Minimum Night Stay vs Cleaning Fee - let the test begin!

[Willow3]

I do a LOT of one night stays.  And on one level I love them - they keep me booked.  On the other, it's a LOT of laundry for one night.

Big bed = big sheets/blankets  

Four Pillows = Two runs in the refresh cycle on the dryer for sanitation and plumping

Big towels & a hot tub = one load of just towels

Robes provided = hope to add to one of the above loads, but depending on towel usage, not always possible so they and the bath mat mats will go together.  

I've read a lot about minimum night stays, and I set my listing to require a two night stay - for the past week.  I've had NO bookings.  That's extrememly unusual for me.  I know it's a short amount of time, but I think my area attracts one nighters.  I know a lot of my guests use my house as a stop on a longer journey.  

In June - I had 11 single night stays (SNS).  In July (and I was away for 15 days!) I had 8 SNS. August I had 14 SNS...  This is a LOT of laundry!  And living on an island, the city DOUBLES my water rates from 1 June to 1 October.  I dread opening that bill in summer.  

So today I lowered my smart pricing minimum price and added a cleaning fee to bring it back to my previous nightly rate... Smart pricing has me set to actually earn MORE on a SNS this time of year... I won't complain if it works.  And by works, I mean more income or more multi-night stays.  

Now I just hope that my guests don't leave me a mess, since they are paying a cleaning fee.  So far, I've had amazing guests with just two exceptions out of nearly 90 - since January.  

Did anyone find that guests didn't leave the space as tidy after they instituted the cleaning fee?  

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Willow3 - YES!  A cleaning fee!!! That's the way that single nights pay for themselves.  We use the cleaning fee option for exactly this reason.  We book a lot of single nights.  As a matter of fact, it's our bread and butter, but like you, there is a lot of laundry that goes with a single night and the added expense of a second pair of everything in case your turn around doesn't allow for a full wash cycle.  This is what it's for.  We've had 0 complaints and when a guest stays more than 5 nights, we offer a second "cleaning" for the same amount and provide the guest with a fresh set of linens.  

If you do a community search, you will find that I am in the minority - often people think it should just be included and that it's sneaky and underhanded by adding it on.  But you see where there is value in having it.  A guest that stays 2 nights or more gets a DISCOUNT since I'm not running the washer every single day for 2-3 hours straight. 

Good luck!!! 

[Willow3]

Cleaning fees don't seem to be very common in my area so we'll see how guests respond. 

[Alicia242]

@Willow3 @Alice-and-Jeff0  

HELP PLEASE! I am in the same situation. I list just a private guestroom with a queen bed and pull out single twin size chair it can sleep up to 3 ppl ( I charge an extra $30 for the extra person( maybe I should charge more?) and a private full bathroom. I dont rent an entire home out as I live here. I seem to book alot on SNS also and it is just so time consuming! Yes I book some 2 nt and 3 nt too ... I dont charge a cleaning fee and I question wether Im charging enough as it is? I have a lovely townhouse in a great location in Salem MA. and I have great reviews  (My home is in  a very desireable location especially June-Nov 1.( I had a guest in Jan tell me I charge to low of a price)... I do beleive we as Superhosts/hosts need to value our homes, time and the experience we offer to our guests.  Its a fine line I know with so many hosts now. l obv. dont want to lose revenue but I need a solution. I just changed to a 2 nt minimum per a recommend(hope it helps)  I travel alot during the summer also. I have 2 friends on a list of potential ppl to flip the room when Im not there. I need to pay them obv.  Thats another question if I dont charge a cleaning fee Ill be losing money when I do need to pay someone to clean maybe $20 for the 1 hr max it will take to clean the small area and wipe down any common areas. At this point the city of Salem isnt charging hosts tax but Im told it will be happening soon. So I do the math... taxes I have to pay at the end of the year from airbnb income, fees to airbnb, city taxes(soon). I will be making close to nothing. Please share helpful suggestions and soultions... I thank you in advance. Best Alicia   

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Alicia242 - the best advice I can give you is to consult a tax/accounting professional. There are deductions you can take against your Airbnb income that, I'm guessing, you are not taking advantage of fully (like writing off that you pay your friends to clean).  You can request occupancy tax from the guest - put it in your house rules - and find out from that tax person what you should charge.  Look up in the Help Center how to collect it.  To minimize your "income" you can list your friends as co-hosts (and should so guests know who may be helping them when they arrive). Then they will get paid automatically and that never shows up as income to you.  And as you saw from my post, if you are taking SNS I can't imagine why you wouldn't charge a cleaning fee. You can change your price seasonally to account for the larger water bill too.  See the help center for those steps - this will offset the higher expenses (again, talk to that tax pro - you can write some of this off against your Airbnb income!)  Finally, look at other listings in your area to check for the price to see if you are competitive or cheap.  Your pro will tell you that you have to eventually make money on Airbnb or else you can't continue - the Fed doesn't like people to run at a giant loss every year and keep avoiding income taxes - but you should price and account for the business on a yearly basis so you do, in fact, make money.  

