In 30 seconds: raising your nightly rate can cost you occupancy. Selling flexibility to guests who've already booked doesn't: arriving earlier, leaving later or staying one more night. It's extra revenue from a property that's already booked, and if guests buy it on their own, it costs you no work.
What sells most
- 🕐 Late check-out. The bestseller. Afternoon flights, napping kids, "one last shower before the drive".
- 🧳 Early check-in. For the morning-flight crowd who don't want to drag their bags around town.
- 🌙 Extra night. The group that's having a great time and asks you on Saturday night.
All three have one thing in common: the guest is already there and doesn't need convincing. You just have to make it easy.
How much it can bring in
An example at typical cottage prices:
- 2-hour late check-out at €20/hour: €40.
- 3-hour early check-in: €60.
- An extra weeknight at €150: €150.
If one guest in five buys a late check-out, across 50 bookings a year that's €400 more without a single new booking. And an extra night sold is a night that might have stayed empty.
How to price it
- By the hour, not in blocks. The guest picks a time and pays for exactly that. Two hours is an easier yes than "half a day".
- Extra nights can be cheaper than a normal night: it's a gap you wouldn't sell otherwise. If you don't set a separate price, your normal rate applies.
- Set a cap on extra nights so an extension never eats into your next direct booking.
Make it sell itself
Upselling fails when it depends on you replying in time. To make it run on its own:
- The guest sees it and pays without messaging you. On your website, under "Extend Booking", they find their booking by dates and choose.
- Only what fits is offered. The calendar across all your channels decides how much can be extended, leaving the cleaning buffer.
- It's charged on the spot, through Stripe or your bank's card terminal, and the booking updates itself.
How it works under the hood, step by step: how to automate booking extensions.
When to offer it
- In your welcome message: "Want to arrive early or leave later? Take a look here."
- The day before check-out, when late check-outs sell most.
- In your house guide, next to the check-out instructions.
Quick questions
What if the guest came from Airbnb or Booking.com? They can extend all the same: they find their booking by dates on your website.
Can I offer late check-out only? Yes. Each option has its own switch in the dashboard.
Extensions are included in Amplistay, along with your website and direct bookings: $19 / €19 per month per website, tax included, no commission.