These years, more and more travelers are unpacking their bags for weeks or even months at a time, and extended-stay properties are reaping the benefits.
For operators, this brings both opportunity and challenge: extended stays mean higher occupancy and steadier revenue, but also a string of new demands. Meeting them requires the right mix of good service, tools, and the right approach to managing long-term stays.
This guide will walk you through seven practical strategies to manage long stay properties and get loyal guests who return again and again.
Why extended stays are booming
Guests are shifting away from traditional hotels. According to Skift, for stays lasting a month or longer, travelers spent $3.9 billion last year at extended-stay hotels equipped with kitchens and living areas – more than double the $1.9 billion spent at standard hotels. Property owners are racing to keep up, but demand continues to outpace supply growth.
So what’s behind the boom? Here, several factors are at play:
● Remote and flexible work have given people freedom to stay longer in new locations.
● Corporate travel is shifting toward project-based, extended assignments rather than quick trips.
● Housing shortages and relocations mean more families are relying on hotels as temporary homes.
● Traveling medical staff and infrastructure workers often need months-long stays near their projects.
● Value and predictability make extended stays attractive compared to short-term rentals, where consistency and service can vary.
Major brands are doubling down to capitalize on this. Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, and Choice Hotels have all launched dedicated extended-stay brands in just the past two years, with Choice alone committing 43% of its pipeline to this segment. Clearly, extended stays aren’t a passing trend anymore.
What qualifies as a long-stay property?
Extended stays aren’t confined to one type of accommodation.
What qualifies as a long-stay property is less about brand or size, and more about the ability to offer stability, livability, and consistency for guests who stay weeks, or even years, at a time.
Today, extended-stay demand can be met by:
- ● Extended-stay hotels
- ● Serviced apartments and aparthotels
- ● Corporate housing providers
- ● Traditional hotels offering long-stay packages
- ● Resorts and vacation rentals
- ● Student and academic housing
- ● Senior living and retirement residences
- ● Institutional properties, such as hospitals or government housing
- ● Hybrid co-living and co-working spaces
With extended stays delivering steadier revenue and longer booking windows, property owners who adapt their services to this demand can gain a significant advantage.
The strategies that follow will show how to improve operations, meet guest expectations, and build lasting loyalty across any long-stay model.
7 strategies to manage extended stays and boost retention
Managing guests who stay for weeks or months requires a very different approach than handling short visits. Their expectations change, and so should the way services are delivered.
The good news is that some of these adjustments can be supported by technology, making the experience better for both staff and guests.
1. Make booking easy and flexible
Long-term guests often compare several options before committing. If your property offers a simple way to reserve extended stays directly, it reduces reliance on third-party platforms and gives you more control. Special packages or discounts for longer bookings can make the decision easier.
A Booking Engine integrated into your website allows guests to see and book long-stay offers right away. Combined with a reliable Channel Manager, it ensures that availability and prices stay consistent across all platforms.
2. Offer transparent and flexible pricing
Guest retention also largely depends on trust. Clear, all-inclusive pricing that bundles utilities, internet, and cleaning avoids unwelcome surprises.
Offering tiered discounts for weekly and monthly stays can also encourage longer bookings. Loyalty perks such as free upgrades or late check-out for returning guests will help you to build repeat business.
3. Adjust housekeeping and operations to long stays
Daily housekeeping isn’t necessary for long-stay guests and can feel disruptive. Instead, offer flexible schedules like weekly deep cleans or on-demand service. Using a PMS to automate housekeeping tasks ensures staff aren’t overwhelmed, and issues logged in the system are resolved faster.
Add to that mobile check-in/out and automated invoicing, and you remove many of the manual tasks that slow teams down. Properties using PMS tools often report up to 70% less manual work in the front office and housekeeping.
4. Design for daily living
Extended-stay guests quickly tire of basic amenities. A fridge and microwave might suffice for a weekend, but over weeks, the absence of a stovetop or oven can lead to frustration.
Properties that invest in fully equipped kitchens, guest laundry facilities, and ergonomic workspaces stand out. Even small additions like cookware kits or streaming subscriptions can make a huge difference and help guests feel at home.
5. Empower guests with self-service
Long-term guests often prefer independence. Self-service kiosks and key card dispensers let them check in at any time of day or night without waiting at reception.
Digital profiles and mobile apps give them control to order services, manage payments, and update preferences without the need to call. For managers, this means fewer interruptions for staff and smoother operations, and for guests, it means freedom and convenience throughout their stay.
6. Communicate proactively
Guest expectations don’t end after check-in. Extended-stay operators who maintain regular communication can show that they care without being intrusive.
Tools like automated emails or mid-stay surveys help you stay connected. Quick responses to maintenance issues or special requests make a big difference, often determining whether a guest leaves a stellar review or looks for alternatives next time.
7. Prioritize safety and reliability
For guests living away from home for weeks, safety and security are non-negotiable. Standardized key management, secure access points, and 24/7 assistance build trust. Equally important is reliability: consistent cleaning, strong internet, and dependable maintenance reassure guests that they’re in good hands.
Boost your earning potential with HotelFriend
Recurring housekeeping, compliance checks, and the risk of overbookings leave many managers stuck in spreadsheets and endless emails. That’s time lost that could be spent improving your ROI.
HotelFriend is an all-in-one, certified and GDPR-compliant PMS, that adapts to the needs of extended stay properties, automates what slows you down and gives you a clear view of every tenant, contract, and payment in one place.
Across Europe, properties are already seeing the difference:
● Miami House, an aparthotel in Hamburg with 98 apartments, now runs fully digitalized stays with keyless check-ins, automated payments, and custom booking options.
● Stäy, a serviced apartment provider in Mannheim, scaled to 180 units and 400 beds in just one year. With HotelFriend PMS, they cut admin work by 90% and synced every channel while onboarding hundreds of apartments in weeks.
Book a demo today and see how HotelFriend can help your property run smoother and grow stronger too.
Conclusion
Extended stays are no longer a niche, but a growing part of modern travel. The properties that succeed will be those that adapt quickly to the new expectations of long-term guests: transparent pricing, livable spaces, flexible services, and smooth communication.
These strategies show that with the right balance of thoughtful operations and smart technology, long-stay management won’t be that overwhelming. In fact, it can become a reliable source of revenue and loyalty, giving both guests and operators the consistency they’re looking for.
Whether you’re running an aparthotel, serviced apartments, or corporate housing, the lesson is the same: extended stays require a different approach, but they also offer lasting rewards. With the focus on efficiency, comfort, and trust, you can turn today’s bookings into tomorrow’s loyal customers.
