bs and local stays, the booking decision follows this equation:

Value = (Experience Promise × Trust Signals) / (Price Clarity × Booking Friction)
  • Experience Promise: What makes this stay special? Why here vs. a hotel?
  • Trust Signals: Reviews, photos, legitimacy proof
  • Price Clarity: Can I immediately see what this costs?
  • Booking Friction: How many steps/clicks to reserve?

We score headlines on three criteria:

Criterion Before After
Specificity 2/10 8/10
Emotional Pull 3/10 8/10
Clarity 4/10 8/10

Before: "Pembroke Cottage is located on the best street (our opinion) in Historic Guthrie!"

After: "Your Private Cottage in Historic Guthrie"

We map how visitors emotionally progress through a page. The correct sequence for hospitality:

  1. Recognition → "A private cottage B&B in Historic Guthrie, OK"
  2. Desire → Beautiful photos, unique charm, "escape the ordinary"
  3. Trust → Reviews, years operating, guest photos
  4. Clarity → Amenities, what's included, rates
  5. Action → Book Now with clear pricing

The original site had 4 sequence breaks—asking for availability before showing price, using confusing "Services" language, and burying the best photos.

Essential Before After
Property Description ⚠️ ✅
Amenities List ❌ ✅
Pricing ❌ ✅
Clear Booking Path ❌ ✅
Location Context ⚠️ ✅
Reviews/Ratings ⚠️ ✅
Real Photos ✅ ✅
Contact Info ✅ ✅

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