SCOPE
Brand Redefinition
UI/UX Design
SCOPE
User Research for WebApp
Hotjar and GA4 Data Analysis
Wireframing & Prototyping
Creating a Component Library for Enterprise Booking Engine
ROLE
Lead designer for booking engine redesign
Redesigning the Bluestone Wales experience to lift conversions from 1.03% to 1.12% (+9%) in 3 months
Bluestone Wales is a luxury family holiday resort based in Pembrokshre UK. One of our big clients with elite, family first lodges designed to provide their guests that free range farm life that is also based in comfort and care.
The Problem
Bluestone Wales noted increased bounce rates from their room selection page and a steady decline in their conversion rates.
Average overall conversion from Oct 2024 - Dec 2024 - 1.03%
Overview of Heuristic UX Analysis
Old Bluestone Booking Engine Experience
The heuristic review of Bluestone Wales revealed a digital experience that felt more like a chore than a getaway. Below are the friction points we uncovered:
Content & Clarity
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Bluestone uses heavy industry jargon leaving users feeling confused rather than welcomed.
Cognitive Load
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By displaying too many rates at once, the interface created "choice paralysis," making it hard for users to commit.
Interaction & Navigation
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Key buttons were placed outside the natural line of sight, forcing guests to hunt for their next step.​
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Simple tasks, like viewing photos or finding basic details, required far too much effort.
Visual Engagement
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Exploring rooms lacked a visual spark, making the property feel flat instead of immersive.
Solutions
Information Architecture & Cognitive Load
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Redesigned the rooms listing page to be easily scannable with key decision making information highlighted.
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Separated the "extras" step to eliminate long lists of rates and avoid choice paralysis.
Visual Design & Engagement
Maximized screen space to feature large, high quality imagery in easy to exit pop ups.
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Information Architecture & Cognitive Load
Provided clear access to filters so guests can effortlessly sort and view their preferred room choices.
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Personalization & User Context
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Adding a touch of personalisation to the journey by highlighting specific rooms based on the guest count and dates provided.
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Calling out early booker offers to immediately engage Bluestone’s most frequent audience.
Responsive Web App Design & New Component Library
Results
Following the UX led redesign and redevelopment, the average overall conversion rate climbed from 1.06% in 2024 to 1.71% in 2025.
2024
1.06%
2025
1.71%
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Old vs New Designs
Points of Note and Learnings
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While separating the booking stages reduced overwhelm, it added more steps to the funnel.
The next step here is to monitor if the increased length of the journey ever outweighs the benefit of the added clarity.
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Creating a library of reusable parts was a game changer for consistency.
My takeaway is that including stress tests for components earlier for example seeing how they handle extreme cases like very long room names worked very well.
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Immersive images and floorplans look great but require constant optimization.
In the future, I’d involve the development team earlier in the design phase to ensure they do not affect performance especially on mobile.
Omni Hotel Group
An improved sign-up experience that boosted loyalty conversions by 8% in just 3 months.