Saltwater Escapes: Smarter Pricing and Seamless Operations with PriceLabs and SuperControl

Customer type: Property Manager

Property type: Short-Term Rental

Region: Europe

Products: Dynamic Pricing, Market Dashboards

Number of listings: 26-100

PMS: SuperControl

The short-term rental industry has changed dramatically over the past decade, and success now depends on using dynamic pricing for holiday lets alongside strong property management systems.

In this landscape, tools like dynamic pricing for holiday lets, combined with a strong property management system, have become essential. Without them, agencies risk losing occupancy, under-pricing high-demand periods, or wasting valuable time on manual tasks.

Saltwater Escapes, a boutique holiday-let agency based on the South Devon coast, experienced these pressures first-hand. By adopting PriceLabs for dynamic pricing and SuperControl as their PMS, they transformed their business. The result has been stronger occupancy, healthier revenues, and more transparent reporting for property owners.

About Saltwater Escapes

Saltwater Escapes manages a curated portfolio of properties across Torbay, the English Riviera, and Teignbridge. Their collection includes stylish waterfront apartments, bright bungalows, and family-friendly cottages — all selected to provide a reliable, high-quality seaside stay.

“I’d spent years working in hospitality and short-term rentals in both the UK and New Zealand, covering everything from operations to revenue and owner relations, so moving into vacation rentals felt like a natural next step,”

Founded six years ago by Kate and Jamie, who started by renting out their own home, the agency has grown steadily. Their success comes from combining local expertise with professional systems, ensuring great experiences for both guests and owners.

Their guest profile is diverse: families booking summer holidays, couples enjoying spring weekends, and long-stay visitors during quieter winter months. Managing this mix requires not only local knowledge but also sophisticated systems that can adjust to shifting demand patterns.

The Challenge: Why Spreadsheets Can’t Deliver Dynamic Pricing for Holiday Lets

Saltwater Escapes originally relied on spreadsheets and seasonal rate tables to manage pricing. This method worked initially but quickly showed its limitations as the portfolio grew. Manually updating rates across multiple channels was time-consuming and error-prone. Inconsistencies between OTAs and the direct booking site were frequent and difficult to catch.

More importantly, seasonal pricing did not capture the reality of their market. Demand in South Devon fluctuates not only between summer and winter but also week to week, driven by school holidays, weather, and local events. A flat seasonal model often left money on the table during peaks and produced unsold nights during quieter periods.

“We needed dynamic pricing for holiday lets that could adapt to our micro-markets while still giving us full control,”

The limitations weren’t just financial. Owners increasingly asked for more transparency. They wanted to understand not just results but the reasoning behind strategy. Reporting from spreadsheets lacked depth and made it hard to demonstrate value. Operationally, the team also struggled with filling orphan gaps, adjusting minimum stays, and maintaining parity across channels. It became clear that better tools were essential for scaling efficiently.

The Solution: PriceLabs + SuperControl

Saltwater Escapes turned to PriceLabs and SuperControl after speaking with other managers in the UK who recommended the combination. Together, the two systems provided automation, flexibility, and transparency.

“The switch was straightforward — we mapped listings, set sensible rules, ran a quick audit, and were live soon after,”

The implementation process was structured:

• Listings were mapped to ensure alignment between PriceLabs and SuperControl.
• Floors, ceilings, and minimum-stay rules were set to reflect business goals.
• A short audit was run to test syncs, edge dates, and unusual booking patterns.
• Once confident, they went live and began refining based on results.

Now, PriceLabs manages revenue strategy, while SuperControl provides the operational infrastructure. Together, they give Saltwater Escapes both control and efficiency.

Why PriceLabs? Advanced Dynamic Pricing for Holiday Lets

PriceLabs immediately delivered the flexibility the team had been missing. Instead of relying on fixed tables, they could build strategies tailored to individual properties and market conditions.

