Demand rises for diverse long-stay accommodation options

Source

ShortTermRentalz: Demand rises for diverse long-stay accommodation options

What It Says

A nationwide survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by flexible-housing platform Landing reveals a significant gap in the long-stay accommodation market. While 85% of respondents have taken a trip lasting five nights or more in the past five years, 73% state they book differently for these longer stays.

The report highlights that traditional options fail to meet traveler expectations: 58% of respondents feel no current accommodation option fully satisfies their needs. While hotels offer reliability, they lack space and comfort; conversely, vacation rentals provide space but lack consistency. Consequently, 60% of travelers desire a hybrid option that merges hotel-standard consistency with the amenities and space of a furnished apartment.

Why It Matters

For short-term rental (STR) operators and technology vendors, this data underscores a major market opportunity in the mid-to-long-stay segment (stays of five nights to several weeks). Travelers are actively seeking "liveability" features—such as kitchens, dedicated workspaces, and in-unit laundry—but are often deterred by the inconsistent quality of individual vacation rentals. Bridging this gap with professionalized, highly consistent property management can unlock higher-occupancy, longer-duration bookings.

Useful Signals

The Liveability Premium: 49% of travelers prioritize comfort and liveability for longer stays, while 41% specifically require a kitchen, laundry, and workspace.
The Cost of Accommodation Failure: 41% of guests spend extra on food, upgrades, or backup plans when their accommodation falls short, indicating a willingness to pay more upfront for guaranteed amenities.
High-Value Target Demographics: Families (79%) and business travelers (87%) report the highest rates of having to compromise on their needs during extended stays.
The Hybrid Demand: 60% of respondents prefer a product that combines hotel-level reliability with furnished apartment amenities at a comparable price point.

STR Tech Report Take

This report validates the rise of the "flex-stay" model pioneered by companies like Landing. For STR operators, the takeaway is clear: to capture the lucrative corporate and family mid-term stay market, properties must be outfitted with reliable remote-work setups and home utilities. For property tech vendors, there is a growing demand for software that helps operators standardize the guest experience, automate quality control, and seamlessly market properties across both short-term and medium-term rental channels. As Landing's CEO Bill Smith notes:

"As travel habits evolve, our industry has an opportunity to rethink the spaces we offer..."

Original Source