Rentals: adjusting your prices to the seasons
How do you find the right price for your rental? Here is everything you need to know!
Setting your price is never easy. What you do know is that it’s important to adapt it to the best season for you.
How to set your prices?
Start by checking similar short-term rentals in your area. Then look at listings offering the same services as you. Also compare hotel rates so you don’t end up significantly more expensive.
Next, identify the ideal season for guests to visit you. For example, we know a favourite mountain property that’s unaffordable in summer and throughout the ski season, but very accessible outside those dates. Prices easily jump from 700 € a week to over 2,000 € in high season. That way, the owner can still rent the property even in low season! Bear that in mind and find out what’s going on around you. Charging top rates when everything nearby is closed or inaccessible will only earn you negative reviews.
Also make sure your listing specifies what can or can’t be done depending on the season. Returning to our example, the chalet owner lists the skiable periods and village activities. He reminds guests of this before confirming a booking so they know what to expect.
Encourage repeat guests
If you regularly use sites like Airbnb, you know they take a percentage of your short-term rental as 'service fees' . This can be a deterrent for some guests.
Indeed, for week-long stays you can quickly end up with 200 € in service fees, pushing the bill above 1,000 €. You can therefore lose guests who hadn’t planned to pay so much.
So when a stay has gone well, we recommend telling guests to book directly with you if they want to come back. If they do, they save a little and you gain the assurance of trusted tenants.
Now all that’s left is to adjust your prices according to the seasons! And if you’d like some furnishing tips, they’re right here!
Here are the three pricing strategies described in the article, with their practical effects:
| Strategy | Situation | Effect on bookings |
|---|---|---|
| Adjust price to the season | High season (e.g. ski) = 2,000 € a week. Low season = 700 € a week. | You rent all year instead of having empty periods. |
| Communicate seasonal activities | State the skiable periods and available activities in the listing and before finalising. | The guest knows what to expect. No bad reviews about closed lifts. |
| Offer direct booking to loyal guests | Guest returns after a good stay. Platforms: 200 € service fees for a week. | Guest saves money. You secure trusted tenants in low season. |
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my price is right? First look at similar short-term rentals nearby, then those offering the same services as you. Also compare with local hotels so you’re not more expensive than a hotel room. These three comparison points are enough to position your listing without getting lost in calculations.
Should I really lower my price in low season? Yes, if what draws guests to you is closed or inaccessible at that time. The mountain chalet we mention rises from 700 € a week in the low period to over 2,000 € in high season, which lets it rent all year. Keeping the high price when there’s nothing to do nearby will only bring negative reviews.
How can I avoid unpleasant surprises when renting out of season? State in the listing what can and cannot be done depending on the period. The chalet owner specifies the skiable periods and village activities, and repeats it before confirming a booking. The guest knows what to expect, and no one discovers closed lifts on arrival day.
Why do guests back out because of the price shown on platforms? Because platforms like Airbnb take a percentage of the booking as service fees. For a week this can amount to 200 €, pushing the bill over 1,000 €. A guest who didn’t expect to pay that much will abandon the booking, and you never see them again.
Can you ask a guest to book directly? When a stay has gone well, tell them they can book directly with you if they wish to return. They save on service fees, and you gain the assurance of welcoming trusted tenants. This is the advice we most often give owners who want to fill their low season.
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