Having an option to set different price for 1-2 day stays

[Ivary0]

I have set minimum stay 3 nights for my listing. However according to Airbnb, over 70% guests stay just 1-2 nights in my city and therefore my listing is not visible to them at all. I don't want to set my minimum stay length to 1 or 2 days because I prefer longer bookings as it's too much hassle and the nightly rate would have to be raised. If somebody books just a day on the weekend, then most likely nobody will book the other days of that weekend.

Some guests are willing to pay double rate for 1 night stay or pay 3 nights rate for 2 nights stay. It would be great if there was an option called "Price for bookings shorter than minimum stay". It would work just as "Weekend pricing".

Example: base rate is $100 per night with minimum stay of 3 nights. For stays shorter than that, the rate would be $190. This way guests would still see the listing.

[Linda108]

@Ivary0  I have a couple of suggestions that might help but might not get you all you want.  First of all, you can have minimum stay applied to weekends only as well as weekend pricing.  Go to the Help Center for instructions.  Also, you can specify a longer minimum stay for a higher booking period for your area.  This change is under your Availability setting.  You can drop the minimum to one night to be seen by all travelers except for those traveling in specified time period.  Every host needs to weigh income versus work load.  I have a one night minimum, but my cleaning fee is a bit high.  My strategy is to keep my nightly rate a bit lower but the higher cleaning fee makes the single night total a bit high.  Usually I have 3 night booking and then the cleaning fee is not as high.  So, travelers are less likely to book a single night and if they do, I am appropriately compensated.

[Dee33]

Why don't you try this:

"For reservations that include a Friday or Saturday night, this minimum number of nights will apply."

[Ivary0]

That's a good idea but if I put a minimum of 3 nights for the weekend, then the guests wanting to stay 1-2 nights will not see my listing at all even though they are willing to pay for 3 nights and stay only 1-2 nights.

[Linda108]

@Ivary0  In the US we have a saying for what you want..."You want your cake and eat it to".  You want to appeal to people who are willing to pay for 3 days and only stay 2 days.  Don't think there is a platform that can meet those requirements.

[Jonathan6]

This is a very valid request and hopefully AirBnB will pick up on it.  They offer monthly discounting options they could easily offer a sliding scale based on number of days.

IMHO: A table of # Days, Discount % wold be easy to employ.  You would set your rate at the 1 day rate (vary by day of the week, it does not matter) and pass on a discount.

Lets say your target 3 Day weekend is a total of $350 ($125 Friday, $125 Saturday, $100 Sunday) and you want a minimum of $300 for the 2 rental.  You would price something like this:

$300 Friday, $300 Saturday, $250 Sunday

2 Day Discount 50%

3 Day Discount 42%

The 1 day rental would net you $300 (Fri or Sat)

The 2 day rental would net you $300 (Fri/Sat)

The 2 day rental would net you $275 (Sat/Sun)

The 3 day rental would net you $357 (Fri/Sat/Sun)

Does not seem too coplex to me and would give a lot of flexibility to hosts.  

I do agree with the post regarding cleaning fees, it is one way to mask a surcharge, but I don't like how it looks "deceptive" and it could make you look less competitive to a more experianced guest.

A perhaps simpler approach is an upcharge setting based on days.  If you could publish that your rate is based on a minimum 2 day stay, but there is an upcharge of $xxx for stays of one day, it would be less deceptive and allow you to still appear competitive on your cleaning fees.

Just my 2 cents.

[Gary323]

Weekend Dilemma -  many Airbnb venues are in holiday destinations where 2 night weekends - close to major cities are in demand. However - the work and $return or 2 night stays is a negative - resulting in myself doing a 3 day minimum.   The gap is  - I  would like to be visible to the 2 nighter's at a price that is rewarding since with more than 2 couples and kids - the additional fee for 2 nights is in many cases ok.

Taking at hit on the 3rd night - either Thursday or Sunday for a 3 nighter to even it out   - such that a 3 night stay or longer is still appealing.  Of course - if you allow 2 nighter's and they book on the Wed for  nights or Sunday for 2 nights - then there is a hit - so - you get to the point - that  within Airbnb settings  - Set for 2 nights minimum ;  make Sun , Mon , Tues,Wed & Thursday be for 3 nights minimum only  ; load Friday, Sat and discount Thursday and Sunday.  That way - you get more bookings and you upside is increased and downside is limited.

[Fred102]

Hi I had been thinking the same situation. Has anyone addressed the issue to airbnb? Or perhaps create two listings of same property with different min stay on each or is that illegal?

[Eren6]

I, too, am looking for a way to load the price for a 1 night stay.  I have a 2 night minimum stay and I don't charge any cleaning fees as they are included in the nightly rate but on BDC I can have a 30% surcharge for a 1 night booking which virtually covers the cleaning fees.  I have only been doing this for 9 months and so far my average nights booked is about 3.2 so at the end of the first year if I see this is still the figure then I need to raise my prices slightly to cover this.  I would really like AirBnB to adopt the same pricing structure.  I am going to put this in the feedback for AirBnB now.