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Short-Term vs. Long-Term Airbnb Rentals [Comparison Guide]
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Airbnb Rentals
Airbnb guests can book short or long-term rentals.
Flexible options make Airbnb one of the best places to book travel accommodation. You can find various property types (dorm beds to luxury villas) and stays of varying lengths (a night to multiple months). I’ve booked Airbnbs ranging four hours to three months.
In this guide, we’ll compare short-term and long-term Airbnb rentals.
After explaining how short-term and long-term Airbnb rentals work, I’ll give you reasons to consider either, demonstrate how to book both types, explain why a host might prefer renting their place short-term or long-term, and answer frequently asked questions regarding rental length on Airbnb.
*Agoda.com provides a wide selection of steeply-discounted hotel rooms. To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
Table of Contents
What’s A Short-Term Airbnb Rental?
According to Airbnb, “while the exact number of days varies by jurisdiction, generally any reservation of a month or longer may be considered a long-term reservation”. In other words, short-term rentals are less than 28 days. This includes bookings lasting a few hours, for day use or for one night. Any lodging “type” can be rented short-term (villa, flat, etc.).
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
How Short-Term Airbnb Rentals Work
Airbnb hosts can offer weekly percentage discounts on stays lasting 7-27 days. The percentage will vary by listing, but I’ve booked stays discounted from 5% to 50% off. For stays lasting 27 days or fewer (short-term stays), guests must pay the entire booking cost at the time of reservation (unless that particular booking qualifies for a payment plan).
Some local jurisdictions have banned or restricted short-term Airbnb rentals (or have laws that require hosts to obtain a permit). Here are some examples of cities outside the US with laws affecting short-term Airbnb rentals. Here's a list of American cities. *The information in both articles are subject to change.
Airbnb has general standards for all guests and hosts (Trust & Safety page). For short-term rentals, hosts set their own house rules and cancellation/refund policy, which guests confirm when booking. While Airbnb can only enforce its own policies, hosts are also allowed to require guests to accept an additional short-term rental agreement (but the agreement must be clearly outlined and can’t violate Airbnb’s terms).
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
2 Reasons To Book A Short-Term Airbnb Rental
1) You’ll Have More Flexibility
If you enjoy experiencing local culture (cafes, markets, etc.), booking multiple short-term rentals rather than one long-term rental allows you flexibility to immerse yourself in multiple neighborhoods within a city.
2) You’ll Meet Multiple Hosts
For travelers like myself, trips feel incomplete without experiencing some connection to the locals. Booking multiple short-term stays allows you to interact with multiple hosts, who can each offer unique insights into their culture, things to do and places to eat.
How To Book A Short-Term Airbnb Rental
On Airbnb.com, enter your destination, dates and the number of guests, then click “Search”. If the time span you’ve entered is fewer than 28 days, your search results will only display short-term stays.
For the full guide to booking an Airbnb (including how to spot quality listings), click here.
*Vrbo.com is the best alternative to Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. For today’s deals, click here.
What’s A Long-Term Airbnb Rental?
According to Airbnb, “while the exact number of days varies by jurisdiction, generally any reservation of a month or longer may be considered a long-term reservation”. In other words, long-term rentals are 28 days or longer. Many guests will never consider booking a month-long stay (for practical reasons), but it can be a comfortable and cost-efficient way to travel if you have the time. Any accommodation type can be booked long-term (from rooms to entire homes).
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
How Long-Term Airbnb Rentals Work
Airbnb certainly transformed the general sentiment in terms to renting from strangers while traveling. While hotel service can be great, the homely feel (design and amenities, etc.) and location of an Airbnb can a level of coziness, familiarity and uniqueness that’s difficult to find in the “typical” hotel stay.
Airbnb hosts can offer monthly percentage discounts on stays lasting 28 days or longer. Percentages vary, but I’ve booked long-term stays discounted from 5% to 50% off. For long-term stays, guests pay one large chunk of their total booking cost when they make the reservation, then pay the rest a few weeks into their stay. For stays longer than two months, the remaining total is charged as monthly installments. For Airbnb’s words on long-term rental payments, click here.
Month-long reservations (28 days or longer) follow a standard cancellation policy set by Airbnb. To read Airbnb’s monthly rental cancellation policy, click here. Keep in mind, there are no fees unique to long-term rentals that do not apply to short-term rentals.
Some hosts require guests to accept a long-term rental agreement, which may include rules/terms for things like mailing address permissions, resident/tenant status, etc. Some jurisdictions, like Paris, have strict laws in regards to long-term rentals.
For some long-term stays, hosts require guests to pay utilities (electricity, water, etc.) for the time they’re in the property. I’ve experienced this multiple times. If a host requires you to pay utilities, they should disclose this information before confirming your booking.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
3 Reasons To Book A Long-Term Airbnb Rental
1) You’ll Have A Reliable Home Base
A comfortable long-term rental (safe neighborhood, abundant amenities) can make a great home base for day trips and for storing belongings when you’re out exploring a region (it’s often more convenient to keep large bags under one roof when going on a road trip). Long-term rentals are a great option if you can work remotely and take an extended trip of multiple weeks.
2) You’ll Be Less Hassled
Booking one long-term stay (compared to multiple short-term stays) can save time and hassle. Packing and unpacking, then moving between properties, cuts into travel time and can get tiresome (especially if you have to adjust an itinerary to match host availability).
3) You’ll (Usually) Save Money
Booking a monthly stay is one of the best ways to save money on travel accommodation. By doing so, you’ll find percentage discounts and save on fees (cleaning fee, service fee) because you’ll only pay these once (as opposed to multiple times if you’re booking multiple short-term stays during that same time span).
