Updated : Oct 6, 2025
Customer type: Property Manager
Property type: Short-Term Rental
Region: Europe
Products: Dynamic Pricing, Market Dashboards
Number of listings: 26-100
PMS: SuperControl
Running a successful holiday rental business means more than just offering great properties—it’s about streamlining operations, staying competitive on pricing, and delivering a standout guest experience. For property managers, choosing the right tools can make all the difference.
In this story, we explore how East Ruston Cottages, a Norfolk-based agency specialising in truly dog-welcoming stays, uses PriceLabs and SuperControl together to save time, improve efficiency, and consistently achieve strong booking volumes while focusing on what they do best: caring for their guests and their four-legged friends.
About East Ruston Cottages
Seventeen years ago, East Ruston Cottages was founded out of a simple yet frustrating challenge—finding truly pet-friendly places to stay in the UK.
“When I started the business, I realised just how very difficult it was to find places to stay with three or more dogs without facing a lot of extra charges and rules.”
Today, the company has grown into a specialist agency with 50 unique properties across Norfolk, including:
- Lodges and static homes
- Cosy character cottages
- Modern bungalows
- Large farmhouses
- Traditional thatched cottages
- Quirky houses on the Norfolk Broads and coastline
What makes East Ruston Cottages different is its pet-first approach. Every property is more than just dog friendly—they are dog welcoming. That means:
- At least three dogs stay free of charge
- No hidden costs or restrictive rules
- Guests receive local advice on the best dog walks, beaches, and pubs
This philosophy has made East Ruston Cottages the go-to provider of pet friendly holiday homes in Norfolk, winning repeat bookings from loyal guests who appreciate the combination of comfort, flexibility, and authentic hospitality.
The Challenge: Managing Growth and Manual Pricing
As the business expanded, the team faced growing operational challenges. Their original booking system couldn’t keep up, and manual processes took valuable time away from guests.
“The larger we grew, the harder and more time-consuming it became to manage everything manually.”
The biggest hurdles included:
- Time-consuming rate updates across 50 properties
- Difficulty aligning with market trends due to static pricing
- Owner and guest communication that required too much manual input
Their first attempt at dynamic pricing was also a disappointment:
- Rates generated were too high for their market
- Manual corrections were still needed
- The system was costly and ate into the budget
It became clear they needed tools that could scale with them, reduce admin, and create more accurate pricing.
The Solution: PriceLabs + SuperControl Integration
The breakthrough came with SuperControl, a property management system designed for holiday rental operators, and its seamless integration with PriceLabs.
“SuperControl was a very good fit for us and still is. PriceLabs was recommended by SuperControl and also by other holiday home owners and agents. A colleague in the industry had switched and was satisfied, which gave us confidence to make the move.”
Together, the platforms created a reliable foundation:
- SuperControl manages bookings, payments, guest communication, and owner access
- PriceLabs automates pricing, keeping rates competitive with minimal manual adjustments
The integration gave East Ruston Cottages confidence that their systems could scale as the business grew while freeing up time to focus on guests.
Why East Ruston Cottages Chose PriceLabs
The team quickly saw that PriceLabs went beyond automation—it offered transparency, control, and insights.
The features they find most valuable include:
- Market-based pricing that compares their listings against nearby properties
- Customisation tools to make seasonal or property-specific adjustments
- Daily breakdowns of rates, showing exactly how prices are calculated
- Automation with peace of mind: once set up, PriceLabs runs in the background, generating prices their customers find fair
“One of the best things about PriceLabs is that we can really leave the system to do its job, without too much tweaking. The prices being generated are largely acceptable to our customer base.”
Why East Ruston Cottages Value SuperControl
SuperControl remains the operational backbone, offering features that reduce admin and improve guest and owner experience.
Top features include:
- Automated emails for confirmations and communication
- Owner logins to give property owners direct access to information
- Discount codes to encourage bookings and manage promotions
- Payment reminders integrated with card processing to simplify transactions
“The automation of emails and payment system interactions saves us a lot of time. It means we can focus on the guest experience rather than admin.”
The Results: More Time, More Focus
Since adopting PriceLabs and SuperControl, East Ruston Cottages has seen measurable improvements in efficiency and performance.
Benefits include:
- Significant time savings, reducing manual work on pricing and admin
- Confidence in pricing, knowing rates reflect the market
- Ability to focus on priorities, such as customer care, marketing, and budgeting
Operationally, both systems require very little ongoing management. Financially, the agency consistently achieves at least £25,000 in bookings over a rolling 7-day period, a strong indicator of market alignment and demand.
“Definite improvement in operations since using both systems. We can focus on what matters—customer care and growing the business—while letting the tools do their job.”
Advice for Other Hosts and Managers
East Ruston Cottages encourages others to invest time in setup and take advantage of the resources provided.
Their advice includes:
- Spend time upfront: Proper setup ensures long-term efficiency
- Use support materials: Both PriceLabs and SuperControl offer guides and tutorials
- Review regularly: Periodic checks keep the systems aligned with business goals
“Spend time on setting them up well. Use the resources available in both systems to understand them the best you can. Run periodic reviews to ensure they are doing what you need them to do.”
Looking Ahead
With PriceLabs and SuperControl powering their operations, East Ruston Cottages is positioned for sustainable growth. The team can now expand without adding unnecessary overhead while continuing to provide memorable experiences for guests.
For travellers looking for the perfect Norfolk escape, East Ruston Cottages remains the benchmark for pet friendly holiday homes in Norfolk. With the back-end taken care of, they can focus on what truly matters—welcoming guests and their dogs to homes designed with them in mind.
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.
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