Minimum Stay and Maximum Stay
This page explains how to set minimum stays and/or maximum stays and prices for different length of stay.
You can define different prices for different length of stay using the "Minimum Stay" and "Maximum Stay" settings.
Minimum and maximum stays can be set and overridden at different levels:
Minimum Stay
- At the room level ( (SETTINGS) PROPERTIES > ROOMS > SETUP) set the lowest allowed value of minimum stay at any time.
- At the offer level ( (SETTINGS) PROPERTIES > OFFERS)
- Each Daily Price can have it's own value.
- Each RATE can have it's own value.
- Minimum stays can be overridden in the CALENDAR. This minimum stay value cannot be lower than that set for the room for an offer, a daily price or a rate.
Tip You can use a Gap Filler rate to sell remaining nights.
Maximum Stay
- At the room level ( (SETTINGS) PROPERTIES > ROOMS > SETUP) set the highest allowed value of maximum stay at any time.
- Each Daily Price can have it's own value.
- Each RATE can have it's own value.
- Maximum stays can be overridden in the CALENDAR. This maximum stay value cannot be higher than that set for the room a daily price or a rate.
The restriction strategy which you can set in (SETTINGS) PROPERTIES > ROOMS > SETUP sets how the rates minimum and maximum stay settings are applied. In most cases the appropriate setting is "Stay Through".
- When set to "Stay Through", this rates minimum and maximum stay restrictions must be satisfied for each day of the stay where this rate applies. The value of all booked days applies.
- When set to "First Night Only", this rates minimum and maximum stay restrictions must only be satisfied for the arrival date of the booking. Only the value of the check-in day applies to the booking.
1 Change Minimum Stay on individual dates
In the CALENDAR go to the date you want to change the minimum stay for. Click in the field "Min Stay". In the pop up enter the number of nights you want to override your rates with. If the change applies to a range of date also set the end date.
Tip If you normally require a minimum stay but allow shorter stays when you have gaps you can create a special Gap Filler Rate
Contents
2 Examples
2.1 Guest who stay only one night pay a higher price than guests who stay two or more nights
Solution 1 multiple daily prices:
Daily Price 1:
- Minimum stay = 1 night
Daily price 2:
- Minimum stay = 2 nights.
Solution 2 multiple rates:
Rate 1:
- Minimum stay = 1 night
Rate 2:
- Minimum stay = 2 nights.
Tip You can create as many prices as you need to reflect your pricing strategy.
2.2 Minimum Stay only on Weekends
Solution 1 override in the CALENDAR:
Go to the date you want to change the minimum stay for. Click in the field "Min Stay". In the pop up tick the weekend days and set the date range.
Solution 2 multiple rates:
By creating two rates you can specify a different minimum stay based on the day of the check-in. This example shows how to make a 2 night minimum for Friday arrivals while a 1 night minimum applies to arrivals on every other day.
Rate 1:
- Minimum stay = 1 night
- Rate Allowed = deselected for the Friday.
Make sure the check-in and check-out tick boxes are enabled on all days otherwise this rate will not be allowed for a booking that arrives or departs on a weekend but also includes weekdays.
Rate 2:
- Minimum stay = 2 nights.
- If the price is the same or higher than the first rate you can leave this rate available on all nights. If the 2 night weekend price is lower and not allowed on weekdays you can deselect the "Rate Allowed" tick boxes for the weekdays.
Again make sure the check-in and check-out tick boxes are selected for all nights so the two rates can be combined for bookings which overlap both.
2.3 Minimum Stay only on Weekends
Example: Weekdays have a 2 night minimum stay, Friday and Saturday have a minimum stay of 3 nights. A guest wants to arrive on Thursday and stay 2 nights. Stay Through: booking not possible because for Friday a 3 night minimum stay applies. First Night: Booking possible because on Thursday a minimum stray of 2 nights applies and the rule for Friday will be ignored.
Solution 1 override in the CALENDAR:
Go to the date you want to change the minimum stay for. Click in the field "Min Stay". In the pop up tick the weekend days and set the date range.
Solution 2 multiple rates:
By creating two rates you can specify a different minimum stay based on the day of the check-in. This example shows how to make a 2 night minimum for Friday arrivals while a 1 night minimum applies to arrivals on every other day.
Rate 1:
- Minimum stay = 1 night
- Rate Allowed = deselected for the Friday.
Make sure the check-in and check-out tick boxes are enabled on all days otherwise this rate will not be allowed for a booking that arrives or departs on a weekend but also includes weekdays.
