Hiddenwell: The UK’s first bespoke Agilysys booking engine
Data First developed and built Hiddenwell’s website, a multi-property CMS and the first fully bespoke booking engine integrated with Agilysys in the UK. Launched in September 2026, it gives the growing destination spa group one branded booking journey across every destination. With Apple Pay and Google Pay at checkout, digital wallets now account for over 40% of online payments, just ahead of card.
- Launched
- September 2026
- Partner since
- 2019
- PMS Integration
- Agilysys
- Bespoke
- Booking Engine
- Digital wallet payments
- 40%+
The Client
Hiddenwell is the new parent brand for the destination spa group formerly known as Barons Eden. It brings together Hoar Cross Hall, a 104-bedroom spa hotel in Staffordshire, and Eden Hall, a countryside day spa in Nottinghamshire, with Ardencote Manor in Warwickshire and Orsett Hall in Essex joining the collection. Each destination keeps its own character within one shared identity, built around slowing down, switching off and time away from everyday life.
The brief
Data First has been the group’s digital and development partner since 2019. Under Barons Eden, that work included a bespoke booking engine integrated with ResortSuite and a CMS shared across properties. The move to Hiddenwell was the opportunity to build a platform for the group’s next stage of growth.
Spa booking asks more of a platform than booking a room. Guests choose between spa days, twilight sessions, spa stays and treatments, often for a set date, time and group size. The brief was one platform that could carry the Hiddenwell brand across every destination while letting each keep its own content, offers and identity. It needed to connect the booking journey directly to the Agilysys PMS and be ready for new properties as they joined the collection.
What we built
Data First developed and built the new Hiddenwell website on a bespoke multi-property CMS. Content is managed at both group and property level: shared Hiddenwell content sits centrally, while each destination keeps its own offers, experiences and character.
At the centre is the first fully bespoke internet booking engine (IBE) integrated with Agilysys in the UK, built in close collaboration with the Agilysys team. Guests book within the Hiddenwell website using live availability and pricing, so the booking journey stays part of the brand from first visit to confirmation.
A new payment gateway brought Apple Pay and Google Pay to checkout.
What was achieved
Hiddenwell launched in September 2026 with one platform behind the whole collection.
One booking journey: guests move from discovering a destination to booking and paying on the Hiddenwell website.
Digital wallets ahead of card: before launch, around 80% of online payments were by card. Apple Pay and Google Pay now account for over 40%, just ahead of card.
Built for growth: Ardencote Manor and Orsett Hall can join the existing CMS and booking engine, taking on the Hiddenwell brand and booking journey from day one.
The takeaway
The platform was delivered by three teams working together. The Hiddenwell team led the brand and guest experience, Agilysys provided the PMS and supported the integration, and Data First developed and built the platform connecting them.
Destination spa groups are growing through acquisition, and each new property puts pressure on systems built for a single site. Hiddenwell’s platform was built for that growth from the start, continuing a partnership that began in 2019.
For Agilysys properties
Talk to Data First about a bespoke booking engine built around your business.
