Shorter booking windows, unpredictable demand, and more competition – pricing short-term rentals has never been more challenging.

In this episode of the Host Planet Podcast – powered by Hostfully – we're joined by Siana Vesselinova from PriceLabs to break down the key pricing trends hosts need to understand heading into 2026. We talk about how to respond to last-minute bookings without panic discounting, why local market data matters more than ever, and how to optimise minimum stays and listings to maximise revenue.

This video examines whether reducing rates too soon is a misstep for property managers, emphasising the importance of data analysis for informed decision making. Instead of relying on broad market trends, hosts should focus on leveraging data to understand their hyper-local context. We explore effective pricing strategies and the need for thorough market analysis to maintain competitive rates.

If you want to price with confidence – not fear – this episode is for you.

0:12 Emerging trends hosts need to be aware of

1:12 How hosts can deal with a shortening booking window

3:16 The booking patterns from 2025 which will continue in 2026

4:56 Hold your nerve – don’t tank your rates too quickly!

6:53 Understand what’s going on locally to set your rates accordingly

8:34 PriceLabs helps you get pricing right

9:20 How to maximise revenue – get your minimum stay strategy right

12:29 How to optimise your listing

16:02 Siana’s recommended checklist for hosts heading into 2026

18:36 Attend the Host Planet Roadshow – network and learn to grow your STR business

21:51 Hosts outperform the market when they adapt to clear market shifts

24:12 Meeting hosts and property managers across the UK

PriceLabs Listing Optimizer: https://hello.pricelabs.co/listing-optimizer/

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Keen to book a Hostfully demo? Click here to connect with Frank Bosi: https://tinyurl.com/Hostfully-Demo

Email Frank: frank@hostfully.com

Host Planet: https://www.hostplanet.club/

James Varley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdsvarley/

Siana Vessilinova: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sianavesselinova13/

PriceLabs: https://hello.pricelabs.co/?utm_source=hostplanet&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=hostplanet&utm_term=hp

Episode to check next: Is Your Direct Booking Website Useless?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGewt3ZV6UA&t=397s

Host Planet Podcast is presented by James Varley, a holiday let investor and property manager who is also the Founder of Host Planet. Before founding Host Planet, James spent 20 years in the media, including a decade leading corporate communications for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

Contact the show: info@hostplanet.club

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