Rentals: adjusting your prices to the seasons

Setting your price is never an easy thing. But one thing we do know is that it matters to adapt it to the best season for you.

How do you set your prices?

First of all, start by looking at similar rentals near you. Then at the places offering the same services as you. Also remember to check hotel prices so that you are not too expensive by comparison.

Next, work out the ideal season for coming to stay with you. For example, we have a favourite place up in the mountains. It is well out of budget in summer and throughout the ski season. But it is very affordable outside those dates. It goes easily from 700 € a week to more than 2000 € in high season. That way, the owner makes sure the property is let even in low season! Bear that in mind and find out what is going on around you. Letting your house at top price when everything nearby is closed or inaccessible makes no sense and will only bring you negative reviews.

Also remember to state in your listing what can and cannot be done depending on the season. To come back to our example, the chalet owner has clearly set out the skiable periods and the activities in his village. He mentions it again before you finalise your booking so that you know exactly what to expect.

Giving returning guests an edge

If you usually go through sites like Airbnb, you will know that they take a percentage of your rental as a “service fee”. And that can be a deterrent for some guests.

Indeed, on weekly rentals you can quickly end up with 200 € of service fees, pushing the bill above 1000 €. So you may lose guests who had not planned on paying that much.

That is why we advise you, when a stay has gone well, to tell guests to book directly with you if they want to come back. If they do, they save a little and you get the assurance of having tenants you can trust.

Now all that is left is to vary your prices according to the seasons! And if you would also like a few furnishing tips, they are right this way!

Here are the three pricing strategies the article outlines, with their concrete effects:

Strategy	Situation	Effect on booking
Adjust price by season	High season (e.g. ski) = €2,000 per week. Low season = €700 per week.	You rent year-round instead of having empty periods.
Communicate on seasonal activities	State ski periods and available activities in the listing and before booking confirmation.	Guest knows what to expect. No negative reviews about closed lifts.
Offer direct booking to returning guests	Guest returns after successful stay. Platforms: €200 service fees per week.	Guest saves money. You secure trustworthy tenants in low season.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my price is right? Start by looking at similar rentals around you, then at those offering the same services as yours. Also compare with local hotels so you don’t end up pricier than a hotel room. Those three reference points are enough to position your listing without endless calculations.

Do I really have to lower my price in low season? Yes, if whatever brings guests to you is closed or unusable at that time of year. The mountain chalet we mention goes from 700 € a week in the quiet months to over 2,000 € in high season, and that is exactly what keeps it booked all year. Holding a peak price when nothing is open nearby will only earn you bad reviews.

How do I avoid bad surprises when renting out of season? Write in your listing what guests can and cannot do depending on the time of year. The chalet owner states the skiable periods and the activities in the village, and repeats it before the booking is confirmed. Guests know what to expect, and nobody discovers the closed lifts on arrival day.

Why do guests back off when they see the price on the platforms? Because platforms like Airbnb take a percentage of the booking as service fees. On a week-long stay that can be 200 €, pushing the total over 1,000 €. A guest who hadn’t planned to pay that much simply drops the booking, and you never even see them.

Can I invite a guest to book directly next time? When a stay has gone well, tell them they can book directly with you if they want to come back. They save the service fees, and you get the certainty of hosting guests you already trust. It is the advice we give most often to owners looking to fill their low season.