PriceLabs Athena aims to help hosts answer two everyday questions: why their property is not getting enough bookings and whether, when it books up very quickly, they are renting it out for less than they could.
A fully booked calendar is good news, but it is not enough to show that the pricing is right. Likewise, unbooked dates do not always mean a discount is needed. The challenge for hosts is to recognise early on which situation they are facing and decide how to respond.
The new PriceLabs tool, unveiled on 3 October, focuses on this process. The company describes it as a revenue analysis assistant within its platform: it examines property performance, flags areas that need attention and suggests actions. Suggested changes are only implemented once the user accepts them.
What problems it can identify
According to PriceLabs’ presentation, Athena offers checks for properties with unusually few bookings, dates that are booking up faster than usual and properties whose calendars fill up so quickly that their pricing needs to be reviewed. For businesses managing multiple properties, it also monitors groups of properties that are lagging behind in booking pace.
In practice, these alerts can serve as a prompt for a more targeted review.
For example, if a weekend is almost fully booked several weeks in advance, the host has reason to examine whether the pricing for the remaining dates reflects demand. This does not mean that every quick booking warrants a price increase.
Conversely, if a property is falling behind, more needs to be checked than just the price: the minimum length of stay, available gaps between bookings, the total charge and how the listing is presented. Cutting the price without a prior review may reduce revenue without addressing the real problem.
Checks without going through each calendar separately
PriceLabs Athena allows users to schedule checks daily or weekly and receive the findings in their account and by email. It also provides an overview of the portfolio and the option to ask questions in natural language.
For a host with a few properties, the practical benefit lies in easier monitoring. For a property management company, it can help with prioritisation: which property needs to be reviewed first and which dates require immediate attention.
The value of an alert, however, depends on whether it leads to a useful decision. Not every finding requires action, and not every change in bookings calls for a change in strategy.
The host has the final say
Recommendations are accompanied by the data that supports them. Users can accept them, review them further or reject them, while the checks performed and changes made are recorded.
There is an important distinction here: PriceLabs already has a dynamic pricing engine that sets prices. Athena adds analysis and recommendations for adjustments that require approval.
Before accepting a recommendation, hosts need to relate it to their own objective. Do they want more bookings, a higher average rate or longer stays? What is the cost of each guest changeover, and what is the minimum acceptable return?
A property can increase its occupancy while also requiring more frequent cleaning and producing a lower net return. That is why pricing recommendations need to be assessed against the business’s actual expenses.
How users can gain access
PriceLabs Athena is available free of charge during the beta testing phase, with access being rolled out gradually to the platform’s customers. Interested users can request early access from the company.
For a host who wants to try it, a practical starting point is to select a few specific checks, examine the reasoning behind recommendations and monitor the outcome of each adjustment. The aim is to save time on analysis and make better decisions for their property.