Rate 2:
- Minimum stay = 2 nights.
- If the price is the same or higher than the first rate you can leave this rate available on all nights. If the 2 night weekend price is lower and not allowed on weekdays you can deselect the "Rate Allowed" tick boxes for the weekdays.
Again make sure the check-in and check-out tick boxes are selected for all nights so the two rates can be combined for bookings which overlap both.
2.4 Minimum Stay for a Season or Period
Example 1: The normal minimum stay is 1 night. For July you want a minimum stay of 3 nights.
Solution 1 override in the CALENDAR:
Go to the CALENDAR and go to July 1st. Click in the field "Min Stay" on July 1st. In the pop up enter 3 and set the date range to July 30.
Solution 2 multiple rates:
1. Normal rate:
- First night: today (or when it starts)
- Last night: June 30
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
2. Create a high season rate with these settings:
- First night: July 1
- Last night: July 30
- Minimum stay: 3 nights
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
3. Normal rate:
- First night: August 1
- Last night: June 30 (next year)
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
Example 2: The normal minimum stay is 2 nights. For check-ins between 27th Dec and 5th Jan you want a minimum stay of 5 nights and the price to be higher for the first 5 nights if check in is at any given date between these dates.
Solution 1: Create a holiday rate with these settings:
- First night: 27th Dec.
- Last night: 5th Jan (following year)
- Minimum stay: 5 nights
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
This solution will enforce the holiday price until the 5th of January but from the 6th onwards it will revert to your normal price.
Solution 2: Break your normal rate so it ends on the 26 of December and start a new one on January 8th
Create your holiday rate with these settings:
- First night: 27th Dec.
- Last night: 7th Jan (following year)
- Minimum stay: 5 nights
- Strategy: Allow lower prices
Create a filler rate for your normal price with these settings: (this rate allows people checking in on the 6th or 7th to pay the normal rate but people checking out on the 6th or 7th do not)
- First night: 6th Jan.
- Last night: 8th Jan
- Minimum stay: 2 nights
- Strategy: Allow lower prices
- Check-out: not allowed on the weekdays the 6th and the 7th fall on
This solution will force people booking up to the 6th (checkout on the 7th) to pay the holiday price but people checking in on the 6th or later will pay the normal price.
Example 3: The normal minimum stay is 4 nights, For stays between 27th Dec and 7th Jan (even if it starts before) you want at least a minimum stay of 7 nights.
Solution 1: Create a holiday rate with these settings:
- First night: 27th Dec.
- Last night: 7th Jan (following year)
- Minimum stay: 7 nights
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
- Open your Calendar and for dates between 27th December and 2nd January select 'No Check-out' in Override.
This solution will force the holiday price/minimum stay until the 7th January but with at least 7 night stay during your 2 dates.
2.5 Minimum Stay depending on when the booking was made
Example 1: The normal minimum stay is 2 nights. For last minute bookings bookings made up to 3 days in advance a one night minimum stay is accepted.
1. Normal rate:
- Minimum stay: 2
- Min days until Check-in: 3 nights
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
2. Last minute rate:
- Minimum stay: 1
- Min days until Check-in: 1
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
3. Normal rate:
- First night: August 1
- Last night: June 30 (next year)
- Minimum stay: 1 night
- Strategy: Do not allow lower prices
2.6 Minimum Stay for a certain Check-in day
Example: Minimum stay of 3 nights required for check-ins on Monday.
Solution 1 set minimum stay in the CALENDAR:
Go to the date you want to change the minimum stay for. Click in the field "Min Stay". In the pop up enter 2 and tick only Monday and set the date range.
Solution 2 multiple rates:
Normal rate:
- Minimum stay = 1
- Rate allowed = All days
- Check-in Allowed = All days except Monday
- Check-out Allowed = All days
Monday rate:
- Minimum stay = 3
- Rate allowed = All days
- Check-in Allowed = Only Monday
- Check-out Allowed = All days
2.7 Set Minimum Stays using Daily Prices
If you have room prices you can use daily prices.
1. Go to PRICES > DAILY PRICE SETUP and
- Add a New Daily price.
- set the "Minimum Stay" for each daily price
2. When you now o to the CALENDAR you will see a row for each daily price where you can enter the price.
3 Send Minimum Stays to Channels
We can send minimum stays to channels which support this. You can find information on if/how an OTA support prices for different length of stay in this overview and refer to the help page of the channels you are using for specific information.
