Should I let people stay one night?

Elena2698
Level 2
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ES

Should I let people stay one night?

Hi! I am a new host so I am just trying to figure out what is best regarding the minimum number of night stays. Do you think letting people stay one night is worth it or not? I would love to know your experience.

Thank you very much for your replies! 

8 Replies 8
Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

@Elena2698 In the past year I've hosted 137 stays with 215 bed nights. - So you can see most of my guests are one-nighters! In summer, a lot of road trip tourists pass through for one night on the way to Scotland. And many weekenders in our tourist region stay Saturday only. I guess it depends on your market, & how much you want the money - or the experience- whether it is worth it for you.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Elena2698  I've always had a 3 night minimum myself- I host a private room/bathroom and do my own cleaning, also I charge a budget price for my area and don't charge a cleaning fee. So I decided when I started out that it really wasn't worth it to me to have one-night stays and have to clean the room and wash bedding and towels for only one or two night stays.

As @Helen350 said, it sort of depends on your area as well- I live in a beach town/ tourist destination, so guests usually come for a week or two, although I've had a few 3-4 nighters, but those are mostly guests from this same country, Mexico. No one really comes here just passing through, or on business for a couple of days, so I'm not losing out on bookings because of the 3 night minmum, at least hardly any. 

And I wanted my hosting to be as stress-free as possible, so I have settings that help me with that- no same-day bookings, (I require 2 days advance notice), one day blocked before and after each reservation (prep time). And I didn't start this as a major source of income- I have another job and am quite busy in general.

A host whose listing is near an airport, who might get lots of one-night bookings from travelers en route, or needing a place because they're from out-of-town and have a early morning flight, etc. might find that 1 night bookings are the bulk of their reservations, so wouldn't want to give that up by having a longer minimum. 

You just have to assess your area and situation, decide if you want to be changing over the room every day, etc.

Sudsrung0
Level 10
Rawai, Thailand

It all depends on your market only you knows that and 1 night booking create a lot extra work and cost so to me one night should be more expensive,

We live on an island that is a high tourist area from my experience one night bookings usually means a party time, people want to book a nice villa with a pool to have a Rave so Im right onto any inquiries,

We have a minimum 2 nights most of the year especially in low season but right now it's 4 as it is high season for us,

Sudsrung0
Level 10
Rawai, Thailand

My husband just tell you also live on an island be careful with one night bookings

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Elena2698 

Elena, two thirds of my bookings are one night stays, and that's fine by me. I live on the property and that makes me undesirable for 'Party' bookings. That first night of a stay earns me the most money because I get the cleaning fee which doesn't get re-added for subsequent nights.

 

The other thing I like about overnighters, it enables me to keep right on top of cleaning. We have to understand we share the world with a lot of other creatures, and the longer between cleaning, the greater the chance that some of these critters will move in.....the odd spider, a fly or two on the window sills, maybe a mosquito or two, heaven forbid, even the possibility of a cockroach!

I feel I can't intrude on guests and do a clean every day but, when I do get to enter the cottage after a 4 night stay, sometimes I am appalled at the insects that have managed to find their way in through open doors and windows and either take up residence or die in there.

The longer the stay the more uncomfortable I feel, even though I do a full service and linen change every 4 days.

 

One night stays are fine  by  me Elena.

 

Cheers.......Rob

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Elena2698 

nobody can tell you is it worth to you or not, you should do your own math about your turnover costs (time and money). Take into consideration:

 

  1. do you live on the property or you have to drive there?
  2. do you meet your guests in person or you have a self-check-in option?
  3. do you wash the bedding by yourself or you pay for laundry service?
  4. do you have a garden or terrace where you can dry the sheets and towels or you use a dryer?
  5. how much you charge per night and do you charge a cleaning fee?
  6. is it a transit or holiday area?
  7. how many properties you have?
  8. do you do all the work by yourself or you have a family member to help you or you have to pay a cleaner?
  9. is it your main and only job/income or you work somewhere else?

 

I would take one-nighters if I would host in the same house where I live, if it would be just a room or a studio for 1-2 guests, if I would do the laundry at home and dry it on the balcony, if it would be in a transit area and if I wouldn't have another steady 9:00 - 5:00 job.

...and... if I would be able to charge at least 50€ per night.

Otherwise, it is not worth the time and energy needed.

Elena2698
Level 2
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, ES

Thanks everyone for your advise. I have decided to have a min of 2 nights. Your advise was quite helpful to clear all my doubts! 

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

@Elena2698, it depends on whether or not you have to pay someone to clean. In my case, I host remotely, so I have to pay quite a bit to have the place cleaned after each guest and hosting for one night would mean I would not make any money at all. 

 

If you live on site or are able to clean yourself, and you're willing to change the beds, clean the entire place, etc daily, then one-night stays may very well work for you!

 

Happy hosting in 2020!