London events for short-let owners: where to spend your 90 nights

In London, every short-let night is rationed. With 90 nights a year to use without planning permission, the question is not how to fill your calendar. It is which 90 nights to sell. The big event weeks are where those nights earn the most.

Here are the dates worth planning around, starting with a once-only event in 2027.

Why do event dates matter more in London?

In most cities, an empty weeknight in February is a small loss. In London, a cheap booking in a quiet week uses up one of your 90 nights just as a sold-out marathon weekend would. We explain the rule in London's 90-night rule for Airbnb, explained.

That changes the strategy. Price your peak dates first, and do not give nights away cheaply at quiet times.

When is the London Marathon?

For the first and only time, the London Marathon will run over two days, on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April 2027. Organisers expect 100,000 runners across the weekend, all following the route from Greenwich to Westminster.

The marathon sits at the end of a week of events, including the running show and the Mini London Marathon on Friday 23 April. Runners, families and supporters will need beds for most of that week.

What this means for your home:

• Open your April 2027 dates early. Runners book as soon as they have a place.
• Homes near the start in Greenwich and Blackheath, or with easy transport to central London, are easiest to sell.
• Set a two or three-night minimum stay across the weekend.

When is Wimbledon?

The Championships run for two weeks each summer. The 2027 tournament takes place from 28 June to 11 July 2027.

Homes in south-west London, close to the grounds or on a direct train line, attract fans staying for several days. Wimbledon also falls inside London's busy summer season, so central homes benefit too.

When is Notting Hill Carnival?

Notting Hill Carnival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. Kensington and Chelsea Council describes it as one of Europe's biggest street festivals.

Demand for nearby homes is strong, but so is disruption. Roads close, and the streets are busy late into the evening. If your home is in the Carnival area, tell guests exactly what to expect and set clear house rules. If you live nearby yourself, you may prefer to block these dates.

Do bank and school holidays matter?

Outside the headline events, the busiest nights follow the calendar most families live by. Easter, the early and late May bank holidays, the summer school holidays and the weeks around Christmas and New Year all bring more visitors to the city. Add these dates to your plan each January, before guests start booking.

Do exhibitions and conferences bring guests?

London's big exhibition centres, such as ExCeL in the east and Olympia in the west, host trade shows and conferences through the year. Business guests often book at short notice and stay midweek, which fills nights that leisure visitors leave empty. Check the event listings for the venue nearest your home.

Do overseas visitors come all year?

London does not depend on events alone. GLA Economics reports 20.9 million overseas visits to London in 2024, spread through the whole year. We look at the figures in London's short-let market: tourism figures explained.

Steady demand means you rarely struggle to find guests. The skill is choosing which guests to take with a limited number of nights.

How should you spend your 90 nights?

1. Mark the big dates in January: marathon week, Wimbledon, summer weekends and bank holidays.
2. Price those dates first, with minimum stays so short gaps do not waste nights.
3. Keep a running count of nights across every platform, not just Airbnb.
4. Use longer stays of 90 nights or more for the quieter months. See medium-term lets in London.

What do 90 well-spent nights look like?

Here is one way a central London home might spend its 90 nights in 2027. It is an example, not a plan for every home:

• Marathon week in April: 5 nights
• Easter and the May bank holidays: 9 nights
• Wimbledon fortnight: 12 nights
• Ten summer weekends: 20 nights
• Christmas and New Year: 10 nights
• Kept back for strong weekends through the year: 34 nights

That adds up to 90. The rest of the year can go to longer stays, your own use or maintenance.

What does this mean for you?

• The 2027 double marathon is a one-off. Open those dates early and price them high.
• Wimbledon and the summer season are the next most valuable weeks.
• Near Notting Hill, weigh the demand against the disruption before you open Carnival weekend.
• Do not spend nights on cheap bookings in quiet weeks.

Let us choose your nights

Our London Airbnb management team plans your 90 nights around the dates that pay most, and prices every one of them. Get your free valuation to see what a well-planned year could earn.

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This is general information, not legal or tax advice. It is our own interpretation of the rules and figures as they stand on the date shown above, and they can change. Speak to a qualified solicitor or accountant before you act on anything here.