Do you set a minimum number of nights for bookings?

[Paula]

Hello hosts 😊

There are many strategies to implement when trying to get as many bookings as possible. One of them is setting a minimum number of nights per stay.

Some of you allow one-night bookings, while others suggest a 2-night minimum. Some hosts even prefer much longer stays.

What is your strategy? Feel free to share it in the comments and let us know why you decided on that specific number of nights per booking.

Regards,

[Imabin1]

I accept 1 night bookings as minimum 

[Paula]

Thank you @Imabin1. Have you tried to set 2 or 3-night minimum requests to see how the bookings go?

[Fiona256]

Off season, I have a minimum of four nights. Main season it's a week. We do all the work ourselves so this is the most we are willing to cope with. Large garden, quirky property, lots of care and attention to detail. One-night stays in self catering properties are far too  much hassle. One-night stays are for hotels.

[Paula]

Thanks for sharing, @Fiona256, when is the high season in your location?

[Heather2271]

I don't have a minimum number of nights set. I find that it attracts business since a lot of people in my area do have a minimum number set. I've had that called out to me by renters several times. However, it does make for a lot of work for only one night. I do my own cleaning and reset. 

[Paula]

Hello @Heather2271, thanks for sharing this; what is the average minimum of nights that your guests book?

[Heather2271]

Hi Paula, for the most part I get one night guests. I do get some two night guests but not a lot. 

[Tomás-Abarzúa---Smart-Suites-Chile-SpA0]

Hola anfitriones,

En mi caso, cuando comencé, opté por permitir estadías de solo 1 noche. Fue una estrategia bastante consciente: necesitaba generar movimiento, conseguir mis primeras reservas, sumar evaluaciones, obtener estrellas y ayudar a que el algoritmo de Airbnb comenzara a mostrar mejor mi anuncio.

La verdad es que me dio muy buen resultado. Me permitió ganar visibilidad, validar la experiencia que estaba ofreciendo y construir una base de confianza con los huéspedes.

Hoy, con algo más de madurez comercial y con mejores resultados en el anuncio, estoy evaluando cambiar la estrategia a un mínimo de 2 o incluso 3 noches. Siento que en esta etapa tiene más sentido, sobre todo por la carga operativa que implica cada cambio de huésped: limpieza, revisión, coordinación, reposición y control de calidad.

Aún tengo algunas reservas de 1 noche tomadas para fin de año, y por supuesto las respetaré sin problema, pero mi idea es ir ajustando gradualmente el modelo. No lo haré a ciegas; quiero estudiarlo bien, revisar fechas, demanda, eventos cercanos y comportamiento del mercado antes de definirlo definitivamente.

Creo que la estrategia de noches mínimas no es fija para siempre. Puede ir cambiando según la etapa del alojamiento. Al inicio, 1 noche puede ayudar mucho a despegar. Más adelante, cuando el anuncio ya tiene reputación y mejor posicionamiento, subir a 2 o 3 noches puede ser una decisión más eficiente y rentable.

Saludos.

Tommy

---

Hello hosts,

In my case, when I started, I opted to allow stays of only one night. It was a pretty deliberate strategy: I needed to generate activity, get my first bookings, accumulate reviews, earn stars, and help Airbnb's algorithm start to show my listing more prominently.

The truth is, it worked really well for me. It allowed me to gain visibility, validate the experience I was offering, and build trust with guests.

Today, with more business experience and better results from advertising, I'm considering changing the strategy to a minimum stay of two or even three nights. I feel it makes more sense at this stage, especially considering the operational burden involved with each guest change: cleaning, inspection, coordination, restocking, and quality control.

I still have some one-night bookings for New Year's Eve, and of course I'll honor them without any problem, but my plan is to gradually adjust the model. I won't do it blindly; I want to study it thoroughly, review dates, demand, upcoming events, and market trends before making a final decision.

I believe the minimum stay strategy isn't fixed forever. It can change depending on the stage of the listing. Initially, one night can be very helpful to get things off the ground. Later on, when the listing has a good reputation and better ranking, increasing to two or three nights can be a more efficient and profitable decision.

Greetings.

Tommy

[Google translation added by OCM]

[Paula]

@Tomás-Abarzúa---Smart-Suites-Chile-SpA0 Thanks very much for sharing this. When is the high season in your area? Do you change anything in your listing during that season to attract more guests?

[Alberto3]

For the Fort Lauderdale, FL area, since it’s very seasonal, the standard minimum stay is 3 nights. However, during high season (February–April), the minimum stay is usually around 15 days, with the goal of attracting snowbirds who typically book for 30+ days and after getting that 30 days +  booking I play with the min nights. 

I try to avoid 2-night stays because they tend to attract locals looking to host parties, unfortunately (has happened 3 times and each time 2 nights) That said, I may allow a 2-night minimum depending on how the week is booked or if there are a few days open between reservations.

I’m always updating the minimum stay requirements based on current bookings and or season. 😊

[Amy3700]

When I first started, I did not set  a minimum as I wanted to get some momentum and a sense of turn over readiness rhythm, as I do the cleaning and turnover.  I work from home, so I needed to get a sense of flow, logistics efficiency with my routine.  When my schedule does not allow or I need an extra pair of hands, I call my personal assistant/cleaner in to help; usually I can foresee this and provide my assistant 2-3 days notice....

My upstairs single person room now is 2 night minimum, 1 day advance, as it's pretty easier for me to do a quick turnover.  For the 2 BR legal basement suite that sleeps max 6, now minimum is 3 nights, 1 day advance notice.

[Paula]

Great strategies, @Amy3700! Are you almost always fully booked? Is your place more visited by families or single guests?

[Hugo1160]

I accept one-night stays without a problem, although at least 60% of my bookings are for more than two nights. I only decline one-night stays if I already have a reservation for that same week, due to the maintenance costs involved. In these cases, I offer them alternative accommodation with similar features, and many accept. In my opinion, the strategy works well.

[Ti-And-Bel0]

yes, we require a minimum of 2 nights per stay.

[Paula]

Thanks for sharing this, @Ti-And-Bel0 ! On average, how many nights do your guests usually stay?