Short Breaks in holiday letting guide

Short Breaks give guests the flexibility to book around their ideal dates, making it easier to plan a quick coastal escape. By offering this option, you’ll open your cottage up to more guests seeking mini-getaways, helping you fill gaps in your calendar and maximise your income.

The Benefits of Short Breaks

Maximise your bookings

Looking for a full calendar? Offering short breaks is a great way to fill those midweek gaps between longer bookings, making the most of every available date.

Provide flexibility

Many guests don’t have time for a full holiday but are eager for a mini staycation. By offering short breaks, you’ll tap into this growing market of travelers looking for a few days by the coast.

Attract more guests

Short breaks open your Yorkshire holiday let to a wider audience. By catering to both short stays and longer holidays, you’ll increase your property’s visibility and reach more potential guests, ultimately boosting your bookings

Short Break Types

• Peak – During peak times like the summer months, many guests prefer several shorter breaks rather than one long holiday, allowing them to enjoy different UK destinations. Our research shows that during these peak months, 2 in 5 people look for short breaks, generating over 7.5 million searches yearly.
• Last-Minute – Many guests also seek last-minute getaways, often inspired by favorable weather forecasts. If warm, sunny days are on the horizon, people are eager to make the most of it with a spontaneous break. Offering short stays at short notice can be a great way to accommodate these last-minute bookings and fill your calendar.
• Winter – Winter is perfect for short breaks, with guests often preferring brief escapes to explore new areas while avoiding the challenges of unpredictable weather and shorter daylight hours. During the winter months of January, February, March, November, and December (excluding Christmas, New Year, and half terms), 6 in 10 searches are for short breaks, as travelers look for cozy getaways.
• Off-Season – Even in the quieter months of April, June, September, and October (outside Easter and half terms), short breaks are popular. Over 2 in every 5 searches during these months are for short stays, making it an excellent time to offer flexible booking options.
• Christmas and New Year – The winter months are particularly popular for short breaks, with 3 in every 5 searches focusing on brief stays in January, February, March, November, and December, excluding the holiday season. Many guests seek a quick getaway to enjoy a festive retreat or to refresh after the busy holiday period.
• Flexible Short Breaks – This new option is bookable all year. Flexible short breaks is a daily pricing option that fills gaps in availability and maximises short break booking potential. It allows customers who are looking to start their holiday on their preferred day of the week in addition to your standard changeover days.

Moving Forward

Offering short breaks can be a fantastic way to boost bookings and attract new guests to your Yorkshire holiday home. By catering to guests seeking shorter stays, your property will reach a wider audience and enjoy increased visibility. While short breaks can bring in extra income, here are a few things to keep in mind.

You may experience a slight rise in operational costs due to higher turnover, but in the long term, you should see an improvement in overall income, offsetting these expenses. To help you make the most of this opportunity, our Income Maximisation Tool is available to guide you in setting optimal rates for your property, ensuring you maximise your earnings with each booking.

Want more advice? Get in touch with our local team

You can phone our local Whitby team on 01947 820949 for more detail on short breaks, or for any further advice on holiday letting. Alternatively, complete the short form on our website and a member of our team will be in touch soon.