Stayforlong review: Everything you need to know about this booking platform

Have you heard of Stayforlong and its promises of bargain-priced hotels for stays that last forever (in a good way 😉)? The idea of settling in for longer without making your bank account scream is tempting, isn’t it? But here’s the catch: like any enticing offer on the web, a little voice whispers, “Is this really a good deal or a well-crafted scam?” 🤔

We love discovering hidden gems for traveling more and better. So, when Stayforlong started creating a buzz, we knew we had to dig deeper! This platform, which aims to revolutionize long-stay hotel bookings, deserves a closer look.

In this article, we’re putting Stayforlong under the microscope: customer reviews, platform testing, price comparisons—we’re dissecting everything to help you see things more clearly. Our goal? To give you all the information you need to form your own opinion and decide if Stayforlong is right for your next long-term travel project. So, are you ready for our no-holds-barred verdict? 🧪 Let’s get started!

What is Stayforlong? the concept that wants you to stay longer (and pay less)

Let’s take a moment to understand what Stayforlong really is and how this platform intends to win us over. After all, who doesn’t dream of extending their vacation or finding a cozy spot for a long business trip without breaking the bank? 💰

Stayforlong’s promise: sliding-scale hotel night prices

Stayforlong’s creed is simple on the surface: the longer you stay at a hotel, the less you pay per night. The idea is to encourage travelers to opt for extended stays, usually starting from 3 nights, by negotiating preferential rates with hoteliers. On paper, it’s a win-win formula: hotels optimize their occupancy rates over longer periods, and customers benefit from substantial discounts compared to standard nightly rates.

Imagine: you’re planning a road trip of several weeks or you need temporary accommodation while you find your permanent home in a new city. This is typically the kind of scenario where Stayforlong hopes to shine.

How does it actually work on their site? here’s a guide 👇

The Stayforlong platform is designed to be fairly standard and intuitive:

• You enter your destination (city, region, country).
• You specify your stay dates, keeping in mind that the most attractive rates usually appear for stays of at least 3, 7 nights, or more.
• You indicate the number of travelers and rooms.
• Stayforlong then provides a list of available hotels with the corresponding rates, highlighting the savings made thanks to the length of your stay.

The platform often highlights the “price per night” for a long stay, which can seem much more attractive than what’s shown on other comparison sites for a single night. But be aware, it’s the total duration that unlocks these preferential rates.

Who is this platform for? long-term travelers, digital nomads, families? 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Stayforlong targets several types of travelers:

• Vacationers who want to immerse themselves longer in a destination, whether to thoroughly explore a region like the Camargue by RV and need a comfortable break, or to enjoy a long, relaxing getaway.
• Digital nomads or professionals on assignment looking for furnished and comfortable accommodation for several weeks or months.
• Families who are moving or need temporary housing during renovations, for example.
• Those planning for specific events that require a prolonged stay on-site, such as attending a festival or undergoing medical treatment.

In short, if the idea of unpacking your bags for a good while appeals to you, Stayforlong might have some compelling arguments. But is the promise always kept? That’s what we’ll find out in the next section by analyzing user reviews!

Customer reviews on Stayforlong

Theory is all well and good, but what do those who have actually tried the Stayforlong adventure have to say? As is often the case on the internet, experiences vary wildly. We’ve sifted through user feedback on various platforms (Trustpilot leading the way, but also traveler forums and social media groups) to give you the most accurate picture possible.

The positives that often come up ✨

Many travelers report positive experiences with Stayforlong. Here are the most frequent reasons for satisfaction:

• Truly amazing rates for long stays: This is the number one selling point, and it seems to hold true for a portion of users. Some testify to having made substantial savings, sometimes several hundred euros, on bookings of several weeks compared to traditional platforms.
• A wide choice of hotels in certain destinations: If you’re targeting popular tourist areas, there’s a good chance you’ll find something that suits you among the options offered.
• Simple booking process: For many, booking on the site or app was smooth and hassle-free.

“I was a bit skeptical at first, but I saved almost 30% on my 3-week stay in Rome! The booking was quickly confirmed by the hotel.” – A review read on Trustpilot.

The mixed points 😩

It is essential to also consider the aspects that have raised concerns for some travelers. Here are the points that come up most often in discussions:

• Stayforlong customer service: mixed experiences. One aspect that appears in several testimonials concerns customer support. While some users had no issues, others reported delays in getting assistance or precise answers to their questions when needed. Managing an unforeseen issue with a booking might therefore require a bit more follow-up and patience from the traveler.
• Questions about cancellations and refunds: Some travelers have shared experiences where the cancellation or refund processes required careful steps or took longer than expected. The search query “Stayforlong refund” is one that appears, indicating that it is a topic of concern for some users.
• Verifying reservations with the hotel: a sometimes useful step. A few testimonials report situations where the booking made through Stayforlong was not immediately or clearly registered with the hotel upon arrival. Although this doesn’t seem to be the norm, this type of feedback highlights the importance of double-checking to ensure everything is in order.

