What Happens on Day 31 of a Hotel Stay

Your rate can change

Most monthly rates are quoted for a block of 30 nights. If you booked night by night or week by week, the price from day 31 is whatever the hotel charges next, and it can be higher than what you paid before. If you plan to stay past 30 nights, ask for the monthly rate before you book, not after you move in. If you are already in the hotel and want to stay longer, ask before your current block ends. Rates are set by the hotel, so the answer depends on the hotel and on the dates.

Your taxes can change

In some states, a stay that passes 30 days changes how lodging taxes apply. Texas is a clear example. The state hotel tax is 6 percent. Guests who stay 30 or more days and tell the hotel in writing beforehand are exempt from the state tax from the day they notify the hotel. Guests who do not give written notice pay the state tax for the first 30 days and are exempt after that. Local city and county taxes have their own rules. Other states handle this differently, so ask the hotel how taxes work for your dates and your state. This is general information, not tax advice.

Your terms can change

Long stays often run on different terms than short ones. Common changes at or around the 30-day mark:

• Payment schedule. Nightly or weekly billing can switch to monthly billing, or the other way around.
• Housekeeping. Many extended-stay hotels clean weekly, not daily. Ask what your rate includes.
• Deposit. Some hotels take a deposit for long stays and refund it after checkout. Ask when and how it comes back.
• Registration. Some hotels ask you to sign a fresh registration card or a monthly rate agreement at the start of each block.

None of this is hidden. It just is not always explained unless you ask.

What does not change

You are still a hotel guest. Breakfast, parking, the gym, the front desk and the other services your rate includes work the same on day 31 as on day 1, unless the hotel told you otherwise in writing. If anything about your stay changes, the hotel should tell you before it happens.

What to ask before you arrive

Send these questions to the hotel before you book, and keep the written answers:

• What is the full price for my exact dates, including all taxes and fees?
• How do the taxes change if my stay passes 30 days?
• Is the rate guaranteed for the whole stay, or can it change?
• What is the deposit, and when is it returned?
• How often is the room cleaned?
• What happens if I need to leave early or stay longer?

What next

Browse hotels that take stays of 30 nights or more on Monthly-Hotels.com, a directory of US hotels that take stays of 30 nights or more, and send your dates through the Request dates form. We forward your request to hotels in the area you pick, and you can ask them these questions directly.