Minimum stay and orphan nights: how do I avoid gaps in my calendar?

A minimum stay prevents bookings that are too short to be profitable, but a rule that is too rigid creates orphan nights: one or two free nights stuck between two bookings, which nobody can book any more. The solution is to adapt the minimum stay to each season, choose check-in days carefully, then relax the rule occasionally on gaps as they appear. GDA Kraft Booking, the booking plugin published by Global Digital Agency, sets the minimum stay per rate plan and per season, and check-in days per accommodation; this article explains how to choose them.

Useful definitions

• The minimum stay is the number of nights below which a booking is refused (for example 2 nights, or 7 nights in August).
• The maximum stay is the optional upper limit.
• Check-in and check-out days are the days of the week allowed for starting and ending a stay (for example Saturdays only in high season).
• An orphan night is an isolated free night between two bookings, shorter than the minimum stay, and therefore unsellable as it stands.
• A buffer day is a day deliberately blocked between two stays, for example for cleaning.

Why set a minimum stay?

Every stay has a fixed cost: welcoming guests, cleaning, linen, time spent communicating. The shorter the stay, the more this cost weighs on each night. A minimum stay protects your margin and your organisation, especially when cleaning is done by you or by a contractor who has to travel.

Some benchmarks, to adapt to your situation:

The minimum stay is set on the rate plan ("Minimum stay") and, for a given period, in each season ("Minimum") on the accommodation's "Rates & seasons" tab, as described in Seasons and rates. Check-in and check-out days, on the other hand, are set for the whole year in the "05 Booking" tab ("Allowed arrival days", "Allowed departure days"): they do not change with the season, and for the high season alone a 7-night minimum stay is often the best alternative. The booking calendar greys out check-in days that are not allowed, and a message invites the guest to change their dates if the minimum stay is not met.

How do orphan nights arise?

A fictional example: in June, the minimum stay is 3 nights. One stay ends on Tuesday 9th and another starts on Thursday 11th. The nights of Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th are free, but they only make up 2 nights: no booking can fill them.

The most common causes:

• a high minimum stay applied outside the high season;
• bookings imported via iCal from the platforms, which do not follow your check-in day rules;
• open check-in days in high season, which break up the weeks.

How do I fill an orphan night?

Automatically relaxing the minimum stay on calendar gaps is not among GDA Kraft Booking's features to date. You can do it by hand, bearing in mind that a season can only raise the minimum stay: the minimum stay applied is the highest of the rate plan's, those of the seasons covering the check-in date and any "Forced minimum stay". To sell a gap, the strict rule must therefore no longer cover those dates:

1. Spot the gap in the calendar (Kraft Booking › Planning & rates, "Availability" tab).
2. In the "Rates & seasons" tab, keep a low "Minimum stay" on the rate plan (for example 2 nights) and carry the strict lengths in the seasons.
3. Edit the strict season covering the gap so that it ends before those dates, splitting it into two seasons if needed. You can create a short season for the gap (for example "Gap 9 to 11 June") with no minimum and, if you wish, a slightly lower price.
4. Check the result with the "Quote simulator" in Kraft Console › "Rates".
5. Restore your seasons once the dates have passed or been booked.

To promote these dates, a message to your past guests with a targeted promo code is a more discreet option than a public price cut (see Promo codes for vacation rentals).

How do I prevent rather than cure?

• Set a fixed check-in day for very popular periods: stays fit together with no gaps.
• Lower the minimum stay as the dates approach: a month ahead, a week still free in June can accept 3 nights instead of 7.
• Align your rules with the platforms: if your Airbnb listing accepts 2 nights and your site 7, the short stays imported will create gaps on your site.
• Combine with buffer days: a day blocked for cleaning counts as unavailable; take it into account when working out the useful minimum stay (see Avoid double bookings).
• Prefer a discount from 7 nights (a "weekly price" effect) to encourage full weeks rather than a rigid minimum stay (see Long-stay discount and weekly rate).

Frequently asked questions

Does the minimum stay apply to bookings imported from Airbnb?

No. Bookings imported via iCal are simple date blocks: your minimum stay rules only apply to bookings made on your site. So align your rules on each platform.

What does the guest see if their stay is too short?

A message tells them the applicable minimum stay and invites them to change their dates. Check-in days that are not allowed are greyed out in the calendar.

Which minimum stay should I choose by default?

There is no universal value. Start from the cost of a stay (cleaning, welcome): the minimum stay should keep this cost reasonable per night, then adjust season by season according to the demand you observe.

Does a priority season also change the price?

Yes, if you give it a different price: the priority season sets the price of the nights it covers. However, it cannot relax the minimum stay of a broader season covering the same check-in date: the highest minimum always applies. To relax it, shorten or split the strict season.