Minimum Length-of-Stay Requirements as Part of Hotel Revenue Management Systems [Summary]

Many hotels have instituted revenue management systems that incorporate minimum length of stay requirements. The hotel will refuse to book the room unless the traveler agrees to book for two, three, or more nights. The English common law, case law in the United States, and many state statutes provide that a hotel has an obligation to provide a room to an acceptable guest if the hotel has a room available. This article attempts to answer the question: Are minimum length-of-stay controls legal or illegal? The author also provides a method for hotels to continue to use length-of-stay controls, maximize revenue, and comply with existing laws.