Cleaning Fee: Include in the Price or Not? A Guide for 2026

One of the most common dilemmas facing vacation rental hosts in Croatia is the strategy around cleaning fees. The question isn't just how much to charge, but also how to present this cost to the guest. This decision has a direct impact on your visibility on booking platforms, your conversion rate, and, ultimately, your profitability.

There are two main approaches: including the cleaning cost in the nightly rate for full transparency, or displaying it as a separate, mandatory fee. Each approach has its pros and cons, and the optimal choice depends on your market, property type, and target audience.

This guide analyzes both models, using industry data and examples from the Croatian market to help you make an informed decision for the 2026 season.

— 01What Is the Real Cost of Cleaning a Vacation Rental?

The actual cost of cleaning a vacation rental in Croatia for 2026 consists of labor, materials, and amortization, ranging from €35 for a small studio to over €150 for luxury villas. For a standard 50m² apartment in a coastal town like Trogir or Pula, the realistic cost of a professional cleaning service is between €50 and €70.

Before defining your price, it's crucial to accurately calculate your own costs. This consists of several components:

• Labor Cost: If you use an external service, the labor cost is fixed. The average hourly rate for professional cleaning in tourism ranges from €12 to €18 per hour. A 50m² apartment requires about 2-3 hours of work.
• Materials and Supplies: This includes professional cleaning agents, disinfectants, sponges, cloths, and toilet paper. This cost typically amounts to €5-10 per cleaning.
• Linen Laundry and Ironing: If you use an external laundry service, the price per kilogram for washing and ironing is between €2 and €4. For a family of four, this can amount to €15-25.
• Amortization: Linens, towels, and kitchen cloths have a limited lifespan. A portion of each fee should cover their periodic replacement.

When you add up all these items, you arrive at the actual cost you need to cover. Charging less than this means you are subsidizing every guest's stay out of your own pocket.

— 02Include in Price or Show Separately: What Do Guests and Algorithms Prefer?

Although platform algorithms may temporarily reward a lower advertised nightly rate, user behavior data clearly shows that guests prefer transparent, all-inclusive pricing. Hidden costs, like a cleaning fee that only appears at the end of the booking process, are one of the main reasons for cart abandonment.

The Guest's Perspective:

E-commerce behavior studies show that nearly 60% of shoppers abandon their carts because additional costs (shipping, taxes, fees) were too high. This psychological principle, known as "drip pricing," creates a negative experience. The guest feels deceived when the final price jumps significantly from the one shown in the search results.

A transparent, "all-inclusive" price builds trust and reduces the mental effort required to book. The guest immediately knows the total cost and can more easily compare it with the competition.

The Algorithm's Perspective (Booking.com & Airbnb):

Ranking algorithms are complex, but one of the key factors is the conversion rate (the number of bookings divided by the number of views of your listing). The model with a separate fee can work like this:

1. 1 More Clicks: A lower displayed nightly rate attracts more clicks in the search results.
2. 2 Lower Conversion: A significant portion of those clicks do not convert into bookings due to "sticker shock" on the payment page.

Airbnb recognized this problem and in 2023 introduced an option to display the total price in search results, which significantly improved the user experience. This move is a clear indicator of the direction the industry is heading. While a lower price may bring initial visibility, in the long run, the quality of the offer and transparency are what bring stable bookings.

— 03How Much Should You Charge for Cleaning Based on Property Size?

The recommended cleaning fee for the 2026 season depends directly on the size and type of the rental unit, as well as its location. Prices in Dubrovnik and Hvar are, on average, 15-20% higher than in Istria or Kvarner due to higher labor costs. A flat fee is the industry standard as it simplifies operations and guest communication.

Below is an overview of recommended price ranges, based on market data for 2026. These prices reflect the cost of a professional service and should either be applied as a separate fee or be equivalently included in the total price of the stay.

It's important to note that more luxurious properties with extra amenities like pools, jacuzzis, or large terraces require more intensive cleaning, which justifies a higher fee. Always clearly communicate what is included in the cleaning fee in your property description.

— 04When Is It Strategically Smart Not to Charge a Cleaning Fee?

While covering costs is crucial, there are specific situations where it's strategically wiser to fully absorb the cleaning cost into the nightly rate and not display it as a separate item. This can be a powerful competitive advantage that encourages bookings, especially when guests are making quick decisions.

Here are a few scenarios where the no-separate-fee model is superior:

• One-night stays: If you allow single-night stays, a €50 cleaning fee on top of an €80 nightly rate seems disproportionate and will deter almost every guest. In this case, the nightly rate must be higher to cover the fixed cost of guest turnover.
• Filling calendar gaps: Have a 2-3 day gap between two longer bookings? Removing the cleaning fee for those dates can be the incentive you need to fill your calendar. Dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs can automate such strategies.
• Off-season business: In periods of low demand (e.g., November in Rovinj), every barrier to booking is a problem. Advertising with "no cleaning fee" can set you apart from the competition.
• Incentive for direct bookings: Offer guests who book directly through your website a perk in the form of free cleaning. The cost you would otherwise pay in platform commission (15-18%) easily covers the cleaning expense. You can read more about direct bookings in guides from portals like Cimerfraj.

Case Study: "More" Apartment in Makarska (60m²)

Let's take the example of a two-bedroom apartment whose actual cleaning cost is €60. The host is targeting an average price of €160 per night in the high season.

• Option A (Included in the Price):

• Option B (Shown Separately):

For a 7-night stay, the total price for the guest is nearly identical in both cases (Option A: 7x€170=€1190; Option B: 7x€160 + €60 = €1180). However, the user experience is drastically different. Testing both approaches over a one-month period can give you clear insight into what works better for your specific property and market.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution. The global market trend, led by platforms like Airbnb, is undeniably moving towards full transparency. Guests are increasingly educated and value honesty. Including the cleaning fee in the nightly rate might seem like a small loss in initial visibility, but it's a long-term investment in guest trust and a better conversion rate.

The BookiApp Team's recommendation for 2026 is to test the all-inclusive price model. If you notice a significant drop in traffic to your listing, consider a hybrid model: a lower nightly rate with a reasonable, clearly stated cleaning fee that accurately reflects your actual cost.