Fall in Love with Direct Bookings: Halcyon Mawella's Journey to Success
How Halcyon Mawella Increased Direct Bookings with Profitroom
Boost in direct booking share
Higher ADR and booking value
Automated guest communication
Tailored offers and upselling tools
Streamlined operations with less manual work
Introduction
Tucked away on the south coast of Sri Lanka, Halcyon Mawella offers barefoot luxury on a pristine, untouched beach. With just 10 boutique rooms and a private villa, the property promises peace, charm, and personal service, but lacked the digital tools to reflect that same level of excellence online.
By early 2024, owner Zander Combe decided it was time for change. With low direct bookings and an outdated booking engine, he partnered with Profitroom to take control of the guest journey and reduce OTA commissions. Within a year, Halcyon Mawella reached an impressive 50% direct booking share, streamlined operations, and enhanced the guest experience — all while maintaining its boutique identity.
A Shift Toward Direct
“We got Profitroom for our direct bookings to increase so we would stop paying so much commission,” says Zander. “During the end of the season 2025 we were up to 50% direct bookings and look forward to that increasing further.”
With Booking Engine 360, CRM & Marketing Automation, and Channel Manager already in place, the hotel is now adding a Profitroom Website to further accelerate growth and simplify the guest journey.
Tangible Results
Since partnering with Profitroom, Halcyon Mawella has achieved:
⬢ 50% of bookings via direct channels
⬢ 95% of reservations processed through a payment gateway
⬢ Higher-value stays, with an ADR of $271 and an average booking value of $864
⬢ Streamlined operations, with fewer reception emails and manual tasks
⬢ 9 active packages promoted through automated marketing tools
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