Secret Lodge Case Study
ROI (Based on Year 2 income): 20%
Yearly Profit: £26,000
Annual Revenue: £87,000
60 hrs Saved Per Month On Avg
Average Occupancy: 91%
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A stylish escape with natural wood finishes and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking serene woodland views.
Comfort & Relaxation:
- Two king-sized bedrooms and a bunk room with TV
- Private hot tub and barrel sauna for ultimate relaxation
Spacious Living & Dining :
- Fully equipped kitchen and dining space for 9
- Lounge area with plush sofas, TV, and games
500-Acre Estate & Outdoor Adventures:
- Woodland trails, lake, and local wildlife
- Gold Tier Dark Sky Park for incredible stargazing
- On-site restaurant set in a scenic deer park
Nearby Attractions
- Alnwick Castle, Hadrian's Wall, Kielder Forest, Bamburgh Castle
- Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Beamish Museum
3rd highest earner (by revenue) For 3 bedroom 1 bathroom homes in Northumberland.
The Opportunity (Before acquisition)
The property was listed for £130,000 and had previously been a holiday let. We could tell the property had been poorly managed by its listing quality of listing and pricing strategy. This presented a unique opportunity for us to acquire a failing holiday let and turn it into a high-yielding asset.
The market was strong with proven numbers predicting £55,000 revenue per year.
After negotiations, we managed to acquire the property for £121,000.
Aquisition and Setup
The property came fully furnished, included in the negotiated purchase price along with a hot tub and sauna.
The cost of listing and professional photography was covered by us for our investor.
After auction fees and legal costs, the total investment came to £130,000.
In December 2023, the property was ready.
Before Professional Photography & Acquisition
After Professional Photography & Acquisition
Year 1 Gross Revenue
Revenue before OTA fees (Airbnb, booking.com, etc.) and management commission are taken off.
Gross Year 1 Revenue outperformed the market across the year, particularly during peak summer months. Despite similar seasonal trends, Year 1 performance captured greater upside during high-demand periods, reflecting stronger revenue optimisation versus the wider market.
Year 1 Net Revenue
Revenue after OTA fees (Airbnb, booking.com, etc.) and management commission is taken off. Please note that for market net revenue, only OTA fees are applied, not management commission as well.
Year 1 Net Revenue exceeded market net revenue across the year, with the strongest outperformance during peak demand months. This reflected effective cost control and revenue optimisation, resulting in consistently higher retained income relative to the market.
Data Source: Pricelabs (Nov 2025)
Year 1 Gross Profit
Profit after all expenses before corporate tax.
Year 1 profit outperformed the market despite this being the initial year of operation, before any systematic optimisation of pricing, distribution, or listing strategy. Performance was achieved during a stabilisation phase, indicating meaningful upside potential as targeted revenue and cost optimisation measures are implemented in subsequent years.
Market revenue data: Pricelabs (Nov 2025)
Market costs data: Based on the costs of the Secret Lodge
Year 2 Gross Revenue
Revenue before OTA fees (Airbnb, booking.com, etc.) and management commission are taken off.
Year 2 Gross Revenue showed a clear step-change versus Year 1, with materially higher performance across most months and significantly stronger peak-season results. Year 2 gains reflected the impact of operational maturity and early optimisation initiatives, demonstrating the scalable upside achieved beyond the initial, pre-optimisation year.
Year 2 Net Revenue
Revenue after OTA fees (Airbnb, booking.com, etc.) and management commission is taken off. Please note that for market net revenue, only OTA fees are applied, not management commission as well.
Year 2 Net Revenue demonstrated a clear improvement versus both the market and Year 1, with materially stronger performance across the year. The widening gap relative to market net revenue reflected improved revenue quality and early optimisation gains, translating a higher proportion of gross income into retained earnings as operations matured.
Data Source: Pricelabs (Nov 2025)
Year 2 Gross Profit
Profit after all expenses before corporate tax.
Year 2 gross profit significantly outperformed the market, with stronger results sustained across the year and pronounced gains during peak demand periods. This improvement reflected the combined impact of operational maturity and early optimisation initiatives, translating revenue growth into materially higher profitability relative to the market benchmark.
Market revenue data: Pricelabs (Nov 2025)
Market costs data: Based on the costs of the Secret Lodge
ROI (Based on Year 2 income): 20%
Yearly Profit: £26,000
Annual Revenue: £87,000
60 hrs Saved Per Month On Avg
Average Occupancy: 91%
