variety of minimum night stay requirements - seasonal and oddball

[Sandi14]

Our space is very seasonal - on the beach so in the summer months we do a 7 night and saturday only change day. The rest of the year I do 3-4 night minimum stays.

When my calendar starts out all clean for the new year its easy to set these up. But what happens is in the summer someone might book a 8-10 or other less than 2 full week stay, leaving "short weeks" in between. Is there an easy way to modify just those odd weeks without redoing all the "rules" for the rest of the season. Meaning, I don't want to have 5 or 6 different rules for just a few weeks here and there, and they have to be updated every time this happens. 

Also, sometimes I see a 2 night opening and I want to make that available. I have occasionally been able to highlight the dates and over ride the minimum night stay rule but not always. Anyone else found this to be true?

[Debra300]

@Sandi14,

I saw a recommendation from another conversation to set up a second listing for the space, but have different stay requirements, and link the two calendars to avoid double bookings: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1864/how-do-i-link-airbnb-calendars-for-multiple-listings.

[Ann72]

@Sandi14 If you have no more full weeks available for the summer season, you can just temporarily remove that rule, can't you?

[Sandi14]

If it was for 2020, yes I could. Except if a week reservation cancelled and then someone could book it up at the reduced minimum night stay if I didn't catch it in time. 

But for next year, 2021, I didn't set up my rules fast enough and someone booked a short stay in june, creating two odd 5 and 6 night weeks. And another returning guest wants 9 nights, effectively creating two more "short weeks". 

I was trying to find ways that easily over ride the one week minimum, vs creating several rules for a few weeks at a time. 

[Emilia42 · Accepted solution]

@Sandi14 Are you using Professional Hosting tools? (https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2499/how-can-i-use-professional-hosting-tools)

It is super easy to select a range date range and set a minimum night stay between existing reservations. I do this to max out my calendar. So in your case, if you had a random 5-night window in between two bookings you would set that timeframe to a 5-night minimum. The Professional Hosting Toolings settings make that really easy because it is all color coded.

[Sandi14]

Thanks, @Emilia42 . I just found out about the professional hosting tool and it seemed to work. I think it has been on and off a few times, which is what allowed me to see it before but not recently. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Sandi14 We have, for the Summer, a rule set that only allows Saturday check in AND Saturday check out. That way we don't get any odd days. Would this work for you? It has worked really well this year for us.

[Sandi14]

That is exactly what I was trying to do, except sometimes people want more than just 7 nights, so I allow them to extend a stay to 8 or 10 days. Just leaves those odd short weeks sometimes, and they do end up booking, but wondered at the easiest way to remove that minimum night stay restriction on the fly so it doesn't block them out on my calendar.

[Nicole2223]

@Mike-And-Jane0 if I may jump in here as your response relates to the question I've come to post today.  You say that you have a rule for allowing turnovers only on Saturday for the summer.  Do you rent in other seasons as well with different rules?  We are finding that our places are of interest to winter renters (a surprise to us) and we are allowing 3 and 4 night stays.  But this has prevented me from opening up my summer calendar, for which I'll require a 7 night minimum.  I had considered creating two versions of the same listing (summer and winter) but was hoping there was a better way.    

I do not use professional hosting tools but I see that suggestion so will be looking into that now.

Thanks for any insights.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Nicole2223 To do what we do you will need the pro tools. Dead easy to get and available to all. Then you use rule sets to apply different rules at different times of the year. Its a bit backward as you have to NOT allow check in/check out on six days a week to get to what you want!

[Alison875]

Hello sorry this is so many months later but I’m new to this but have this exact problem.
I need to set a check out day really for the summer season. The Pro Hosting tool option in my account setting states it’s only  for hosts with multiple listings. I have just the one. 
If you can advise I’d me most grateful

thank you. 

[Alison875]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Hello sorry this is so many months later but I’m new to this but have this exact problem.
I need to set a check out day really for the summer season. The Pro Hosting tool option in my account setting states it’s only  for hosts with multiple listings. I have just the one. 
If you can advise I’d me most grateful

thank you. 

[Amber668]

Hello, I am on the phone with Airbnb now trying to fix this same summer rule.  We've had several Sat-Sat bookings, but now they've stopped.  I went into the calendar and it seems to be off now.  I've set a rule for a 7 night minimum, 7 night minimum, and check in only on Saturday's which should solve the problem.  But when I preview the listing, there is a problem.  It does show that I can only checkin on Saturdays, but when I choose any Saturday as a checkin, it automatically blurs out the following Saturdays for check out.  Worse, it now allows them to checkout on any day but Saturday, completely negating the rules I've set.  Any suggestions.  I've attached photos.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Alison875 Airbnb often gives wrong information in its help pages. Pro tools are available to all and can be switched on in your account (not your listing).

[Alison875]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Thank you so much for such a prompt reply but it’s in my account that it says for hosts with multiple listings not just in their help pages.

It seems the issue of  being able to simply add a seasonal check out day is an ongoing and longstanding one for sole hosts on here.

Thanks you again.