How To Book A Long-Term Airbnb Rental
On Airbnb.com, enter your destination, dates and the number of guests, then click “Search”. If the time span you entered is 28 days or longer, your search results will only display long-term stays.
When browsing your search results, you’ll notice that some listings offer discounts. Click these listings to see the monthly percentage discount applied to the price section (screenshot below). *If you don’t see a discount, this means that listing does not offer one.
For a step-by-step guide to booking a place on Airbnb (including how to spot quality listings), click here.
*Vrbo.com is the best alternative to Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. For today’s deals, click here.
4 Reasons Hosts May Prefer Short or Long-Term Rentals
2 Benefits Of Short-Term Rentals
1) More Flexibility
Many hosts rent out their own personal home (or part of it). Sometimes they sleep at the house of a friend or family member on nights their place is booked. Some hosts also prefer to keep their spare room available in case friends or family visit. In such cases, long-term rentals can be an inconvenience for the host.
2) More Total Profit
If a host has a popular listing (high occupancy rate), they’ll typically earn more per night by renting their place out for multiple short-term stays rather than for one single long-term stay. This is because the host can earn fees on each short-term rental and will not lose income due to any monthly discounts.
2 Benefits Of Long-Term Rentals
1) Less Maintenance/Work
During long-term stays, a host (or their staff) handles check-in, answers intro questions and cleans the place one time (usually). But with multiple bookings, hosts must repeat these tasks multiple times, which can get difficult if Airbnb is not their full-time job. In other words, hosting a long-term stay, rather than multiple short-term stays, can save a host much time and work.
2) Feels More Secure
Many hosts believe that short-term guests are more likely to neglect a property, while long-term guests are incentivized to care more (this is debatable). Hosts have the final say as to which guests are accepted into their property, unless they’ve enabled Instant Book.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
FAQ About Short-Term And Long-Term Airbnb Rentals
Is Airbnb Good For Long-Term Rentals?
Airbnb is a great place to find long-term rentals - as long as you know how to spot quality listings and trustworthy hosts. For a complete step-by-step guide showing you how to book on Airbnb, click here.
How Long Can You Stay In An Airbnb Rental?
Hosts set their minimum and maximum stay length.
In my research, it doesn’t seem that Airbnb enforces a maximum limit for how long a guest can rent a place. (I couldn’t find this information online or by asking around). Of course, local jurisdictions may have such laws. Do your research if you’re considering booking an Airbnb for longer than a couple of months.
*Keep in mind, Airbnb rentals tend to cost more than renting through a local market (the rate local residents would pay on a lease). Financially, an Airbnb rental is usually not the best option if you plan to stay in a destination for longer than a few months.
Does Airbnb Offer Extended Stays?
The term “extended stay” can be used to describe an apartment, hotel or aparthotel designed for mid to long-term stays (weeks to months). They’re equipped with standard amenities, like a kitchen/kitchenette, daily housekeeping and 24-hour reception (amenities vary by property).
Many extended stay businesses list their rooms on Airbnb. The best way to find one that fits your taste and budget is to use Airbnb’s search filters to find the amenities you want. Extended stays may offer weekly or monthly discounts and follow the same payment process and policies that other Airbnb rentals do.
*To see today’s deals on hotels in any destination, click here.
What’s The Cancellation Policy For Long-Term Rentals?
Airbnb enforces a standard cancellation policy on all long-term rentals (28 days or longer). For full details of Airbnb’s long-term rental cancellation policy, click here. For a full guide to cancellations and refunds and on Airbnb, click here.
Does Airbnb Handle/Manage Long-Term Rentals?
Airbnb “manages” long-term rentals the same way it “manages” short-term rentals. Keep in mind, Airbnb does not own the places you see listed. Each listing is created and hosted by individuals or companies using Airbnb’s platform to rent their property out to guests.
Does Airbnb Offer Deals Or Coupons For Monthly Stays?
Airbnb doesn’t offer monthly stay coupons, but you’ll find monthly percentage discounts using the demonstration above. Airbnb’s referral program, which gave users a first-time booking discount up to $65 off, was discontinued in 2021. To learn about the discontinued referral program, click here.
How Do You Change A Long-Term Airbnb Reservation?
For the step-by-step guide to changing an existing Airbnb reservation (short or long-term), click here.
*Vrbo.com is the best alternative to Airbnb for apartment and house rentals. For today’s deals, click here.
Conclusion
Hopefully you found this guide helpful.
Booking multiple short-term stays will allow you to immerse yourself in various neighborhoods within a single destination, as well as interact with more hosts. Long-term rentals allow you to establish a reliable home base, be less hassled, and possibly save money while traveling. To learn more about Airbnb, explore our other guides below.
Enjoy your travels!
Learn More About Airbnb
Introduction To Airbnb
Understand Your Options
Airbnb vs. Hotels Comparison [Atmosphere, Price, Safety, Amenities]
Airbnb vs. VRBO, HomeAway, FlipKey, TurnKey, OVO [Comparison]
Get Started With Airbnb
Know Before You Go
Specific Types Of Bookings
How To Find An Airbnb With A Specific Feature [Or Unique Stay]
How To Find An Airbnb That Allows Pets [Airbnb’s Pet Policy]
How To Find An Airbnb With A Pool, Hot Tub Or Jacuzzi [Step-By-Step]
Can You Throw A Party In An Airbnb Rental? [Party Policy Explained]
Cancellations, Refunds And Changes
Airbnb’s Other Listing Categories
Airbnb’s Other Features
Help With Your Account
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