Excellent question! This is a common point of confusion in hotel bookings, vacation rentals, and travel insurance. Here’s the breakdown:
Per Night
- What it means: The rate or charge is applied for each individual night you stay.
- How it works: You multiply the per-night rate by the number of nights to get the total cost.
- Example: A hotel room is $150 per night. If you stay for 3 nights, your total room charge is $150 x 3 = $450.
- Where you see it: This is the standard and most common pricing model for hotels, Airbnb, VRBO, etc.
Per Stay
- What it means: The rate or charge is a single, fixed fee that covers the entire duration of your stay, regardless of its length (or sometimes with a minimum night requirement).
- How it works: You pay one flat price for the booking.
- Example: A boutique hotel offers a “Weekend Romance Package” for $500 per stay (minimum 2-night stay). Whether you stay 2 nights or 3 nights under that package, the price is a flat $500.
- Where you see it:
- Special Packages: Resort credits, meal plans, or experience bundles (e.g., “Ski & Stay Package”).
- Fees: Certain mandatory fees like “Resort Fees,” “Cleaning Fees” (especially in vacation rentals), or “Parking Fees” are often quoted as a per-stay cost.