Short-term holiday bookings can be heavily affected by seasonality, weekends and peak-demand periods. This can lead to fragmented calendars, months with low Occupancy and greater dependence on last-minute bookings.

Mid-term stays allow you to expand your sales strategy and target guests who need accommodation for several weeks or months, such as relocated professionals, remote workers, students, families in transition or people moving temporarily.

Situation

A strategy based only on short stays may work very well during peak-demand periods, but it can also leave gaps that are difficult to fill during mid or low season.

In addition, attracting many short bookings means managing a higher number of check-ins, check-outs, cleanings and communications. This can increase operating costs and reduce the actual profitability of certain periods.

With the mid-term functionality, you can offer specific conditions for long bookings on your website: adapted prices, monthly payments, differentiated warranties and sales information aimed at this type of guest.

In this way, the same property can combine short-term holiday bookings with stays of 28 nights or more, without having to completely change its business model.

What will you learn in this article?

You will learn how to identify when mid-term stays can add value to your business, what commercial advantages they offer and which aspects you should analyse before incorporating them into your distribution and pricing strategy.

You will also discover how to use them to reduce empty periods, diversify demand and build a more stable source of income through your direct channel.

Benefits

Greater income stability: Bookings of several weeks or months can help you secure income for longer periods and reduce the uncertainty associated with last-minute demand.

Less dependence on peak season: Mid-term stays allow you to target segments travelling for professional, educational or personal reasons and who do not always follow traditional holiday travel patterns.

Reduction of gaps that are difficult to sell: A long booking can cover full periods in the calendar that would be difficult to occupy continuously with short stays.

Lower operating costs per night: By reducing the number of check-ins, check-outs, cleanings and guest changes, you can lower part of the costs associated with frequent turnover.

Diversification of the target audience: You can attract relocated professionals, remote workers, students, families in the process of moving, patients receiving medical treatment or people carrying out renovations in their usual home.

Greater competitiveness of the direct channel: The functionality allows you to apply specific rates, payments and conditions on your website, helping you build a differentiated commercial proposal for long bookings.

Payments adapted to high amounts: Monthly payments avoid the guest having to pay for the whole stay in a single payment and make financial planning clearer for both parties.

When should you use this functionality?

You should use this functionality when you want to expand your offer beyond traditional holiday rentals and attract bookings of 28 nights or more.

It may be especially interesting when:

you have low Occupancy during certain months;
you manage properties in areas with professional, university, healthcare or business demand;
you want to reduce dependence on weekends and peak season;
you detect long gaps between bookings that are difficult to fill;
you need a commercial alternative for properties with lower holiday demand;
you want to increase direct sales from your website;
you have accommodations suitable for living and working in for several weeks.

It is not necessary to apply the strategy to your entire inventory. You can start with the properties that have the best characteristics for this segment and expand the offer after analysing the results.

Before you start

It is advisable to review in advance:

the Occupancy and average price of each accommodation by season;
the periods of the year in which long gaps or low demand appear;
utility, cleaning, maintenance and guest service costs;
the legislation applicable to mid-term stays in your market;
the characteristics and services of each property;
the potential demand in the area.

It is also advisable to calculate the expected net income from a long booking and compare it with the probable performance of several short bookings during the same period.

A monthly rate lower than the sum of holiday rates does not necessarily imply lower profitability. The reduction in operating costs, empty nights and distribution commissions can offset part of that difference.

Follow these steps

1. Identify the properties with the greatest potential

Analyse which accommodations are suitable for guests staying several weeks. Prioritise properties with a good internet connection, equipped kitchen, washing machine, storage space and a comfortable area to work.

Location is also important. Proximity to business centres, universities, hospitals, public transport or urban areas can increase demand.

2. Define the commercial objective

Determine which problem you want to solve through mid-term stays.

For example:

increase Occupancy in low season;
cover long gaps in the calendar;
generate more predictable income;
attract a new customer segment;
reduce guest turnover;
boost direct bookings.

The chosen objective will help you decide in which accommodations to activate the functionality, during which dates and at what price level.

3. Design a sustainable pricing strategy

Set specific rates for long bookings taking into account:

the market price of similar accommodations;
the usual duration of demand;
the cost of included utilities;
operating expenses;
seasonality;
the desired minimum profitability;
the savings generated by lower turnover.

Avoid applying a standard discount to all properties. The rate must respond to the potential of each accommodation, the time of year and the defined commercial objective.

4. Adapt payment conditions and the warranty

Consider the possibility of dividing the booking amount into monthly payments to facilitate conversion and reduce the barrier of a high initial payment.

Also define a warranty appropriate to the duration of the stay, the value of the accommodation and the associated risks.

5. Clearly communicate the proposal

Explain the specific stay conditions on the accommodation page and highlight the most relevant services for this audience.

The guest should easily understand:

which expenses are included;
how payments will be made;
which warranty will apply;
which services the accommodation offers;
what the booking conditions are;
why the property is suitable for living in for several weeks.

6. Save, confirm and review

After configuring the functionality, check the behaviour of prices and payments by carrying out a booking simulation from your website.

Pay special attention to ensuring that all necessary seasons have a defined rate and that the information shown to the guest is clear and consistent.

Expected result

After applying this strategy, your properties will be able to receive bookings of 28 nights or more from your website with prices and conditions adapted to this type of demand.

The expected result is a more balanced combination between short and mid-term stays, allowing you to:

improve Occupancy during periods of lower demand;
reduce prolonged gaps in the calendar;
generate more stable income;
reduce operational turnover;
attract new guest profiles;
increase the weight of direct sales.