[David126]

I had 40 SNS last month..

Need to get a second washing machine on line...

The fast cycle is supposed to be 35 minites but seems longer. Have 3 rooms to turn tomorrow, hoping for some early departures.

[Willow3]

I love an early departure!  I'm currently only hosting in one room, but in the future intend to add another room... oh the laundry I will do!  My HE machines allow me to select how long each wash cycle is... the shortest being 15 minutes.  If you machines ever die - maybe look for this option?

[David126]

I have a HE machine and will put another on line. Dryer takes less time than the countdown says, washing machine longer...

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Willow3

In our area SNS are very common, but as we have to use loundry service and we are off site hosts , we have 2 nights min stay and a cleaning fee. We take 1 night stay only to feel gaps sometimes. Our cleaning fee is 10€ for studio and 20€ for 2bedrooms apartment and it is way to low for all the work, time and expence of a turnover. It barely covers jsut a cost of washing the loundry.

If you often have 1-2 night stays then you could think about simplifying your bedding ,linens and towels. For example 50/50 polyester/cotton linens are easier to wash, dry more quickly and no ironing needed. Put a duvet or blankets in a duvet cover so you can wash just covers after every guest. Do not use top sheet, just bottom sheet (as it's common in Europe). Use thinner sheets, use smaller and thinner towels, do not offer a bath robe, buy polyester bath mat which dries quickly ... You can leave extra blankets and pillows in a sack in a closet so if they don't use them you don't have to wash them.

Of course, it all depends of your accomodation prices. If your prices are high then your guests would expect more luxury so higher cleaning fee and longer min.stay are the only solutions. 

[Willow3]

I'm a terrible business woman... I fully acknowledge this!  But hosting in my home, I want my guests to feel like my guests - so I won't put linens or towels in the space that I wouldn't use myself.  I personally do sleep European style (bottom sheet with duvet in a cover) but American's don't seem to grasp this concept.  So top sheets it is!  Funny, many of my European or Canadian guests will sleep on the top sheet, and under the duvet.  I don't blame them... a top sheet is just something to get tangled in!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Willow3

I understand, then a cleaning fee and/or 2 days min. stay is the right way to go for you 🙂

I just wander sometimes do we , hosts, pay to much attention to linens and towels? Does our 1 to 3 night guests even notice how thick towels are? Are those sheets 100% cotton or a mix? Do they even care? 

I didn't stay much in hotels, maybe 10-15 times in my whole life, but I hardly remember any of those rooms, furniture, bathrooms... not to mention sheets and towels. I don't even remember if I got 1 or more towels 😄 Only important things for me were hot water and warm room with bed cover thick enough to feel warm during the night 🙂

But, maybe it's just me...

[David126]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 I have had positive comments, but everybody, do not know.

[Willow3]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 - I have been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit in my life... and I've stayed everywhere from primitive camping to 5* boutique hotels.  I personally definitely notice linens and towels.  In fact, the hotels I was most drawn to had all white linens.  It was when I first realized just how "luxurious" all white appeared and felt.  

As for my guests, I do get a lot of comments on my linens.  Maybe not towels so much, but definitely the linens.  I'm not a truly "high end" property, but I definitely am not on the low end of private rooms, compared to many other locations.  I live in a high cost of living area, and I want to provide a lovely space for the price our area commands.  

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Willow3 it is nice to know that people do appreciate your effort 🙂 

[Alicia242]

@Alice-and-Jeff0

Yes of course I write off expenses on airbnb. I have not yet started charging for cleaning and even if I dont list my friends as co hosts and pay them I will still be able to write off that expense too. If my city starts charging occupancy tax I will be charging the guest? Do they charge that tax where you live and if so what is the rate %? I was on the fence about the cleaning fee being just under 2 yrs as a host and now superhost I wasnt sure I could find a cleaner that wasnt going to charge me a very hight amount for minimal work again it wouldnt make sense for me to pay someone $50 to clean if Im charging say $100. SNS makes you show up in searches more often im told so I may have not made the best decision however, id like to host guests looking for quality +++ not just the cheapest listing. Good point about charging higher to ofset water bull etc. I also check similar listing to be sure Im competitive thank you for your suggestions and time