Glossary
Cleaning fee
A cleaning fee is a one-time charge added to each booking to cover the turnover between guests. Guests see it as part of the total price, so a high fee makes short stays look expensive.
Examples on this page use made-up homes and numbers to show the method. They are not client results.
Why it changes who books
The fee is the same for 2 nights or 7, so it weighs most on short stays.
| Stay | Nightly rate | Cleaning fee | Total | Fee as share of stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 nights | $200 | $100 | $500 | 20% |
| 5 nights | $200 | $100 | $1,100 | 9% |
Example
Imagine lowering a $100 fee to $75 and adding $10 to the nightly rate. A 2-night stay drops from $500 to $495, while a 5-night stay rises from $1,100 to $1,125. Short stays look cheaper and your income over a month stays about the same. Some platforms also flag listings where fees are a large share of the stay.
How to set it
- Start from what the clean really costs you.
- Compare totals, not fees, with your comp set.
- If most of your stays are two or three nights, consider a lower fee and a slightly higher nightly rate.
Put it to work
- Guide: Why your cleaning fee is losing you short stays
- Service: Co-Hosting, where we set and review your rates, minimum stays and gap nights for you, with nothing to pay upfront.
Related terms
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