A shortlet and a vacation rental are the same kind of stay: a furnished home you rent by the night, the week or the month. “Shortlet” is the Nigerian word. “Vacation rental” is the American one, and “holiday let” the British one.
The name of the site or app you book on is not a type of home either. What matters is the home itself, the host, the rules and how you pay. This guide explains the words, shows what they share, and lists what to compare on any booking site before you pay. New to the idea? Start with what is a shortlet?
The words, explained
You will see many words for places to stay. This is what each one usually means in Nigeria:
| Word | Where you hear it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Shortlet, short let, short-let | Nigeria and the UK | A furnished home rented by the night, week or month |
| Vacation rental | The United States, and many booking sites | The same as a shortlet |
| Holiday let, holiday home | The UK | The same, often for a trip or a holiday |
| Short-term rental | Everywhere, including laws and news | Any stay shorter than a normal tenancy |
| Serviced apartment | Lagos, Abuja, business travel | A flat in a managed building, with cleaning and security included |
| Guest house | Across Nigeria | Rooms in a house run like a small hotel |
| Long let, yearly rent | Nigeria | A normal tenancy, usually paid a year at a time |
So when someone in Lagos asks for “a nice apartment for the weekend”, they mean a shortlet, whatever site they found it on. For the full meaning of the word, see our complete guide to short lets in Lagos.
What is the same
Whatever the name, these stays share the same basics:
- A whole home. Usually with a kitchen and a living room, not just a bedroom.
- Booked by the night. From one night to several months.
- A host. An owner, a manager or an agent who looks after the home and the guests.
- House rules. On guests, visitors, parties, smoking and noise.
- Check-in and check-out times. Often afternoon in, morning out.
- A cleaning fee and a caution deposit. Many hosts charge both. The deposit comes back after you leave.
See real examples near you: shortlets in Lekki, shortlets in Ikeja or shortlets in Abuja.
What to compare on any booking site
The same home can be listed in more than one place, on different terms. Before you pay anywhere, compare these:
- The total price. Nights, cleaning fee, deposit and any service or payment fee. Not just the night price.
- What is included. Hours of power, water, Wi-Fi, a TV subscription and cleaning during the stay.
- The cancellation terms. Until when you can cancel, and how much comes back.
- How you pay. Online on the booking page is safer than a transfer to a stranger.
- The deposit rules. How much, when it comes back, and who decides if there is damage.
- The house rules. Especially visitors and parties, if you plan either.
- How you get in. A person with keys, a key box or a door code, and what happens if you arrive late.
- Who to call at 2 a.m. When the power trips or the water stops.
- Whether the listing is real. Real photos, a clear area, and a host you can check. Read how listings are verified.
If a deal looks far too good, slow down. Shortlet scams: 10 warning signs shows what to watch for.
Words you will see on a shortlet listing
Listings use a few words of their own. This is what they mean:
- Entire home: you have the whole flat or house to yourself, not a shared room.
- Minimum stay: the fewest nights the host accepts.
- Check-in and check-out time: the earliest you can arrive, and the latest you can leave.
- Cleaning fee: a charge made once per stay, not per night.
- Caution deposit: money held in case of damage, paid back after you leave.
- Instant booking: your stay is confirmed as soon as you pay.
- Host confirms: the host must accept your request after you pay. If they do not, you get your money back.
- Free cancellation: you can cancel until a set time before check-in and get your money back.
If a listing uses a word you do not understand, ask the host before you pay.
Paying in naira
Currency is where a cheap-looking stay can turn expensive. Before you pay, check which currency you will be charged in.
- A price in dollars or pounds is converted by your bank, at its rate, sometimes with a fee.
- Some Nigerian cards have limits on payments in foreign currency.
- A price in naira is what you pay, with no conversion surprise.
Hosts on Cabans set their shortlet prices in naira, so you can compare homes without doing sums.
On Cabans, a shortlet that takes online bookings shows its full price for your dates before you pay. You pay online through Paystack, always in naira. Paystack’s processing fee is added when you pay, and you see it first. That fee is not refunded. What happens after you pay explains the next steps.
Serviced apartments in the mix
Serviced apartments sit between a shortlet and a hotel. They are flats in a managed building, often with:
- cleaning and fresh linen included;
- security, a generator and sometimes a front desk;
- a gym, a pool or a restaurant in the building;
- better deals for stays of a week or more.
They suit business travellers and families on longer stays. Many serviced apartments are also listed as shortlets, so search both words. Browse serviced apartments in Lagos or serviced apartments in Abuja. In Abuja, check the service charge too: Abuja serviced apartment service charges explains it.
Weighing up a hotel instead? Short let vs hotel in Lagos compares them. Staying for months? Read monthly shortlet or rent a flat.
Which kind of stay suits your trip?
The right choice depends on why you are travelling and who is coming with you:
| Your trip | Usually suits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A weekend away with friends | Shortlet | A whole home to share, with a living room and a kitchen |
| A family visit for the holidays | Shortlet | Several bedrooms under one roof, and space for children |
| A one-night business trip | Hotel or shortlet | A hotel has a front desk; a shortlet near the office saves travel time |
| A work posting of a few weeks | Serviced apartment or shortlet | Cleaning and security included, and room to work |
| Waiting to move into a new home | Monthly shortlet | Furnished and ready, with no year’s rent up front |
| A cheap stopover in a small town | Guest house | A simple room, often close to the main road |
Whatever you pick, ask the same questions: what is the full price, what is included, and what happens if your plans change?
Which word should you search?
In Nigeria, search the words people here use:
- “Shortlet in” plus the area, such as “shortlet in Yaba”. This finds the most homes.
- “Serviced apartment”, for longer business stays with services included.
- The number of bedrooms, such as “2 bedroom shortlet in Lekki”, to narrow it down.
Find a shortlet you can book online, or go straight to a size: 2-bedroom shortlets in Lekki. Own a furnished home guests would love? List it as a shortlet.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shortlet the same as a vacation rental?
Yes. Both mean a furnished home you rent by the night, the week or the month. “Shortlet” (or short let) is the word used in Nigeria and the UK. “Vacation rental” is the American word. The home, the rules and the way you pay are what matter, not the name.
What is the difference between a shortlet and a serviced apartment?
A serviced apartment is usually in a managed building, with cleaning, security and sometimes a front desk included. A shortlet can be any furnished home let by the night, from a studio to a duplex. Many serviced apartments are also booked as shortlets.
Is a shortlet the same as a hotel?
No. A hotel rents you a room with daily service. A shortlet rents you a whole home, usually with a kitchen and a living room, and less daily service. For groups and longer stays, a shortlet often gives more space for the money.
Why do Nigerians say “shortlet”?
Nigerian property words often follow British English, where “let” means to rent out. A short let is a let for a short time. Over the years the two words joined into “shortlet”, which is how many people search for it today.
Is a holiday let the same as a shortlet?
Yes. “Holiday let” is the British word for a furnished home rented for a short stay, often for a trip. In Nigeria the same thing is called a shortlet, whether the guest is on holiday or on business.
Can I pay for a shortlet in naira?
Hosts on Cabans set their shortlet prices in naira. Wherever you book, check which currency you will be charged in, because a price in dollars or pounds can cost more naira by the time your bank converts it.
Related guides
Holiday rentals in Nigeria · Short let in Lagos: the complete guide · Short let vs hotel · Shortlet prices in Nigeria · Monthly shortlet or rent · Best areas for a shortlet in Lagos · The Nigerian staycation
Take the next step
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