Weekender vs. Cohova: NWA Vacation Rental Management Compared
If you own a vacation rental in Northwest Arkansas and you’re evaluating management companies, you’ve probably narrowed your search to two names: Weekender Management and Cohova. Both are established vacation rental management companies in NWA with strong reputations—and both want your business.
I’m Garrett Ham, founder and CEO of Weekender Management. So yes, I have a stake in this comparison. But I also know that the best way to earn your trust is to give you accurate, verifiable information—including where Cohova genuinely excels. I know the Cohova team and respect what they’ve built. This comparison relies on publicly available data, third-party analytics from Airbtics and AirDNA, and our own published metrics so you can verify everything yourself.
Let’s get into the data.
At-a-Glance Comparison
| Weekender Management | Cohova | |
|---|---|---|
| Management Fee | 25% of gross booking revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| Occupancy Rate | 68% average (self-reported) | 62% (Airbtics estimate) |
| Guest Rating | 4.92 stars on Airbnb, 3,800+ reviews | 4.9 on Airbnb (Airbtics); 4.8 on Google (self-reported) |
| Properties Managed | 65+ across 3 states | ~150+ listings (Airbtics) |
| Primary Markets | NWA + Branson + St. Charles + Orlando | NWA + KS, OK, MO |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Cleaning | In-house team | Included (model not publicly detailed) |
| Maintenance Response | Emergency: immediate; urgent: within 24 hrs | 1-hour response (advertised) |
| Dynamic Pricing | PriceLabs + daily manual adjustments | Not publicly detailed |
| Performance Guarantee | Up to $5,000 credit (conditions apply) | Not advertised |
| Real Estate Services | Licensed broker (AR, MO, FL) | Real estate + rentals |
| Veteran-Owned | Yes (SDVOSB-certified) | Not disclosed |
| Fee Transparency | All fees published on site | ”No hidden fees”—details on request |
Data sourced from company websites, Airbtics third-party analytics, and AirDNA’s 2025 U.S. Short-Term Rental Outlook as of March 2026.
Company Profiles
Weekender Management
We’re a veteran-owned, SDVOSB-certified vacation rental management company headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. I founded Weekender after careers as an Army and Air Force JAG officer and licensed attorney, and that background shapes how we operate—transparent pricing, disciplined systems, and a bias toward data over intuition. As a licensed real estate broker in Arkansas, Missouri, and Florida and a licensed Arkansas attorney, I bring both legal and regulatory compliance expertise to an industry where short-term rental regulations are evolving rapidly. We manage properties across Northwest Arkansas, Branson/SW Missouri, St. Charles/Greater St. Louis, and Orlando, with hands-on listing optimization driven directly by company ownership. Our published fees and property-level tracking reflect how we operate—transparent, data-driven, and accountable to every owner.
Cohova
Cohova is the largest locally-owned short-term rental management company in Northwest Arkansas, managing an estimated 150+ listings according to Airbtics third-party data. They operate across NWA destinations including Rogers, Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale, Eureka Springs, and Bella Vista with additional presence in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. Cohova also offers real estate services through licensed broker Ryan Boggs—Cohova Properties holds Arkansas brokerage license PB00089075 and Oklahoma license 208378 per KeyCrew.
They also offer corporate travel solutions—a diversified model that distinguishes them from management-only companies. They report offices in Bentonville, Fayetteville, and Rogers, with their headquarters in Lowell, AR.
Services Comparison
Both companies offer full-service vacation rental management, but the approaches differ in meaningful ways:
Listing optimization: Weekender provides hands-on listing optimization with direct involvement from company ownership, using SEO optimization and data-driven copywriting across Airbnb, VRBO, Booking, and Expedia. Cohova distributes to 100+ platforms including Marriott—a broader channel strategy with centralized optimization. Both approaches have merit. Broad distribution reaches more potential guests; per-property optimization tends to produce stronger rankings on the dominant platforms.