The impact will depend on the location, type of accommodation, pricing strategy and existing demand in each market.

Recommended next steps

After understanding the strategy, review how to configure mid-term stays in your accommodations, including the minimum duration, rates, monthly payments, warranty and the notes visible to the guest.

For example, you can start by activating the functionality only in some accommodations and during the months in which you have historically recorded lower Occupancy.

It is also advisable to prepare a specific communication and marketing strategy for this segment. Highlight on your website services such as wifi, workspace, equipped kitchen, washing machine, storage and proximity to professional or educational points of interest.

Limitations and considerations

Please note that:

specific mid-term rates and conditions apply to bookings made through the website and to manual bookings;
these conditions are not currently synchronised with OTAs;
discounts, supplements, promotional codes, non-refundable rates and external dynamic pricing tools do not apply to mid-term rates;
if you do not configure a specific rate, short-term rates may be used;
if you leave periods without a rate within the mid-term setup, bookings may be blocked for those dates;
cancellation policies still depend on the general booking conditions;
the payment methods used will be those configured in the booking conditions;
legal restrictions and obligations may vary depending on the country, region and duration of the stay.

Before marketing long bookings, always review the local regulations and the corresponding tax, contractual and operational implications.

Best practices

Review Occupancy, average price, booking lead time and average stay duration frequently.

Analyse the results of each property and each season separately. A strategy that works in an urban accommodation may not be appropriate for a purely holiday property.

Make restrictions more flexible only when it makes commercial sense.

Do not make decisions based only on the Occupancy percentage. High Occupancy does not always guarantee higher profitability if the rate is too low or the included costs are high.

Compare the net income of a long booking with the expected net income of the short bookings it could replace.

Include a realistic estimate of electricity, water, air conditioning/heating and internet consumption when calculating the rate.

Clearly define which utilities are included and whether there is any consumption limit.

Use photos and descriptions that help the guest imagine living in the property, not just spending a holiday there.

Highlight especially:

fast and stable wifi;
desk or workspace;
fully equipped kitchen;
washing machine;
wardrobes and storage space;
good lighting;
public transport;
nearby services;
clear payment conditions.

Start with a small group of accommodations, measure the results and expand the strategy gradually.

Practical example

Challenge: An agency detects that several of its urban apartments have high Occupancy in summer, but accumulate gaps of four to eight weeks during autumn and winter.

Analysis: These gaps are difficult to fill through holiday bookings because weekend demand does not allow the calendar to be occupied continuously. In addition, frequent check-ins, check-outs and cleanings reduce the profitability of short bookings during low season.

Strategic decision: The agency activates mid-term stays in the best-located apartments and creates specific rates for bookings of 28 nights or more. It also configures monthly payments, adapts the warranty and highlights on the website the wifi, desk, equipped kitchen and proximity to public transport.

Expected result:

The agency manages to attract relocated professionals and remote workers, cover several low-season gaps, reduce guest turnover and generate a more stable income forecast.

To see how to configure everything correctly, check the article “Mid-term: Boost your website by offering rentals of 28 nights or more”.

Related functionalities

Rates and seasons.
Occupancy rules and maximum stay length.
Payment conditions and methods.
Warranty management.
Custom extras by booking duration.
Communication automations in Harmony.
Templates and contracts for guests.
Occupancy, ADR and RevPAR indicators.

Frequently asked questions

Does mid-term stay replace holiday bookings?

No. Both strategies can coexist in the same property.

The functionality allows short-term conditions to be applied to bookings below the configured threshold and mid-term conditions when the booking reaches the defined minimum number of nights.

This allows you to maintain your usual holiday demand and, at the same time, attract long bookings when commercially convenient.

Will offering a lower monthly price reduce my profitability?

Not necessarily.

Long bookings usually have a lower nightly price, but they can also reduce empty nights, the number of cleanings, guest turnover, distribution commissions and other operating costs.

To assess profitability correctly, compare the total net income and not only the nightly price.

Should I activate mid-term stays in all my accommodations?

No. It is advisable to select the properties with the best conditions for this segment.

Urban accommodations, well connected, with stable wifi, kitchen, washing machine, storage and workspace usually have more possibilities of attracting mid-term demand.

You can start a test with part of the inventory and expand the strategy according to the results.

What minimum duration should I set?

The functionality uses 28 nights as the default value, although you should choose the threshold according to your strategy, local regulations and market demand.

Before changing it, analyse how it would affect rates, payments, operations and guest perception.

What rate should I offer for a booking of several months?

The rate should cover accommodation costs, included utilities, maintenance and the expected minimum margin.

It should also be competitive against similar properties and attractive enough to compensate the guest for committing for a longer period.

There is no discount percentage valid for all accommodations. The decision should be based on real data on demand, Occupancy and profitability.

Can I use mid-term stays only during low season?

Yes. You can create rates for specific seasons and use mid-term stays as a tool to cover months with lower demand.

Make sure you correctly configure all the periods in which you want to accept these bookings, since leaving dates without a rate may prevent the guest from completing the booking.

Are mid-term conditions published on OTAs?

Specific mid-term rates, monthly payments and warranties are not currently synchronised with OTAs.

This strategy is designed mainly for bookings received through your website and for bookings created manually.

What information should I highlight on the accommodation page?

Highlight the features that make a long stay easier: reliable wifi, workspace, equipped kitchen, washing machine, storage, climate control, public transport and nearby services.

You should also clearly communicate the payments, the warranty, the included utilities and any relevant booking conditions.

Mid-term: Attract digital nomads and reduce seasonality with mid-term stays