A lot of attention gets paid to nightly rates when it comes to luxury vacation rentals. But savvy property owners—and guests—know the nightly rate is just one part of the total bill. One of the biggest additional costs is the cleaning fee. So it’s natural to ask: What’s a reasonable price to pay for cleaning?
Well, it depends…
Cleaning fees for luxury vacation rentals in Sonoma County vary depending on several factors:
- Size of the home
- Standard of cleanliness
- Scope of service
- Property manager fee structure
Size of home:
Let’s start with the most obvious factor. Here’s a general sense of what you can expect to pay for cleaning, based on home size, as of 2025. But keep in mind, this is just a starting point—other variables also matter.
| Bedrooms | Bathrooms | House Sq. Ft. | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | 1 Bathroom | 500 - 1K | $150.00 |
| 2 Bedrooms | 1-2 Bathrooms | 900 - 1.5K | $200.00 |
| 3 Bedrooms | 2-3 Bathrooms | 1.2 - 1.8K | $275.00 |
| 3 Bedrooms | 2-3 Bathrooms | 1.9 - 2.5K | $300.00 |
| 4 Bedrooms | 2-3.5 Bathrooms | 2 - 3K | $300.00 |
| 4 Bedrooms | 2-3.5 Bathrooms | 3 - 4K | $350.00 |
| 4 Bedrooms | 2-3.5 Bathrooms | 4 - 5K | $400.00 |
| 5 Bedrooms | 3-5 Bathrooms | 3.5 - 5K | $400.00 |
| 5 Bedrooms | 3-5 Bathrooms | 5 - 6K | $450.00 |
| 6 Bedrooms | 4-6 Bathrooms | 4 - 6K | $500.00 |
| 7 Bedrooms | 5-7 Bathrooms | 5 - 8K | $650.00 |
| 7 Bedrooms | 5-7 Bathrooms | 8 - 10K | $700.00 |
| 8 Bedrooms | 5-7 Bathrooms | 7 - 10K | $700.00 |
| 9 Bedrooms | 6+ Bathrooms | $800.00 | |
| 10 Bedrooms | 7+ Bathrooms | $900.00 |
Standard of cleanliness
Some owners opt for the bare minimum to save on costs. Others treat their home like a micro-resort and invest in top-tier cleaning teams. And yes—we say invest intentionally. Homes that are impeccably maintained tend to get better reviews and more repeat guests, which often more than justifies the higher cleaning spend.
We’ve seen owners who insist on ironed bedsheets for every stay. While not required, it’s no surprise those homes consistently earn rave reviews.
Scope of service
Not all cleanings are created equal. A 3-bed home in suburban Santa Rosa might just need a straightforward interior clean. But as homes get larger—or more unique—the cleaning scope expands.
A riverfront home in Guerneville might need dock cleanup, kayak maintenance, or soot removal. A large estate in Kenwood might have extensive lawns and yard games that need resetting between guests. In these cases, the job extends beyond vacuuming and wiping down countertops—it requires detailed checklists and care that reflect the full guest experience. That additional complexity affects cost.
Property manager fee structure
Another key variable is how the property manager structures their fees, including fees for cleaning.
Man property managers, especially national operators with in-house cleaning teams, mark up the cost of cleaning—fees that are paid by the guest but can impact your bookings and bottom line. Higher fees = fewer bookings, especially when they raise the effective nightly rate.
Even boutique managers can mark up cleanings, so it’s important to understand how your manager makes money. If they earn from every cleaning, they may prioritize occupancy over profitability, leading to lower rates and reduced long-term returns.
Here are three important areas to examine when assessing a property manager’s cleaning approach:
- Guest Experience & RatingsA lower fee might come with lower standards. Check property reviews to understand cleaning quality. A 5.0-star property often reflects attention to detail and premium service.
- Fee TransparencySome managers add hidden fees—markups on cleaning and maintenance costs, booking fees, resort fees, cancellation revenue. Make sure to ask about how things are structured to ensure their incentives are truly aligned with your interests.
- Revenue Optimization, Not Cost MinimizationCleanliness directly drives bookings and repeat guests. This one is a bit subjective but its important to understand how they approach cleaning and vendors from a philosophical perspective. Ask yourself – is the property manager you’re engaging with motivated to deliver quality experiences or efficient economics?
How Vinifera Homes approaches cleaning
At Vinifera Homes, we deeply believe that cleaning is at the core of a successful rental operation. High-quality cleaning is the foundation for strong guest reviews, repeat bookings, and lower maintenance costs.
Frankly, “cleaner” doesn’t fully describe the role of the teams we work with. Our teams handle laundry, inventory, hot tub maintenance, supplies, checklists, quality control, and tech coordination. They’re expected to communicate via platforms like Slack, upload completion photos through Breezeway, and integrate with our systems to ensure smooth operations. Furhermore, every cleaning must be reviewed and approved before it’s marked complete.
Because of this approach, we are highly selective. In one recent screening round, we contacted 20 teams, interviewed 10, and hired just 3. Our clients tend to have large, complex homes, so we only work with providers who can meet our standards.
And unlike many managers, we don’t mark up cleaning fees. Our model is built on aligned incentives—we only earn from revenue-generating activities. Cleaning fees are passed through to guests at cost. That means we’re not tempted to inflate occupancy just to increase cleaning revenue.
Already have a trusted cleaning partner? No problem. If you’re currently self-managing and want to keep your cleaner because they’ve been doing a great job, that’s music to our ears. We’re happy to manage them on your behalf—at no extra charge.
Written by Anish Patel, Head of Owner Relations at Vinifera Homes (anish@viniferahomes.com)