Cleaning and turnover: Weekender operates an in-house cleaning team with standardized procedures and quality inspections. Cohova includes cleaning services as part of their management offering; their specific cleaning model is not publicly detailed. In-house teams offer direct quality control; vendor networks offer scalability and flexibility. Both models can deliver excellent results—the key is accountability and consistency.
Maintenance: Both offer 24/7 support. Cohova advertises maintenance at your home in an hour or less, which is impressive. Weekender combines preventive maintenance—scheduled inspections and proactive repairs designed to prevent emergencies—with rapid response when issues do arise. Emergency issues are handled immediately, and urgent but non-emergent issues are typically resolved within 24 hours. Ideally, you want both: prevention first, fast response when something still goes wrong.
Guest communication: Weekender runs a 24/7 guest support team with structured communication templates and review management. Cohova provides local team support and booking management. Cohova’s scale—4.8 Google average from what they report as 8,000+ 5-star reviews—speaks to effective guest management at volume. Weekender’s 4.92 Airbnb rating reflects a per-property focus on guest experience optimization.
Pricing and Fees
This is where the comparison gets concrete—and where your decision might ultimately hinge. Understanding the true cost of Airbnb property management requires looking beyond the headline percentage. For a full breakdown of how vacation rental management fees work, see our detailed guide.
Weekender Management: 25% of gross booking revenue
Our fee structure is published on our website. The 25% Airbnb management fee covers multi-platform listing management, cleaning coordination and scheduling, 24/7 guest support, dynamic pricing, marketing, guest communication, financial reporting, and tax documentation. Additional costs include a one-time $500 onboarding fee (typically waived for properties already operating as STRs that switch to Weekender), in-house maintenance at $50/hour, and a 10% coordination fee on outside vendor work. Cleaning fees are charged to guests at actual cost and retained by Weekender to cover our in-house cleaning team—not an additional profit center. That’s the complete picture—no surprises. When owners ask how much do Airbnb property managers charge, we think the answer should be available before you ever pick up the phone.
Cohova: Fee structure not publicly detailed
Cohova advertises “full transparency on pricing, with no hidden fees and no surprises” but does not publish a specific management fee percentage. Pricing requires direct inquiry and may vary by property or market. Their services include listing management, cleaning, maintenance, guest support, and distribution to 100+ platforms. The industry standard for full-service short-term rental property management fees ranges from 20–40%, depending on the service level and market, so their rate likely falls within that range.
My take: I believe owners deserve to know what they’ll pay before they pick up the phone. That’s why we publish everything—including our $500 onboarding fee, $50/hour maintenance rate, and 10% vendor coordination fee. The real Airbnb property management cost only becomes clear when you factor in onboarding fees, cleaning fee policies, and maintenance charges—so I’d encourage you to request a complete, written fee breakdown from Cohova so you can compare the true total cost of management.
Switching Management Companies?
Property owners who switch to Weekender before May 1, 2026 receive three months of management commission free.
On a property earning $2,500/month, that's over $1,800 in savings.
Claim Your Free Months →Performance: What the Data Shows
Performance data is where a comparison gets real—or falls apart. Here’s what we know from published sources and third-party analytics.
Occupancy
Weekender’s portfolio averaged 68% occupancy in 2025—approximately 24% above the national average of roughly 55%, based on AirDNA’s 2025 U.S. Short-Term Rental Outlook (which forecast occupancy rebounding to approximately 54.9%). That figure also exceeds the Northwest Arkansas market average of approximately 52–57%, per AirDNA market data. This is self-reported data from our internal systems. Airbtics estimates Cohova’s occupancy at 62%, also above both the national and local market averages—a solid number. Both companies outperform the market.
Guest Satisfaction
Weekender reports a 4.92-star Airbnb rating across 3,800+ reviews. Airbtics independently estimates Cohova’s Airbnb rating at 4.9 stars across approximately 150+ listings—an excellent number. Cohova also reports a 4.8 average on Google from 8,000+ 5-star reviews on their landing page. Both companies clearly deliver strong guest experiences. There’s no meaningful gap here.
