Minimum of 2 nights stay

[MicheleandLouw0]

Dear hosts I would like to ask your opinion about one night stays. Are they  worth it? I have a cottage listed and feel that it is a lot of cleaning and washing for only one night. I have not had many one night bookings but I am  wondering if I change to a minimum of 2 nights  will it affect by bookings badly? To those of you  who have done this how did your bookings change after this? I think a room only will be much easier to accomodate one nighters than a whole  cottage. Looking forward to hear from you. Michele

[MicheleandLouw0]

I agree with you in the cleaning fee. Do you think there is a way I can charge more for 1 night stays only?

[Mary90]

Ahhh, because most short term stays include a weekend. Great idea!

Mary from Durham

[Fabienne217]

Well, I used to do what you do, but unfortunately I had few guests who were dirty anmd/or broke some glasses, burned pots that right know I charge them instetad of asking a security deposit since I would have to document everything with Airbnb. It covers these little tears.

[Mary90]

The cleaning fee should be included in the fee, so people see how much they actually pay. I refuse to stay where there's a cleaning fee. My booking fee includes my cleaning. However, I'd like to see Airbnb allow for us to have a cleaning fee added only to the first ____ (number) of nights.

Peace,
Mary

Durham

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Mary90 - it is in their total price as a line-item before booking.  It's also in my listing.  It's not hidden in any way.   

[Annette-And-Evan0]

I agree with you....the fee is not hidden. It does not show when someone first sees the price on the listing (but neither do lodging taxes.) Many people who use air bnb know that there might be a cleaning fee, taxes, and a service fee. Once they select dates to book, they will see the cleaning fee....However, they do not pay anything, without seeing the cleaning fee first. Although it doesn't appear when first looking at the listing, it is not hidden. 

[Mary90]

I don't charge the cleaning fee because it is a hidden "extra" which I feel is a rude fee. I have stayed with other hosts, but refuse to stay if there are these hidden costs. 

I wish the Airbnb site would allow one to have a cleaning fee added to the booking only if they book for less than ____ number of nights...Allowing us to set the number of nights.

Mary in Durham

[Dale7]

We didn't charge a cleaning fee at first either.  Then, when we began to travel using AirBnB, we saw that the cleaning fee was almost universal.  My advice?  Charge the fee, it doesn't seem to discourage bookings.

[Cormac0]

@Alice-and-Jeff0

do you change the bed linen between guests?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Cormac0

Everything has to be spotlessly clean, including the linen !

[Cormac0]

@Marit-Anne0

The reason I asked the question of Alice & Jeff is because a change of bedlinen for my Hosting costs 11% of the overnight fee which I have professionally laundered, I did not see Alice & Jeff taking account of this cost in their equation. I tried doing the sheets myself but it was extremely time consuming and I could not get the finish I wanted.

So I'm a firm advocate of more then one night stays.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Yes, of course.  We have 3 sets of sheets and blankets, we take one set off and put a clean set on.  We wash all surfaces including the hardwood floor.  We have 4 sets of towels and multiple washclothes which get washed and changed each guest.  To clean the bed and the bath it takes me about 1 hour.  The washing, since I have extras, can be done whenever I feel like it.     

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

And if a guest wants me to change the linens mid-stay, we charge $15 for a mid-week clean up. We only offer this if guests stay more than 4 nights and insist on it if they stay more than 7.  

[Anna814]

ALWAYS

[Paul1571]

I don’t think as a guest I would be happy getting into a bed that someone else had slept in.