Properties to Let Cambridge: How to Choose the Right Booking Platform in Cambridge UK

When it comes to properties to let in Cambridge, your choice of booking platform isn’t just a technicality — it shapes your entire rental strategy. From guest type to income level, the platform you use directly affects results. Whether you’re letting a flat for short stays or a house for long-term tenants, here’s how to choose the right platform (or combination of platforms) for your property.

Short Let Platforms: Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia

These platforms dominate the short let Cambridge UK market and attract tourists, professionals, and visiting academics.

Airbnb is great for mid to high-end short stays, with strong brand recognition and guest accountability through reviews. Booking.com often brings in higher volumes but lower guest loyalty — it’s ideal for highly flexible, hotel-style properties. Expedia gives you global exposure, especially for business travellers and package bookers.

Pros:

• High visibility

• Short lead times to fill vacancies

• Pricing tools and review systems

Cons:

• Higher service fees

• Less control over guest communication

• Frequent turnovers and cleaning costs

Mid to Long-Term Platforms: Rightmove, Zoopla, OpenRent, SpareRoom

These are the go-to portals for traditional lets — anything 6 months or more.

Rightmove and Zoopla attract high-quality, long-term tenants including families and professionals. OpenRent is cost-effective for self-managing landlords but offers limited personalisation. SpareRoom suits HMOs and room-by-room lets, often attracting students and early-career renters.

Pros:

• Reliable, longer-term tenants

• Lower turnover and management costs

• Familiar formats for UK renters

Cons:

• Slower to fill vacancies

• Higher upfront marketing effort

Your Own Direct Booking Website

A direct site allows full brand control and the opportunity to build repeat business.

Pros:

• No commission fees

• Better guest loyalty and brand trust

• Opportunity to offer perks or early access

Cons:

• Requires SEO, marketing, and payment tools

• Can take time to build consistent traffic

For Cambridge landlords with multiple Cambridge property lettings, a direct site is a smart long-term asset — especially when paired with other platforms.

Consider Your Property Type and Letting Goal

Before listing, ask yourself:

• Is your flat suited for short term let in Cambridge? List it on Airbnb.

• Is your house family-ready and unfurnished? Try Rightmove or Zoopla.

• Are you offering flexible tenancies to academics? Use both Airbnb and OpenRent.

Tailoring your listing strategy to your property to let in Cambridge helps you earn more and avoid mismatches.

Cambridge Stays Lists Across Multiple Platforms and Optimises for Visibility

At Cambridge Stays, we don’t rely on one platform. We manage listings across Airbnb, Booking.com, Rightmove, and more — plus we drive direct bookings via our own high-performing website. Our multi-platform strategy means more exposure, more bookings, and less downtime.

Not Sure Where to List?

Let us assess your property and your goals. We’ll recommend the best mix of platforms — and manage everything for you, from pricing to reviews. With Cambridge Stays, your properties to let in Cambridge reach the right guests, in the right way, at the right time.