Are Minimum Stay Rules Costing You Bookings?

If you’re a short-term rental host wondering why bookings have slowed down, this episode is for you. Hosts everywhere are reporting fewer reservations—but when we take a peek behind the curtain, the culprit is often hiding in plain sight: minimum stay rules.

While setting a two- or three-night minimum might feel like you’re protecting your time, it could actually be blocking your profitability.

Minimum Stay Rules Could Be Hurting You

Airbnb and other booking platforms reward availability. If your listing isn’t bookable for the dates travelers are searching, you’re automatically pushed out of results—and missing opportunities.

Let’s say a guest wants to stay for two nights, but your listing requires a four-night minimum. You won’t even show up in their search. Even worse? If you have two existing bookings with a two-night gap between them, and your minimum stay is four nights, those two nights are now unbookable.

Every unbooked night is money left on the table.

What Hosts Get Wrong About Stay Restrictions

Many hosts assume longer minimums will make their lives easier or reduce wear and tear. And while that may be true, it often leads to fewer bookings and lower occupancy.

Here’s the tough love: if your goal is profitability, your calendar needs to reflect guest demand—not personal preference. That means understanding:

• What average stays look like in your market
• Whether you’re creating calendar gaps with your current settings
• If your weekend pricing is high enough to prevent “gobbled up” short stays
• Whether fear (of parties, mess, or inconvenience) is leading your business strategy

You can always adjust. But if your rules are based on gut feelings instead of data, it’s time to recalibrate.

Replace Stay Rules With Smart Pricing

Instead of blocking shorter stays with minimums, let pricing do the work for you. Raise your rates for peak nights. Use dynamic pricing software to help balance weekday and weekend bookings. Let demand drive your rates—not fear or convenience.

Smart pricing gives you control without limiting your calendar. It’s a powerful tool that helps you stay competitive and profitable—especially when other hosts are locking themselves out of bookings.

Recap: What To Do Right Now

• Audit your calendar: Are you unintentionally blocking dates?
• Check your market’s average length of stay using tools like PriceLabs
• Compare your pricing to other similar properties—are your weekends too cheap?
• Loosen up your minimum stay rules and test the results
• Build flexibility into your operations by hiring backup cleaners or inspectors
• Reframe your mindset: You don’t set the market rules—the traveler does

Ready to turn your Airbnb calendar into a revenue machine?
Join us for our upcoming Priced & Profitable Bootcamp where we’ll walk you through how to set better rates, eliminate calendar gaps, and take control of your pricing strategy once and for all.
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Resources:

• Hostfully | Use Code TFV500 for $500 off!
• Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!
• The Hidden Truth: Why Most Airbnb Hosts Fail (And How to Succeed) | Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• #STRShareSunday: @coastalcabana.fl
• Submit your property for our next #STRShareSunday at strshare.com

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Coastal Cabana FL is a beautifully designed lakefront escape just minutes from the beaches of Southwest Florida. This fully renovated home is the perfect mix of style and comfort, featuring a heated, screened-in pool, a poolside bar, a spacious fenced yard, and a private lake for fishing. Inside, the bright, open-concept design makes it easy to relax and entertain, while amenities like bikes, beach towels, and yard games make it even easier to enjoy the Florida sunshine. Follow @coastalcabana.fl to check out this warm and welcoming vacation spot!

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