Right, thats it! No more two night stays.

[Alexandra199]

In January, February and March the weather isn't great in the UK and for the last few years I have reduced my minimum stay from three nights to two in the belief that it might encourage a few extra bookings. This year, however, I seem to have had lots of problem guests who tend to be two night bookers. I'm pondering 'Why is this?'

Is it just the post pandemic enhanced expectations, or are people just generally more problematic and unfriendly? 

I've had rude guests, guests leaving the cottage in a mess, guests demanding discounts, guests hiding damage, overly sensitive guests, guests leaving less than good reviews, overly critical guests and a large majority seem to be taking up the two night option. I've reverted back to three night minimum now....I just cant take it anymore! Are any of you wonderful lot feeling the same?

[Susan653]

Last year, I ditched 2- (and 3-and 4-) night minimum stays, eliminated cleaning fees, and raised my prices; these turned out to be the best Airbnb-related decisions I’ve ever made. I set a 5-night minimum stay and was booked for much of the high season. The overall nightly price increase allowed me to quit doing the cleaning myself and instead cover the cost of a cleaning service. Wow,  was it nice to get that time—and energy—back. (I still do the laundry, make the beds (and muffins), and buy groceries to stock the kitchen). 

I decided to extend the longer-minimum-stay experiment into low season and dropped my prices less than I had in previous years for the slower months. This had little impact one way or the other on number of bookings,  but the few I did have for my slow time paid out more than the handful of low-priced 2-night stays I’d hosted during those months in prior years.

The apartment wasn’t listed for the first 1.5 months of  last years’s high season because I had a short-term tenant. She was paying far less than I would have made those months with Airbnb—and even with that hit, I still did as well as I’d done prior years when the apartment was available for the entire season.

Bottom line: Longer minimum stays resulted in less work for me, less wear and tear on the listing, and stable earnings that would have been higher had the place been listed for the full season. Following that protocol, I have a two-week booking for this month, which is very unusual for March in these parts, and several more reservations already on the books for April, June, and July, so things are looking good for 2022! 🙂

Edited to add:

Also, to  @Alexandra199 ‘s point, my longer-stay guests have, on balance, been tidier and more respectful of the space than my shorter-term ones. Coincidence? *shrugs*

[Alexandra199]

Thank you to everyone who has responded to my post. I'm 'glad' that other host find the same issue as I have with guests. Not because I am happy with that but just so that I know its not just me...always nice to know you have the ear of others who understand.

The issue I have is that since moving to three night stays I have ended up with a real lull in bookings. I am hoping this will pick up but for all those hosts out there with minimum stays of 4 plus there is always the worry that those guests looking for two/three nights will never even get to see your place. Its a gambke that we all take and knowing that the vast majority of my stays over 12 months are for 3 or more nights I'm happy to stick to 3....especially if it gets rid of those problematic two night stayers!