These points of caution are particularly important to consider for significant trips, such as a long stay to discover the must-sees of Edinburgh, where peace of mind about accommodation is paramount.

Where to find reliable reviews to form your own opinion? 🕵️‍♀️

To form a balanced opinion, we advise you to cross-reference sources:

• Trustpilot: It’s a goldmine for Stayforlong reviews. Read both positive AND negative reviews carefully, paying attention to the dates and recurrence of reported issues.
• Traveler forums: Communities like those on Rick Steves’ Europe, TripAdvisor forums, or even traveler groups on Facebook may contain testimonials and discussions about Stayforlong.
• Specialized review sites and comparators: Some travel blogs or review sites publish their own analyses.

Remember to use your judgment: an isolated review doesn’t always reflect reality!

To go further, we decided to put Stayforlong to the test ourselves! Head to the next section to see our own booking simulation.

Our test of Stayforlong: we simulated a booking (and we’re telling you everything) 🕵️‍♂️

Reviews are one thing, but we like to form our own opinion. So, without a second thought, we put on our tester hats and simulated several searches and a booking process on Stayforlong. The goal? To evaluate the user experience, the clarity of the offers, and, of course, the reality of the promised savings. Let’s get to the report of our “infiltration mission”! 😉

The search process: intuitive or a headache? 🖱️

First contact with the Stayforlong site: the interface is quite clean and the search bar is clearly visible. We enter our fictional destination (a 2-week stay in Lisbon), our dates, and the number of people.

The results appear fairly quickly, with classic filters (price, stars, property type, etc.) to refine the search. The emphasis on the “price per night for long stay” is omnipresent, which is consistent with their positioning. We appreciate the interactive map for locating hotels, which is always useful for visualizing their location in relation to points of interest.

Overall, the search is quite intuitive and similar to what major platforms offer. No revolution here, but a solid execution.

Price comparison: a real saving compared to the industry giants? 💸

This is the heart of the matter! For our Lisbon simulation, we selected a few hotels and compared the prices displayed by Stayforlong (for 14 nights) with those on Booking.com and Expedia for the same dates and room types.

Here’s a small summary table (note, these are simulations at a specific point in time, prices are dynamic!):

Our finding: in the simulations we ran, Stayforlong did indeed offer lower rates. The savings weren’t always mind-blowing, but they were real, especially for mid-range and high-end establishments. For stays of several weeks, this can add up to a significant amount. We can easily see the advantage for a prolonged stay to thoroughly discover a region, like Toulouse and its surroundings.

However, it is crucial to compare on a case-by-case basis and not to take the savings percentages displayed by Stayforlong at face value without checking elsewhere. Sometimes, the differences are minimal, or even non-existent for certain hotels or specific dates.

Our overall feeling about the site’s user experience

The experience of browsing and simulating a booking on Stayforlong is generally satisfactory. The site is modern, relatively fast, and the main information (prices for long stays) is well highlighted. You don’t get lost, even if you’re used to other platforms.

Now that we have a clearer idea of how it works and the prices, let’s see what advice we can give you to maximize your chances of a successful experience if you decide to take the plunge.

Stayforlong vs. the competition: is it really the best deal for your extended stays? 🥊

Stayforlong is obviously not alone in the accommodation booking ring. To know if it’s really the best option for your long-stretching stays, it’s crucial to take a look at what others are offering. So, who are the competitors and what are the pros and cons of each? Put on your gloves, let’s compare!

The booking giants: Booking, Expedia, Hotels.com…

These platforms are the undisputed heavyweights of the industry. Their strength?

• A colossal inventory: Hotels, apartments, guesthouses… you’ll find almost everything, everywhere.
• Often attractive loyalty programs: “Genius” discounts on Booking, free nights with Hotels.com Rewards, etc.
• An established reputation and a generally (but not always!) more structured customer service: In case of a problem, you often feel like you have more recourse, even if it’s not an absolute guarantee.

Versus Stayforlong: For short stays, these platforms are often unbeatable in terms of choice and flexibility. For long stays, their standard nightly rates can be less competitive than Stayforlong’s specific “long-stay” offers. However, their loyalty programs can sometimes offset this difference for regular customers. The big question remains the reliability of after-sales service: an established player like Booking generally has more resources to handle disputes, even if hiccups exist. We had also written a review on Yescapa, another platform in the sharing economy, which also highlighted the importance of customer support.

