Two thirds of contractor accommodation requests need beds within a week

4 daysmedian time from enquiry to check-in

65%of requests need beds within a week

23 nightsmedian length of stay

30%of requests are for 5 or more people

Contractor accommodation is usually planned as if crews were booked weeks ahead. Our enquiry data says otherwise. Most requests arrive days before the crew does, and the stays that follow are long.

This note looks at 257 accommodation enquiries we handled between March and October 2026, across the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe. The figures are anonymised and aggregated. There are no client names and no rates.

How far ahead are crews booked?

Not far. The median time from enquiry to check-in was 4 days. 48% of requests needed beds within 3 days and 65% within a week. Only 13% were planned 30 or more days ahead.

That matches what site teams tell us: a start date moves, a subcontractor is added, a shift pattern changes, and the accommodation request follows the same day.

How long do crews stay?

Much longer than the booking window suggests. The median stay was 23 nights. 46% of stays ran 28 nights or longer, and 22% ran 12 weeks or more.

So a request made at 4 days' notice often turns into a stay of a month or more. That gap is where cost is won or lost: a stay booked in a hurry tends to land in whatever is free that night, and stays there.

How big are the teams?

The median team was 3 people. But 30% of requests were for 5 or more people and 13% for 10 or more, which is where a single hotel or a single flat stops being enough.

Does it differ by market?

• UK: 65% of requests needed beds within a week. The median stay was 26.5 nights, and half of stays ran 28 nights or more.
• Outside the UK: teams were bigger. 38% of requests were for 5 or more people and 22% for 10 or more, and 27% of stays ran 12 weeks or more.
• Germany: stays were shorter, with a median of 11 nights, and 67% of requests needed beds within a week.

Measure	All requests (n=257)
Median time from enquiry to check-in	4 days
Beds needed within 3 days	48%
Beds needed within 7 days	65%
Planned 30 or more days ahead	13%
Median length of stay	23 nights
Stays of 28 nights or more	46%
Stays of 12 weeks or more	22%
Median team size	3 people
Requests for 5 or more people	30%
Requests for 10 or more people	13%

What should bookers do differently?

• Plan for short notice. Assume the request will come days before arrival and have the brief ready: dates, headcount, site address, room sharing rules, parking.
• Book for the real length of stay. If the crew is likely to stay a month or more, say so at the start, even if the first booking is one week.
• Use the market that fits the stay. Short stays suit hotels, longer stays suit apartments and monthly lets. Our clients have saved 20-30% by using the correct market for the length of stay.
• Split larger teams early. For 5 or more people, ask for several properties close together rather than waiting for one large one.

Related: When does a crew outgrow hotel rooms? and Our project slipped 6 weeks: what happens to the crew's accommodation?

Method

257 accommodation enquiries handled by Bonjour Residences from March to October 2026, UK, Ireland and Europe. Lead time is measured from the date of enquiry to the requested check-in date. Figures are medians and shares of requests. Country splits with small samples are not shown. Journalists may quote these figures with credit to Bonjour Residences.

FAQ

How much notice do contractors give for crew accommodation?

In our data, a median of 4 days. 65% of requests needed beds within a week and only 13% were planned 30 or more days ahead.

How long does a typical crew stay?

The median stay was 23 nights, and 46% of stays ran 28 nights or more.

How large is a typical crew booking?

The median team was 3 people, but 30% of requests were for 5 or more people.