(CNN) — Forget checking into a hotel for a long weekend or a week. In the wake of Covid-19, travelers around the world are booking stays that last a month or even longer.
According to hoteliers globally, it's a pattern that started this summer when their properties reopened after being shuttered for several months. This trend appears to be continuing through the fall everywhere from Aspen and Ontario to all over Mexico and in Italy.
Dede Moan, the owner of Southampton Inn, in Southampton, New York, for instance, says that she has around a dozen reservations for month-long stays in August and September this year, compared with a handful last year.
At Timbers Kauai, 25% of current guests are staying for a month or longer.
Courtesy Timbers Kauai
Auberge Resorts Collection, with 19 properties globally, has several dozen long-term stays in the fall, compared with few to none last year, says chief marketing officer Mike Minchin.
And Timbers Resorts, with 17 international locations, reports a rise in stays of 30 or more days in at least a half dozen properties. One example is the Timbers Kauai where 25% of current guests are staying for a month or longer.
Aldo Melpignano, the owner of Borgo Egnazia, a 250-acre resort in Puglia, Italy, reports the same elevated numbers. "Normally, we have one or two guests staying with us that long, but this year, it's been a flood," he says.
"The global lockdown has led to a whole new way of thinking about hotel stays," says Andrew Steinberg, a luxury travel adviser with Ovation Travel in New York City. "People have been homebound for a while, and while they have more freedom now, they're still working remotely and have wanderlust. A long-term stay changes up the environment while allowing them to stay connected to work."
City, country, mountains, sea
Most of the travelers who are booking these multi-week reservations live in urban or suburban areas, says Steinberg, and are seeking resorts in country, mountain and beach settings where they can enjoy plenty of open space and outdoor activities.
"These properties are spread out, which allows for automatic social distancing and make guests feel more comfortable and safer about their stays," he says.
India-based Cecilia Morelli chose a long-term stay for her family at Borgo Egnazia in Puglia for its expansive size and amenities.
Courtesy Borgo Egnazia
Cecilia Morelli and her husband Rohan Parikh are one example: the Mumbai, India-based couple, who have Italian passports, left the country with their five-year-old daughter in May as soon as the Indian government reinstated flights for European citizens to Europe.
They flew to France and then headed to Italy where they checked into Borgo Egnazia for a month (their stay is ending in early August).
They chose the property, says Morelli, for its expansive size and long list of amenities including two beaches, a golf course, tennis courts, a pool, a spa, a large fitness center and multiple dinin