Specialists in long-term furnished rentals: Airbnb, Vrbo, local agencies…

If your stay extends over several weeks or even months, apartments or houses from private individuals can be an excellent alternative:

• More space and “home-like” comfort: Kitchen, living room, multiple bedrooms… ideal for families or those who want more autonomy.
• Often sliding-scale rates for monthly rentals.

Versus Stayforlong: Stayforlong focuses on hotels, which means hotel services (cleaning, reception, etc.) that you won’t get in a private rental. The choice will therefore depend on your priorities: hotel services and booking simplicity for a “package deal” or the autonomy and space of an apartment. For very long stays, Airbnb or a local agency specializing in furnished rentals may prove to be more economical and suitable than hotel nights, even at a reduced rate.

Booking directly with hotels

Never forget this option! Contacting the hotel directly, especially for a long stay, can sometimes lead to pleasant surprises:

• Possibility to negotiate a rate: Especially in the low season or if the hotel has a lot of availability.
• Fewer intermediaries = less risk of misunderstandings.
• Often more flexibility on conditions if you deal directly.

Versus Stayforlong: This requires more time and research effort (contacting several hotels individually). Stayforlong does this “wholesaler” work for you. However, if you’ve spotted a hotel you like on Stayforlong, there’s nothing stopping you from contacting it directly to see if it can match or offer a better deal for the same duration.

So, for what type of traveler is Stayforlong most suitable? 🎯

Stayforlong seems to come out on top for:

• Travelers looking for a specific hotel for a duration of a few days to a few weeks (say, 3 nights to 3-4 weeks) who want to benefit from hotel services.
• Those on a tight budget for whom every euro saved counts, and who are willing to take a little extra time for the usual checks (confirmation with the hotel, etc.).
• People who are flexible with their dates or destinations and can “jump” on a good deal found on the platform.

If you’re the type who wants absolute peace of mind and the price difference isn’t huge, or if you’re planning a stay of several months, exploring alternatives might be wiser. For example, for a long journey like a tour of Yorkshire by RV, you could alternate between wild camping and comfortable long-stay hotel breaks via a platform like Stayforlong if an offer comes up.

The travel booking landscape is vast. Stayforlong brings a specific value proposition to it, but it’s not universally the best for everyone in every situation. The key is, as always, to clearly define your needs and compare intelligently.

The final word: Stayforlong, do we take the plunge or pass?

So, after dissecting the concept, sifting through reviews, simulating bookings, and comparing Stayforlong to its competitors, what’s the takeaway? Is the platform the Holy Grail of budget long stays or a siren with sometimes deceptive songs?

Quick recap: the pros and cons of Stayforlong ⚖️

What we liked about Stayforlong 👍

• ✅ Potentially very attractive prices for stays of several nights, allowing for real savings.
• ✅ A smart concept that meets a real need for long-term travelers and those looking for more than just a single hotel night.
• ✅ A simple and rather intuitive search interface.
• ✅ A wide choice of hotels in many destinations.

What we liked less 👎

• ❌ Customer service sometimes criticized for its lack of responsiveness.
• ❌ Cancellation conditions that are sometimes very restrictive on the best deals.

Our verdict: scenarios where Stayforlong can be worth it

So, do we click or skip? Here’s our opinion, in “it depends” mode (yes, we know, it’s a bit of a cop-out, but that’s often the reality for travelers! 😉):

🟢 You can consider Stayforlong if:

• You’ve found a TRULY exceptional offer on a specific hotel for a stay of several days/weeks, and the savings are substantial compared to other platforms.
• You are an organized traveler, ready to do the necessary checks (verification with the hotel).
• Your flexibility allows you to bounce back if a Plan B becomes necessary.

🔴 You might want to prefer an alternative if:

• You are planning THE trip of a lifetime (honeymoon, crucial family event) and you need absolute peace of mind regarding your accommodation.
• The price difference with an established platform known for its customer service is minimal.
• You have neither the time nor the desire to engage in thorough checks or potentially handle a dispute.

Ultimately, Stayforlong is one more tool in the savvy traveler’s arsenal. It can offer great opportunities, provided you use it with discernment: compare offers, read recent reviews, and trust your gut.

The world of online travel is constantly evolving. Platforms like Stayforlong try to carve out a niche by proposing innovative models. This is a good thing for the consumer, as it stimulates competition!

We hope this comprehensive review and test of Stayforlong will help you make the best decision for your future adventures. Have you ever tried Stayforlong? Share your experience in the comments! 👇