Hotel Revenue Glossary · Pricing

MLOS (Minimum Length of Stay)

A restriction requiring guests to book a minimum number of nights to secure a reservation for a specific date. For example, a 2-night MLOS on Saturday means a guest must book at least Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday.

Why it matters: MLOS protects high-demand nights from single-night bookings that consume inventory without filling adjacent shoulder nights. It is one of the most effective inventory controls for maximizing total week revenue rather than single-night revenue.

Worked example: Saturday forecasts 96% full at A$289, while Friday and Sunday sit at 61% and 58% in a 130-room hotel. Put a two-night minimum on Saturday and every Saturday-only booking is refused - but each one you convert brings a second night at, say, A$219. Convert eighteen of them and Friday gains 18 x 219 = A$3,942, while Saturday, still full, loses nothing.

Common mistake: Leaving the restriction on after the date has softened. A minimum stay set six weeks out for a Saturday now sitting at 74% is quietly refusing every one-night booking that would fill it. Put a review date on every restriction the day you load it, and check the restricted dates before you check anything else.

All glossary terms CTA (Closed to Arrival) Rate Fence Length of Stay (LOS)