Long-stay and repeat business travelers are essential to overall hotel performance. While short-stay guests, often flying under the radar, are quietly reshaping revenue patterns. In town for a concert, a game, or a weekend getaway, they arrive ready to spend, if the offer aligns with their plans. Rethinking how to serve short-stay guests reveals a high-value opportunity hiding in plain sight.”

Today’s travelers, especially Gen Z and millennials, aren’t just visiting places. They’re collecting moments. Experiences like festivals, concerts, and sporting events are becoming anchors for travel plans. Especially for short getaways. In fact, 60% of global travelers say they plan to book a trip around an entertainment or sporting event in 2025 (American Express Travel, Global Travel Trends Report)​.

When hotels align offers with how and why guests are traveling it becomes a chance to deliver on guest satisfaction, while also driving revenue.

Meet the Guest’s Pace with Automation

Short-stay guests move fast. They check in, drop their bags, and want to get on with their stay. The more seamless that first experience is, the better. For hotels, that means connecting with guests across multiple touchpoints: before arrival, during the stay, and at checkout if there’s time.

Fifty-one percent of travelers say they prefer email for upgrade offers, but only 1 in 5 remember getting one (Plusgrade Hospitality & Rail Study, 2024). That’s a big gap. Automation helps close it. If the email doesn’t land, the offer can still show up in the app, through in-room messaging, or at the front desk. 

For younger travelers, mobile is the channel of choice. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, 26% prefer texts and 27% prefer app notifications—both higher than average (Plusgrade Hospitality & Rail Study, 2024). When there’s no time to follow up, these in-the-moment channels help hotels stay connected, without getting in the way.

Offer What Matters Most

Short-stay guests don’t need a long list of extras. They need the right ones. When time is limited, the offers that matter most are the ones that help guests make the most of their stay. Nearly half of travelers have opted for room upgrades (43%), early check-ins (44%), or late check-outs (47%). (Plusgrade Hospitality & Rail Study, 2024). For short-stay guests, these options offer more than convenience. They give them back valuable time. Think of a traveler arriving early for a sporting event, or a couple getting ready for dinner before a show. An early check-in makes a real difference—they’re in, they’re settled, and they’re out the door without missing a beat.

A late check-out gives guests time to unwind after a packed day, while an early breakfast might help them start it right. These small additions stretch the stay without changing the itinerary. The best upgrades fit the rhythm of the visit, and make every hour count.

Personalize the Moment

When timing is handled, the next layer is relevance. And that’s where personalization delivers the biggest lift. 

Sixty-eight percent of travelers say they’re willing to pay for a better view, but what “better” looks like varies (Plusgrade Hospitality & Rail Study, 2024)​. The most popular upgrade features—room views (78%), balconies (75%), and improved layouts (76%)—speak to that variety of preference (Plusgrade Hospitality & Rail Study, 2024)​. A quieter room after a packed itinerary. A preshow drink on the rooftop. A terrace seat for golden hour after a day in the city. A well-placed offer doesn’t interrupt the stay. It improves it.

For short-stay guests, this kind of in-stay personalization can matter even more. There may not be time for the spa, but there is time for a thoughtful touch. When offers match the guest, they don’t just lift revenue—they give them a reason to return.

Short Stays, Big Impact

Hotels master demand-based pricing—now it's time to apply the same precision to meeting guest expectations. With the right strategy, short stays become more than calendar fillers, they become a reliable source of incremental revenue.

It’s not about adding more. It’s about adding thoughtfully. Offering timely upgrades that simplify the guest’s experience and increase hotel performance. The right tools make it automatic, the right strategy makes it profitable.

Learn how personalized upselling and automation can enhance short-stay experiences at plusgrade.com.