Post by High Priestess on Sept 28, 2015 1:34:18 GMT
Marsha shared:
Minimum Nights Stay
Hi there, I'm wondering what the thinking is on minimum nights stays. I require 3 nights but lately it seems like people are renting Thursday, Friday & Saturday and then there isn't a all for Sunday-Wednesday, as it's mid-week. What do you think about 4 nights minimum?Thanks!
Peter:
Marsha, I have a 3 night minimum and had your concern to start. Thurs to Saturday is popular since it gives Guests Sunday to travel home before the working week. I also thought giving myself a day off on Sunday is nice. Didn't work out that way. Folks still arrived on Sundays. Anyway, give the 4 night minimum a try. Change it back if it doesn't work out.
Trevor:
I do 2 day minimum. Most people stay more, but I don't want to eliminate mid-week stays.
Is there a reason for higher minimums other than the extra work of shorter ones?
For example, with a 2 night minimum we filled 26 of the 30 this month on our listing and working towards that this month it looks like. We are actually thinking about pulling back a bit (add the day rest on them) because 1) the city might limit it so and 2) it is work
Peter:
Trevor, for me the decision to increase from 2 to 3 night minimum was a combination of cutting down on turnover work and also I got to know Guests who stay three nights a lot better than those who stay two. It's just an extra day, but two-nighters are just a little more hectic.
Trevor:
True... our 2 night guests we've barely seen or talked to (though for some that might be a good thing
G:
Trevor...I used to do two night minimums but it was too much work. Plus I am not doing STRing not to make alot of money...just enough to pay my bills and buy some new appliances. But I also think if you live in a multi-unit building like I do, the neighbors get weary of different strangers coming through every couple of days. Now that we are in a drought situation, having to wash sheets and towels is not really helping the water shortage situation. And like Peter, I hope that I have one day a week between guests arrivals to take a break and have my home all to myself but it does not always work out that way.
G:
Sorry...typo. I meant to say I am not doing STRing to make alot of money...
Keith:
About 1/3-1/2 of my booked nights are 1-2 night stays.
My suggestion is to set a cleaning fee that makes shorter stays worthwhile.
If your goal is to book as many nights as possible this will fill gaps.
If you want to get to know people more then set a minimum that meets your preferences.
I get 1 nighters I wish would stay for weeks and long visitors I wish had gone home after s few days
But as for money. I'm certain not limiting stays will be more profitable.
One thing -- many 1-2 nighters are booked last minute. If your not comfortable enabling instant book you'll have to be very responsive to catch them.
Trevor:
Thanks, considering going to 3 day minimums for all the reasons above, we aren't in it to "make money" either, but rather to pay our kids' education bills (public school might be free, but summers are a bear) mainly.
I won't instant book, I need more control with kids in the house.
Brian:
A word of caution: I changed my minimum nights from three to four nights and I completely lost my search ranking. I went from being on the first page in nearly every search to showing up in the teens and twenties--no joke. I had no bookings for two solid months as a result of this. It took MONTHS to regain my ranking. I would LOVE to have a four or five night minimum. A longer stay is a much better fit for our space, and I regularly have guests who want to book 7 nights or more. Unfortunately, the search algorithm doesn't correlate a guest with a longer stay to a listing with a higher minimum requirement. Such a bummer.
Keith:
Is this becausd fewer people are doing 4 night stays? I'm not sure how this would affect search ranking buy if it does that sounds like a unnecessary ranking factor. Is ask Airbnb for an explanation.
Francis:
One approach is to use the new calendar setting to specify 3 or 4 night minimums in the outer months but 1 or 2 night minimums for the current period to ensure higher occupancy
Michael:
Francis, there is only one place to specify minimum stay.
Francis:
Michael - Airbnb introduced new calendar options about six weeks ago that allows you to set different stay parameters by time of year. Go to your calendar page and at top right corner go to setting and you'll see it
Michael:
Oh, thanks, Fran. It's just a link, it should add more description to draw attention to these new features.
