Minimum Stays

Brainstorming as I type here. Bear with me...
I'm getting close (yes, I've been saying this for months but it's really true now) to opening 2 vacation rental apartments downtown. I've set them with a 2-night minimum stay because I don't want to have to clean a whole apartment for a one nighter.
Now, of course, I'm wondering how much that minimum will hurt business, and am trying to think of a way to allow a one-night stay with an extra cleaning fee applied. (And what amount extra sounds right?)
But I don't want people to see the one-night rate and think it's that much per night for multiple nights.Anyone have any thoughts on the best way to handle this? Or should I stick with the 2-night minimum?
Maybe there's a way to do it in ResKey where the one-night extra fee is automatically tacked on as a separate charge, rather than being lumped into the room rate.

Honestly, if I were in your situation, I would try out the 2 night minimum and see what happens. See how many people you get actually wanting only one night. Or if you get calls about it. Your situation is a bit different and I think warrants trying the two night minimum.

Give a two night a shot. If it were me I would DISCOUNT the multiple night, so it doesn't look like a penalty for the one nighter (should you go one night)

Go with the minimum and don't look back. You might consider offering the 'spare' nights that will pop up in between reservations as the only way to stay one night. But, you still need to figure out how that will work in re payment of the extra fee.
I don't like upcharges as a guest, but if your policy is 2 nights or more and I want 1 then the upcharge will have to be swallowed. $25.
Don't allow single nights as an option on your booking software or, even with the upcharge, you'll get way more than you want to deal with. Even if you don't want to answer the phone, this is probably the one time you should.
Swirt had a 2-night min when the lovely Mrs Swirt was pregnant with the adorable Baby Swirt and he got nasty pushback on the scattered single openings. But, good man, he stuck to his policy of no single nights. And why would you want someone to stay who was nasty on the phone?

1. Set your rate higher by say 15% and then set your software to discount 15% on stays of two nights or longer. That way it looks like all the two nighters are getting a nice discount, when you are actually charging single nights more.
2. Set only one room during the week (not weekends) to allow single nights, leave every other room as two night minimums and see how often the single nights are booked. You may be surprised to find that there are business men who need it and are willing to pay the premium. If you don't offer it, you won't be able to tell if there is a need. And if a single night books, you can always manually open up a second for single nights and see if that goes as well.

My first thought, like the others, was to just discount multiple nights. BUT - you really want to discourage the single nights. I don't think a discount would do that. A 2-night minimum with an added surcharge if they insist of just doing one night will ensure that the guest will either pick somewhere else to stay or they'll decide it's really worth it to them to pay the extra charge.

You are offering a vacation rental apartment - that is totally different than offering a ROOM. Stick with the 2-night minimum, you will be happier and it is YOUR place so YOU should be happy.

where i am vacation apartments go for 1 night when its quiet and min nights when its busy same as rooms - and for about the same prices! - for twice as much work - seems like maddness to me. HOwever the market here has been saturated due to people being unable to sell

Stick with the 2 night minimum and 1 nighters only when a hole between bookings makes it possible. Easy to set up in ResKey. You can always change your policy later on.

Thanks all, as always! I'll stick with the 2-night minimum to start and can always make changes later. Hadn't even considered that people can look at the availability calendar and spot the single nights available between booked multiple days, and ask for them on the phone.
As suggested, I can work with those on an individual basis, depending on if I have time to mess with them or not, and what service charge they're willing to pay.