Host - Minimum stay not working

[Enrique1340]

Hi all

I have set a minimum of nights but I keep receiving requests for less nights. This is annoying specially because I have to reject the request and explain to the guest why I don't want him/her booking.

Is there a way my house do not show up if the request does not match the minimum??

thanks

Enrique

[Ruth413]

@Enrique1340 

I think that guests just might ask the question to see if it is a possibility.

I occasionally have the same,  i.e "Is there any chance we can just stay for one night" or on the other hand I also get asked if they can stay an extra night even if my calendar is booked/blocked for that night.

For these requests you don't have to press any accept or decline button, you just need to reply saying whether it is or isn't possible.

Unless there is a glitch in the system, your listing shouldn't show up for any nights less than you require.   But guests can still enquire if it is possible for you to adjust your rules. 

I think it is more likely potential guests are just asking and trying their luck.  So if your dates are showing available, they will just write to you with a request asking whether you will take a one night booking instead of 2 or something similar.  

Maybe have a look at your listing "incognito" and see what the minimum stay is showing to confirm that it is correct.

Hope this helps

[Enrique1340]

Hi Ruth.

thanks for taking your time to answer.

the issue is that I receive requests that need an action (reject or accept) for less nights that my calendar is set, so it’s a glitch. I always reject them, after offering guests to extend their trip, which they never do… or maybe once I got an extended trip.

and it’s not that I receive requests for just one night short, sometimes even 2 or 3 nights.

I tried the incognito, and my house shows up for searches it shouldn’t. Just  today I have received 4 requests (probably my house has been promoted somewhere😂) for this summer that I rejected. But the guests not always understand this, and they beg me to approve the request… which makes the situation a bit hard.

anyways, thanks for answering! 

[Ruth413]

@Enrique1340 

So you are getting actual booking requests and not enquiries. 

If so, I think maybe @Joan2709 understands more regarding this than I do.  I try to keep my listings very simple and I don't use rules sets etc and tend to do everything manually myself on the calendar, i.e. minimum stays etc. and don't use 3rd party booking managers etc.  It takes a bit more time, but I know as far as possible I am in control.  

Ruth 

[Joan2709]

Hi @Enrique1340 

How many nights is your minimum stay? I just looked at your listing and it allowed me to request one night?

Do you have any Rule Sets that might be overriding your min stay on your calendar settings?

Are you using any 3rd party connected dynamic pricing or channel managers?

[Enrique1340]

Hi Joan.

thanks for answering. My minimum applies to certain dates and seasons. For example Saturdays, or July and August.

i have no idea how a rule set can override the calendar settings. Is this possible? I have created some custom rules, and I applied them along the calendar (i.e my minimum

in April is not the same as in June)

And I’m not using any 3rd party app/manager…

[Joan2709]

Hi @Enrique1340 

The rule sets will always override your default calendar settings, but only for the dates you apply them to. To diagnose further I would need to see screen shots of your calendar availability settings and the rule sets you are using. 

If no special rule set is applied to a date, the system will apply whatever you have set as your default min stay. If you have that set to one night, then a guest will see your listing appear in search results for those dates.

[Enrique1340]

Hi Joan.

I have set special rules for Saturdays, for example. I attach a screen shot. It's May, 10th 2025, 4 nights minimum (It's in Spanish).

I have that same rule for all Saturdays, and other even higher minimums for July and August. I keep receiving requests for these dates, that are 2 or 3 night long.

I'll contact too Airbnb CS! you are doing their job 😉

[Enrique1340]

for some reason the uploaded screenshot does not shows up...

[Joan2709]

Hi @Enrique1340 

What do you have set in these sections under Availability on your Calendar?:

Do you have Pro Tools turned on on your Listing? This is how you would create a Rule Set for custom min stays that might fix your issue.

[Enrique1340]

Hi Joan.

I have set 1 one and 360, as maximum. The reason why I set one id because when two bookings are confirmed, if there are let's say 2 nights between them, they would appear as not available if minimum was 3 nights as standard. So my standard is 1 night but I add specific rule sets to certain dates.

I don't know what pro tools are.... I'm googling this now

[Enrique1340]

[Enrique1340]

Yes, I'm using pro tools. That's why I can set different rule sets for different dates. I didn't know that what's called pro tools. 😉 thanks

[Joan2709]

Hi @Enrique1340 

Great!  Here is the Community Guide on that:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Guides/Guide-How-to-Use-Pro-Tools-amp-Rule-Sets-to-Cre...

So something must be wrong with how you have created the Rule Sets? Have you considered the reverse? Setting your default minimum to what you actually want (3 nights) then use a Rule Set that allows 1 night stays for those dates left open between bookings. 

[Enrique1340]

thanks for the guide 🙂

Regarding your tip, I'm afraid that is imposible to apply, at least in my case, since I never know which dates will be between bookings, unless bookings are confirmed, and these bookings are the ones that have to be at least 4 nights long, even 5 if it's high season... Maybe I have understood you wrong, but I don't see a way to apply your suggestion.

So, I set 4 nights minimum for all Saturdays (and Fridays and Thrusdays btw), but I keep receiving requests for 3 even 2 nights...

anyways, thanks!