“Market Dashboards let us benchmark our coastal pockets and Portfolio Analytics shows us where to nudge performance,”

Key features include:

• Occupancy-based adjustments to track demand in real time
• Seasonal floors and ceilings to maintain profitability during highs and lows
• Minimum-stay rules to influence booking patterns
• Orphan-gap and last-minute tools to fill short stays automatically
• Bulk actions to make fast, portfolio-wide changes

By using PriceLabs’ dynamic pricing for holiday lets, Saltwater Escapes ensures properties remain competitive while protecting margins and improving owner returns.

Why SuperControl? Operational Backbone

SuperControl complements PriceLabs by handling the operational side of the business. Its direct booking engine strengthens Saltwater Escapes’ own channel, reducing reliance on OTAs. Dependable channel connections maintain consistent rates and availability across Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo.

“SuperControl centralises availability, rates, and fees, which reduces errors and speeds up onboarding,”

The Results: How Dynamic Pricing for Holiday Lets Improved Revenue and Efficiency

Since adopting PriceLabs and SuperControl, Saltwater Escapes has seen measurable improvements. Pricing is more consistent across channels, occupancy in shoulder seasons has increased, and peak-season demand is captured with greater confidence. Weekly time savings have freed up staff to focus on strategy and guest service.

Other important features include automated guest communications, which save staff time and improve the guest experience, and tidy owner statements, which support transparency. Sync logs provide a clear record of updates, making conversations with owners easier and data-driven.

“Pricing is now more consistent, shoulder-season occupancy is healthier, and we capture peak-date upside more confidently,”

One standout case is a two-bedroom waterfront apartment in Brixham. As of 1 August 2025, it achieved:

• 57.9% paid occupancy
• An average stay length of 3.5 nights
• Strong gross rent, supported by disciplined pricing and cleaner distribution

The impact extends beyond numbers. With better reporting and clearer dashboards, owners feel more informed and engaged. Instead of questioning pricing decisions, they see the data and understand the logic behind it.

Lessons Learned: Bringing Owners on the Journey

Saltwater Escapes discovered that owner involvement was key to success. Rather than keeping strategy behind the scenes, they began sharing dashboards, pacing reports, and pricing logic. This transparency strengthened trust and encouraged owner buy-in.

“Owner reporting is clearer too, which means strategy buy-in is higher,”

As a result, owners are more supportive of flexible strategies — whether that’s filling gaps with shorter stays or pushing rates higher during peak events. This collaboration has created stronger long-term partnerships.

Advice for Other Hosts and Agencies

From their experience, Saltwater Escapes recommends a structured approach when adopting new tools.

“Start with conservative floors and minimum-stay rules, then refine over time,”

They also advise:

• Reviewing Market Dashboards monthly to track competitiveness
• Monitoring pacing weekly during high seasons
• Using group customisations to manage properties by type or location
• Running regular sync audits to catch anomalies before they affect bookings
• Involving owners by sharing dashboards and explaining decisions

These practices not only improve performance but also build stronger relationships with owners.

Looking Ahead

Saltwater Escapes continues to refine its approach as guest behaviour and market dynamics evolve. Seasonal demand patterns, school holiday cycles, and increasing OTA competition require constant attention. With PriceLabs continuing to provide flexible dynamic pricing for holiday lets, and SuperControl ensuring reliable operations, Saltwater Escapes is confident in its ability to adapt to changing market conditions.

Growth is also on the horizon. As they expand their portfolio, these systems will allow them to onboard new properties efficiently without sacrificing quality of service. PriceLabs will continue to provide flexible revenue management through dynamic pricing for holiday lets, while SuperControl ensures operational reliability and scalability.

Saltwater Escapes’ journey demonstrates that even boutique agencies can achieve significant results by combining local expertise with the right technology. Their story is a reminder that automation, customisation, and transparency are not just nice-to-haves, but essential elements of long-term success.

Discover how PriceLabs and SuperControl help vacation rental managers boost occupancy, increase revenue, and simplify daily operations — explore the full PriceLabs and SuperControl integration story here and more customer success stories.