Yes, you can book a shortlet for one night, as long as the host allows it. Each host sets a minimum stay for their home. On Cabans, the calendar tells you at once if a home needs more than one night.
A one-night shortlet (or short let) suits a late flight, a wedding, a job interview or just a night away. This guide shows how to spot a minimum stay, what one night really costs, how check-in and check-out work, and where to look.
The short answer
- Yes, if the host’s minimum stay is one night.
- One night means check in on one day and check out the next morning.
- You pay for the night, plus any cleaning fee and a refundable caution deposit.
- You cannot book by the hour. Shortlets on Cabans are booked by the night.
- Book early in the day for the same night, and pick a home that confirms at once.
Ready to look? Find a shortlet you can book online, or go straight to shortlets in Ikeja or shortlets in Lekki.
Minimum stays: how to spot them
A minimum stay is the fewest nights a host accepts. On Cabans, it is set for the whole home, so it is the same on every date. You can spot it in three ways:
- Under the calendar. The booking box lists “Minimum stay” only when it is more than one night. If you do not see it, one night is fine.
- When you pick dates. Choose one night on a home that needs more, and you see a message such as “The minimum stay is 2 nights.”
- In the listing text. Some hosts also write it in their description.
Remember how the calendar counts. You tap your check-in day, then your check-out day. The check-out day is the morning you leave, not a night you pay for. So Friday to Saturday is one night.
Some nights may be marked “Booked” or “Closed”. A stay can never run across one of those nights, so pick a free night with a free morning after it.
What one night costs, all in
The night price is only part of the bill. For one night, the other parts matter even more. Once you pick your dates, the green “Price Breakdown” card shows:
- The night. Each free day on the calendar shows its own night price, and prices can differ by date.
- “Cleaning fee”. Charged once per stay. On one night, it can be a big share of the bill.
- “Caution deposit (refundable)”. You get it back after check-out, less any agreed damage.
- “Total”. What you pay for the stay.
When you pay, Paystack’s payment processing fee is added. The guest pays it, and you see it before you pay. That fee is not refunded. Longer-stay discounts and free-night offers need more nights, so a one-night stay rarely gets one.
The lesson: two homes with the same night price can have very different totals. Always compare the “Total”. For more on what drives a price, read shortlet prices in Nigeria.
Booking a one-night stay, step by step
- Open a shortlet with a booking box. Look for the booking box on the listing. On a phone, tap “Check availability” at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap your check-in day, then the next day. The second day is your check-out morning. It is not a night you pay for, so this is one night.
- Check for a minimum stay message. If the host needs more nights, you see a message such as “The minimum stay is 2 nights.” Try another shortlet.
- Read the Price Breakdown and the cancellation line. Check the night, the cleaning fee, the refundable caution deposit and the Total, and whether you can cancel for free.
- Press Reserve and pay. Your night is held for 30 minutes while you pay online through Paystack. Paystack’s fee is shown before you pay.
Three things matter more when you book at short notice:
- “Instant booking” or “Host confirms”. The booking box shows one of these. With instant booking, your night is confirmed as soon as you pay. With host confirms, the host has a set time to accept. The standard is 24 hours, and each host can choose a shorter or longer time. For tonight, instant booking is safer.
- The free-cancellation deadline.Each host sets one, at least 24 hours before check-in. If you book after it has passed, the booking cannot be cancelled. The box says “No free cancellation” before you pay.
- Pay now, not later. Pay later keeps your dates for 2 hours. For a same-day stay, pay straight away so the host can get ready.
For more on paying safely, read how to pay for a shortlet safely.
Check-in and check-out on a one-night stay
A one-night stay is short, so plan the arrival. Unless the host changes them, check-in is from 14:00 and check-out is by 11:00 the next morning. The booking box shows the times for each home.
- Get the address. It shows on your stay page once the booking is confirmed, with the host’s directions in “Your stay guide”.
- Tell the host you are there. Press “I have arrived” on your stay page. You can add a note, such as where you are waiting.
- Get the keys. The host hands over the keys and completes your check-in.
- See your codes. Once the host completes your check-in, tap to show your door code and Wi-Fi password on your stay page. They are never sent by email.
- Leave on time. Before you go, press “I am leaving”. The host confirms your check-out.
Arriving late at night? Message your host before you travel. Need to arrive early or leave late? Ask the host before you book, because the next guest may arrive the same day.
Your caution deposit comes back after the host checks the home. Refunds reach you within 14 days at most, and usually in about 5 days. How to arrive and check in shows each screen.
Quick checklist before you book one night
- Does the calendar accept one night, with no minimum stay message?
- Is the “Total” fair once the cleaning fee is added?
- Do you have the money for the caution deposit, which comes back later?
- Does the home confirm at once (“Instant booking”), or will you wait for the host?
- Can you still cancel for free, or is the stay already inside the host’s cancellation period?
- Do the check-in and check-out times fit your plans?
- Is the home close to where you need to be tonight and tomorrow morning?
Seven yeses? Book it. Any no? Message the host first, or pick another home.
Where to find one-night stays
There is no search filter for one-night or bookable homes. A home takes online bookings when its page shows the booking box. These areas suit a quick stay:
- Near the Lagos airport: shortlets in Ikeja, for an early flight or a late arrival.
- Lagos Island business trips: Victoria Island, Lekki Phase 1 and Ikoyi.
- Abuja meetings: Wuse 2, Garki and Maitama.
- Other cities: Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Benin City.
See how booking a shortlet online works, or check dates and prices with our help guide. Host a home near an airport or business district? One-night guests can fill gaps between longer stays: list your shortlet.
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a shortlet for just one night?
Yes, if the host allows one-night stays. Each host sets a minimum stay for their home. Pick one night on the calendar: if the host needs more, the booking box tells you straight away.
Why does it say “The minimum stay is 2 nights”?
The host has chosen a minimum stay longer than one night. It is the same for every date on that home. Add a night, or choose another shortlet that takes one-night guests.
Is there a cleaning fee for one night?
If the host charges one, yes. A cleaning fee is charged once per stay, not per night, so on a one-night stay it is a bigger share of the bill. Compare the Total, not just the night price.
What time can I check in and check out?
The booking box shows it. Unless the host changes them, check-in is from 14:00 (2 in the afternoon) and check-out is by 11:00 (11 in the morning) the next day. For an early or late time, message the host before you book.
Can I cancel a one-night booking?
Only before the host’s free-cancellation deadline, which is at least 24 hours before check-in, and 48 hours if the host has not chosen one. A booking made after that deadline has passed cannot be cancelled. The booking box tells you before you pay.
Can I book a shortlet for a few hours?
No. Shortlets on Cabans are booked by the night, from the check-in time on one day to the check-out time the next.
Do I get my caution deposit back after one night?
Yes, once the host has checked the home after you leave, less anything the Cabans team agrees the host may keep for damage. If the host has not settled it, you can ask our team to release it from 14 days after check-out.
Related guides
How to book a shortlet in Lagos · Pay for a shortlet safely · Shortlet prices in Nigeria · Short let in Ikeja · Short let vs hotel · Shortlet scams: warning signs · Shortlet minimum stay for hosts
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