Minimum Nights Stay
Hi there, I'm wondering what the thinking is on minimum nights stays. I require 3 nights but lately it seems like people are renting Thursday, Friday & Saturday and then there isn't a all for Sunday-Wednesday, as it's mid-week. What do you think about 4 nights minimum?Thanks!
Peter:
Marsha, I have a 3 night minimum and had your concern to start. Thurs to Saturday is popular since it gives Guests Sunday to travel home before the working week. I also thought giving myself a day off on Sunday is nice. Didn't work out that way. Folks still arrived on Sundays. Anyway, give the 4 night minimum a try. Change it back if it doesn't work out.
Trevor:
I do 2 day minimum. Most people stay more, but I don't want to eliminate mid-week stays.
Is there a reason for higher minimums other than the extra work of shorter ones?
For example, with a 2 night minimum we filled 26 of the 30 this month on our listing and working towards that this month it looks like. We are actually thinking about pulling back a bit (add the day rest on them) because 1) the city might limit it so and 2) it is work
Peter:
Trevor, for me the decision to increase from 2 to 3 night minimum was a combination of cutting down on turnover work and also I got to know Guests who stay three nights a lot better than those who stay two. It's just an extra day, but two-nighters are just a little more hectic.
Trevor:
True... our 2 night guests we've barely seen or talked to (though for some that might be a good thing
G:
Trevor...I used to do two night minimums but it was too much work. Plus I am not doing STRing not to make alot of money...just enough to pay my bills and buy some new appliances. But I also think if you live in a multi-unit building like I do, the neighbors get weary of different strangers coming through every couple of days. Now that we are in a drought situation, having to wash sheets and towels is not really helping the water shortage situation. And like Peter, I hope that I have one day a week between guests arrivals to take a break and have my home all to myself but it does not always work out that way.
G:
Sorry...typo. I meant to say I am not doing STRing to make alot of money...
Keith:
About 1/3-1/2 of my booked nights are 1-2 night stays.
My suggestion is to set a cleaning fee that makes shorter stays worthwhile.
If your goal is to book as many nights as possible this will fill gaps.
If you want to get to know people more then set a minimum that meets your preferences.
I get 1 nighters I wish would stay for weeks and long visitors I wish had gone home after s few days
But as for money. I'm certain not limiting stays will be more profitable.
One thing -- many 1-2 nighters are booked last minute. If your not comfortable enabling instant book you'll have to be very responsive to catch them.
Trevor:
Thanks, considering going to 3 day minimums for all the reasons above, we aren't in it to "make money" either, but rather to pay our kids' education bills (public school might be free, but summers are a bear) mainly.
I won't instant book, I need more control with kids in the house.
Brian:
A word of caution: I changed my minimum nights from three to four nights and I completely lost my search ranking. I went from being on the first page in nearly every search to showing up in the teens and twenties--no joke. I had no bookings for two solid months as a result of this. It took MONTHS to regain my ranking. I would LOVE to have a four or five night minimum. A longer stay is a much better fit for our space, and I regularly have guests who want to book 7 nights or more. Unfortunately, the search algorithm doesn't correlate a guest with a longer stay to a listing with a higher minimum requirement. Such a bummer.
Keith:
Is this becausd fewer people are doing 4 night stays? I'm not sure how this would affect search ranking buy if it does that sounds like a unnecessary ranking factor. Is ask Airbnb for an explanation.
Francis:
One approach is to use the new calendar setting to specify 3 or 4 night minimums in the outer months but 1 or 2 night minimums for the current period to ensure higher occupancy
Michael:
Francis, there is only one place to specify minimum stay.
Francis:
Michael - Airbnb introduced new calendar options about six weeks ago that allows you to set different stay parameters by time of year. Go to your calendar page and at top right corner go to setting and you'll see it
Michael:
Oh, thanks, Fran. It's just a link, it should add more description to draw attention to these new features.