Longer guest visits

[Rohail3]

What can you do to attract longer visits from familys with a 5 bedroom villa listing? 

[Snehal1]

Hi Rohail,

I am right there with you on this! In my seven years of hosting a farmhouse-type property in a natural atmosphere, attracting long-term guests has been a puzzle. Out of all my bookings, I have had over 125 guests stay for just one night, about 25 guests stay for 2–3 days, and only 2 guests who stayed longer than 10 days.

Like your 5-bedroom villa, my property has everything a family looking for a long stay would need: a fully equipped kitchen, great Wi-Fi, a personal garden, and a pet-friendly policy.

I am also actively looking for ways to pivot away from short turnovers and attract families who want to settle in for a week or two. Hopefully, some experienced hosts here can share how they tweak their listings—perhaps through specific weekly/monthly discounts or by targeting remote-working families.

Looking forward to seeing what tips the community has for both of us!" 

[Fiona256]

Set your calendar to only accept bookings for a week minimum, if this is what you prefer. This is what I do and I also specify that arrival and departure days are only Saturdays. In the off season I will accept bookings of four nights minimum. 

This works fine for me and I am fully booked from April to October. Later in the season bookings are more sporadic, as my location is not so much a winter destination. However, I appreciate the fewer bookings and use the downtime for renovating and maintenance, as well as time for ourselves, as my husband and I do all the cleaning, maintenance, gardening etc.

Demand is different in different places, of course. 

[Paula]

Hello @Rohail3, I just wanted to check in and see if you've had a chance to read the hosts' suggestions.

Please keep us posted!