What is a Self-Catering Accommodation? All You Need to Know

Updated : Mar 13, 2025

Do you want the flexibility and dynamic nature of short-term rentals and the reduced workload of mid and long-term rentals? That’s where self-catering accommodation comes in. These are stays where guests care for themselves, including their meals and cleaning. 43% reported guests opting for more extended stays. Around 57% of property managers noticed more bookings from people planning to work during the vacation. 37% of people plan to book a workation.

While traditional hotels and BnBs are comfortable for short stays, some guests want more flexible vacations. Some might have strict dietary restrictions and prefer cooking their own meals. Others may have easily triggered allergies that they want explicitly addressed with specific cleaning routines. Self-catering accommodation lets guests make their vacation rental property their home for the next few days.

What is a Self-Catering Accommodation?

Self-catering accommodation offers travelers a flexible lodging option where guests are responsible for their stay. The host is responsible for security and providing basic amenities; however, the guest takes up most of the responsibilities. Unlike traditional hotels and vacation rentals, meals aren’t served here; the guests themselves prepare them. Hosts need not worry about cleaning the property during the guests’ stay; they will take care of it themselves.

Who is the Target Audience for Self-Catering Accommodation?

Travelers seeking independence, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness during their vacation would opt for this stay. A few personas that you can prepare for your self-catering accommodation are:

1. Workationers

Workation or Work + Vacation can either be a group or individual booking. This is a vacation where people would work during one part of the day and ‘vacation’ the rest of the time. If your property is suitable for large groups of people, you can open it up for companies looking to bring their offices together for a trip. In this case, you might have to provide food and cleaning services. Another increasingly popular guest category is digital nomads. These are remote workers who vacation from multiple locations while also working full-time. They might stay on your property for longer periods. 

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. Proper workstations
2. High-speed internet
3. Well-equipped kitchen
4. After-work or relaxation facilities such as ping-pong tables, gym equipment, etc.

2. Vacationers with pets

Pet ownership has drastically increased in the last few years. Whether they are service animals or personal pets, you should consider pet-friendly interior design. Pet owners often require flexibility to ensure their pets are as comfortable as possible. Their pet might have specific dietary requirements, and they might need space to cook it. 

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. Place for the pet to sleep
2. Pet toys and play equipment
3. Bowl or any equipment for the pet to eat from
4. Fenced garden area
5. Pet supplies and/or contact details to the nearest pet supply shop

3. Vacationers with children

New parents traveling with children might not want to regularly expose their children to ‘outside’ food. Some might appreciate being able to cook nutritious meals during the vacation. Maybe the child is allergic to a particular food or just likes their food cooked in a certain way. Parents would be able to take all of this into consideration while also being able to enjoy a good vacation. 

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. Extra bed facilities and crib facilities
2. Well-equipped kitchen
3. Child play area
4. Child-safe facilities and equipment
5. Maybe a day-care if the parents want to sneak out for a date night

4. Foodies or Food enthusiasts

Food tourism has also gained popularity in recent years. People travel to a particular place just to immerse themselves in local cuisine as much as possible. Some are picky eaters who know precisely what they want and how. They like to cook for themselves and would appreciate high-quality pans, pots, sharp knives, waffle iron, and other equipment. You can mention local cuisines and famous eateries in your welcome kit so they can immerse themselves in local cuisine. 

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. Well-equipped kitchen
2. Dedicated, well-decorated dining area
3. High-speed internet to access recipes

5. Business travelers

Business travelers are looking for cost-effective stay options that provide flexibility to make your property their home. They might not prefer your property if they’re in town for a day. However, if they want to stay in your city for more than a week, they might need a cost-effective property that caters to all their needs. They are looking for privacy and flexibility in their stay.

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. High-speed internet
2. Scanners and printers
3. Cables for anything and everything
4. Transportation facilities

6. Students

If you’re comfortable with more extended stays, then students would be an ideal choice for self-catered accommodations. Students are looking for properties to stay at during the course of their education. This might be either a full-time student in a university in your city or an exchange student. Either way, they are looking for cost-effective options that let them experience local life. 

For your property to be suitable for these types of vacationers, you need to have:

1. High-speed internet
2. Well-equipped kitchen
3. Transportation facilities
4. Scanners/printers
5. Fun things to do to relax

Key Takeaways

• Self-catering accommodations are popular among students, workationers, business travelers, vacationers with children and pets, and food enthusiasts looking for flexibility.
• Revenue management strategies for self-catering accommodation:
  • Set effective price thresholds
    • Set minimum, maximum, and base prices using the Base Price Help Tool in PriceLabs.
  • Provide weekly/monthly discount.
    • Weekly/Monthly discounts in Customisations and the graph in Market Dashboards
  • Set appropriate minimum night stay restrictions.
    • Use our minimum stay suggestions if you are unsure about your minimum night strategy.
  • Plan for gaps in your calendar.
    • Use Orphan Gap customisations, Adjacent day bookings, and Adjacent Price customisation to fill gaps in your calendar.
  • Reduce seasonality and Demand Factor
    • Demand Factor Aggressiveness and Seasonality
  • Booking window-based price adjustment
    • Use far-out bookings, last-minute prices, and research using the Length of Stay vs Booking Window graph in our Market Dashboard. 
  • Smart Presets
    • Based on your booking type, we recommend top customisations that other self-catering accommodations in your market utilise in Smart Presets