Average Daily Rate
Airbtics estimates Cohova’s average daily rate at $307 with approximately $54,897 in average annual revenue per listing. Weekender does not publish a portfolio-wide ADR figure because we believe property-specific projections are more useful than averages—a 3-bedroom in Bentonville and a lake house near Branson have very different rate profiles. We’re happy to provide ADR data for properties comparable to yours during a free consultation, or you can get an instant estimate using our income estimator tool.
Market Focus
Weekender operates across three states with focus in each market: Northwest Arkansas (including Bentonville, Rogers, and Fayetteville), Branson/SW Missouri, St. Charles/Greater St. Louis, and Orlando. As a licensed real estate broker in Arkansas, Missouri, and Florida, I bring market-specific knowledge and regulatory expertise to each region.
Cohova covers a broader geographic footprint across four states (AR, KS, OK, MO) with brokerage licenses in Arkansas and Oklahoma. In practice, Airbtics data and their own website suggest the majority of their listings are in NWA.
Strengths and Considerations
Where Weekender Stands Out
- Published pricing: 25% rate with all additional fees disclosed upfront
- Strong occupancy: 68% portfolio average, well above both national (~55%) and NWA market (~52–57%) averages
- Direct ownership involvement: Listings optimized by company leadership with direct access to ownership for every property
- Performance guarantee: Up to $5,000 credit if first-year projections aren’t met (conditions apply; see Management Agreement)
- Veteran-owned: SDVOSB-certified, military discipline and accountability
- Legal and compliance expertise: Licensed Arkansas attorney and licensed real estate broker in three states—increasingly valuable as STR regulations evolve
- Preventive maintenance: Proactive systems designed to avoid costly emergencies, with immediate response for true emergencies
Where Cohova Stands Out
- Scale and presence: ~150+ listings (per Airbtics), physical offices across NWA, significant year-over-year growth
- Strong guest ratings: 4.9 Airbnb average (Airbtics), 4.8 Google from 8,000+ 5-star reviews (self-reported)
- Multi-state operations: Licensed in AR and OK, serving four states
- Integrated services: Real estate division with licensed broker alongside STR management
- Rapid maintenance response: 1-hour maintenance response (advertised)
- Broad distribution: 100+ platforms including Marriott
Honest Limitations
Weekender: Smaller portfolio (~65+ vs. ~150+), and our performance metrics are self-reported without independent audit.
Cohova: Fee structure not published, and occupancy and ADR data not publicly available (we relied on third-party estimates).
Which Company Is Right for You?
Rather than tell you to choose us (I’m biased), here’s a framework for evaluating any vacation rental property manager. Choosing the best vacation rental management company for your property depends on your specific priorities:
Choose Weekender if your top priorities are transparent pricing, direct access to company ownership, deep NWA market expertise, veteran-owned values, and a performance guarantee. We’re the better fit for owners who want to know exactly what they’re paying and want direct involvement from company leadership in managing their property.
Choose Cohova if you need broader NWA regional coverage, want real estate services alongside rental management, or prefer a larger established operation. Cohova may be a good fit for owners who want a one-stop shop for STR management and real estate transactions.
Ask both of us this question: “What was the average occupancy rate and guest rating for properties like mine last year?” That single question forces transparency. If either company can’t answer it clearly, keep looking. See our guide on what to ask before hiring a property manager for more.
Ready to explore your options?
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Schedule a Free Call →Frequently Asked Questions
Does fee percentage matter if one company performs better?
Fee percentage is only one part of the total cost equation. A company charging 25% but delivering 75% occupancy may net you more than one charging 20% with 50% occupancy. Evaluate total management cost—including onboarding, cleaning, and maintenance fees—against projected net income. Ask both companies for property-specific projections.
Is distributing to 100+ platforms better than optimizing a few?
