We'll tell you what split stays are, how they work and why they're becoming so popular. In this post, you'll learn everything you need to know about this interesting trend from both the landlord's and the guest's perspective.
Split stays are a relatively new trend in the world of rentals and travel and are rapidly gaining popularity, especially among a new group of travellers, the so-called digital nomads.
The service refers to a type of accommodation booking where travellers choose to split their stay between two or more locations, rather than staying in one accommodation for the duration of their trip. This trend is gaining popularity in the short-term rental industry because it offers travelers more flexibility and the opportunity to experience different destinations during their trip. We'll take a closer look at this new service from the perspective of both the guest and the property owner, and explore its benefits and the terms under which Airbnb offers them.
What are split stays from the guests' perspective?
As the name suggests, this is a split stay between two or more properties during one trip. Instead of booking one hotel or rental property for the entire trip, the guest books multiple properties for different parts of the trip.
For example, let's say you are planning a trip to Europe and want to visit Paris, Barcelona and Madrid. Instead of booking one hotel or rental property in each city, you book two or three different properties in Paris, then move on to Barcelona, and finally Madrid. This way you get to experience different neighbourhoods and cultures, and also more different places to stay. And, most importantly, from the position of a guest, you can get to rentals that would not be available for the entire duration of your visit.
Split stays are becoming increasingly popular among travellers, especially those looking for a more authentic and in-depth travel experience. With Airbnb, you can easily find and book multiple places for your vacation, making the process of planning and booking simple and stress-free. You can book two consecutive accommodations in one process. So whether you want to split your stay between cities, neighborhoods, or even just different types of places, Split Stays are a great way to get the most out of your trip.
How Airbnb Split Stays Work?
Booking split stays is simple and convenient. It works as follows:
Search for properties in the destinations you want to visit (for example, using Airbnb categories) and select the ones that best suit your needs and preferences. Search criteria may vary. While you will be planning one trip, each property may be different.
Once you've chosen your properties, add them to your itinerary by selecting the dates you want to stay at each property. You can add two or more consecutive stays. Split stays are marked on the map with a unique icon and an animated arc connecting the two locations. This makes it possible to see the location of both offers, as well as which stay comes first in the sequence.
Book the properties you want to visit: Once all properties have been added to your itinerary, you can book them in one transaction. There is no need to make a separate booking for each property.
How Split Stays on Airbnb Work for Hosts?
Airbnb's split stays allows to add up to 40% more properties to your search results. This increases the number of properties available for booking. Airbnb also adds listings to search results that don't quite meet users' search criteria. For example, an outlying apartment that is outside the search location but matches the property type and/or amenities specified. For many hosts, this will improve their visibility.
And now the main benefit: the Split Stays feature allows properties that are only available for a certain part of the stay to appear in search results. Without adjusting the search parameters, they would be disqualified because they would not be available during the user's specified dates. However, Split Stays might display your property as well, but only during the available dates.
Airbnb's split stays can be advantageous for hosts because they offer a number of benefits that help them maximize rental income and increase the chances of renting out their property. Here are a few ways they can be beneficial to hosts:
Increased Demand: By allowing travelers to book split stays, hosts can tap into a larger pool of travelers who might otherwise be unable to book their property. This can increase demand for their property, leading to higher rental income.
Better Occupancy Rates: Airbnb hosts can fill otherwise unoccupied periods in their rental calendar, increasing their overall occupancy rates and boosting their rental income.
Increased Flexibility: By allowing travelers to book split stays, hosts can offer more flexibility to travelers, making their property more appealing to potential guests. This can help increase bookings and increase rental income.
Better Rating and Reviews: Hosts who offer Airbnb Split Stays are more likely to receive positive ratings and reviews from travelers, as travelers are more likely to have a positive experience when they can book a stay that fits their travel itinerary.
Criteria for viewing Split Stays and how to use this service effectively.
The good news for hosts is that the Split Stays feature works automatically and therefore does not need to be activated. However, it has its own criteria, which Airbnb sets out as follows:
The user is looking for accommodation for one week or longer
Split stays are displayed to the user if there are less than 300 listings in the results.
This implies one important criterion for hosts and that is to allow bookings of less than one week to rank in these searches.
From the position of someone interested in the rental services of your property, take this criterion into account when searching for a suitable manager. There are reputable property managers for short term rentals on the Costa Del Sol, who limit owners and guests to a minimum stay of 7 nights. Today's times call for more flexibility and Airbnb rewards its hosts for this flexibility with services like Split Stays.
Conclusion
Split stays allow travellers to split their stay between two or more properties instead of staying in one place for the duration of their trip, providing greater flexibility and the opportunity to explore different destinations.
They can be beneficial to hosts and vacation rental managers because they increase demand, improve occupancy rates and offer travelers more flexibility. Overall, this feature has the potential to be a valuable addition to Airbnb's offerings for both guests looking to explore and hosts with sufficient flexibility.