Not necessarily. Airbnb and VRBO dominate U.S. short-term rental bookings, and both platforms reward optimized listings with stronger search placement. Distributing to 100+ channels isn’t bad—but the quality of optimization on each channel matters as much as the number of channels. Read more about how platform optimization works.
How reliable are the ratings each company reports?
Weekender’s 4.92-star rating is based on Airbnb reviews. Cohova’s 4.9 Airbnb rating comes from Airbtics third-party data; their 4.8 Google average is self-reported from their website. No industry standard exists for aggregating ratings across platforms, so treat both as approximate indicators.
Should I worry about choosing a smaller company?
Weekender has the infrastructure to handle peak season demand including events like Walmart Shareholders Week. The relevant question isn’t portfolio size—it’s whether the company has the systems, team depth, and track record to manage your property well. Ask both companies for owner references with properties similar to yours.
What about the performance guarantee?
Our guarantee offers up to $5,000 as a credit toward future management fees if first-year income doesn’t meet projections based on AirDNA market data. It applies to the first year and is governed by the Management Agreement. Our full terms are publicly available for review before you sign—we believe that’s how it should be.
How much do Airbnb property managers charge?
Full-service Airbnb management fees typically range from 20% to 40% of gross booking revenue, depending on the company, service level, and market. Weekender Management charges a published 25% management fee that covers listing optimization, cleaning coordination and scheduling, guest communication, dynamic pricing, and more. Our full fee schedule—including our $500 onboarding fee, $50/hour maintenance rate, and 10% vendor coordination fee—is published on our pricing page. We recommend requesting equally detailed fee breakdowns from any company you’re considering so you can compare the true total cost of Airbnb property management. For a deeper dive, see our guide to vacation rental management costs.
The Bottom Line
Both Weekender Management and Cohova are strong options for NWA property owners. I wouldn’t publish this comparison if I didn’t respect Cohova’s position in the market—they’ve earned their scale and reputation.
Here’s what I believe sets us apart: we publish our fees, we publish our performance data, and every property gets direct access to company ownership. As a licensed Arkansas attorney and licensed real estate broker in three states, I bring legal and regulatory compliance expertise that’s increasingly important in this industry. If those things matter to you, let’s talk. If Cohova’s scale or integrated real estate services better match your needs, I’d genuinely encourage you to explore that option.
The worst decision is no decision—a property sitting under mediocre management costs you real money every month. Whether you choose us or Cohova, choose someone who can show you the data.
Get a free property evaluation and income projection →
Limited Time: Switch Before May 1
Property owners who switch to Weekender Management before May 1, 2026 receive three months of management commission free.
That's potentially $1,500–$2,500+ in savings, depending on your property's revenue.
Get Your Free Property Evaluation →Offer available for new Weekender clients switching from another management company. Subject to Management Agreement terms.
Methodology: This article is published by Weekender Management. All company data, ratings, and property counts were sourced from company websites, Airbtics third-party analytics, KeyCrew independent analysis, and public review platforms as of March 2026. Weekender’s 4.92-star rating is from Airbnb reviews; our 68% occupancy is self-reported from internal systems. Cohova’s occupancy (62%) and ADR ($307) are third-party estimates from Airbtics and have not been independently verified by Weekender Management. Cohova’s 4.8 Google rating and 8,000+ 5-star review count are self-reported from their website. Industry benchmarks reference AirDNA’s 2025 U.S. Short-Term Rental Outlook, which forecast national occupancy rebounding to approximately 54.9%. We encourage readers to verify all claims independently and to request current data directly from each company. Ratings, fees, and operational details may change.
Sources: Weekender Management · Cohova NWA Services · Cohova Vacation Rental Management · Cohova Corporate · Cohova Real Estate · Airbtics: Cohova Properties Analysis · KeyCrew: Cohova Properties · AirDNA 2025 U.S. Short-Term Rental Outlook · AirDNA: Property Manager Fees · iGMS: Vacation Rental Management Fees
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