How to Make an Airbnb Welcome Book to Impress Your Guests  + Template

“Where should we park?” “What’s the WiFi password?” “How do we work the dishwasher?” One or two of these messages as an Airbnb host isn’t too much of a hassle, but an influx of these questions, day after day, is exhausting. 

Constant guest messages can quickly clutter up your week, pulling you away from more important tasks and causing unnecessary stress. But you can minimize these questions by giving your guests all the information they need upfront—in the form of an Airbnb welcome book.

This article explains everything you need to know about vacation rental welcome books, from what to include to how to share them with guests. Plus, we’ve included a customizable guidebook template for you to plug your information into when creating the content for your vacation rental guest book. 

What’s an Airbnb welcome book and why do you need one?

An Airbnb welcome book is a step-by-step guide that compiles all the helpful information your guests need to make the most of their stay at your rental property. This includes arrival details, house and safety rules, appliance instructions, and local recommendations, all of which they can access right on their smartphone to read and refer back to at any time. 

Airbnb guidebooks aren’t just convenient for guests—they also make rental hosts’ and property managers’ lives easier. Some of the benefits of sharing a welcome book include: 

• A better guest experience: Helpful arrival information, detailed instructions on how to work the coffee maker or tv remote, and not having to ask where the extra towels are, all add up to create a comfortable, exceptional stay for your guests.
  
• More 5-star reviews: You can include curated a welcome letter, local transportation information, and local recommendations, like your favorite happy hour joints or the best spots to catch the sunset, wowing guests with a personal touch and bringing you more positive reviews.
• Protection for your properties: When you give your guests house rules and safety guidelines from the start, you’re proactively protecting your properties and appliances from misuse, minimizing repairs and maintenance. 
• Fewer guest messages: Providing information in a convenient house guide means your guests don’t have to be constantly reaching out to you to ask for directions or information on how to connect the WiFi or use the washing machine. 
• More time back in your day: Fewer questions from guests means you don’t have to be glued to your phone whenever you have a stay, giving you more time to focus on growing your business. 
  
  

What to include in your Airbnb welcome book

Your welcome book is as valuable as its content, so you need to cover all the helpful information your guests could need during their stay. Here’s what to feature in your Airbnb welcome guide to help your guests make the most of their time at your Airbnb property. 

Welcome page providing arrival information

No guest wants to arrive at their Airbnb only to realize they don’t know how to find the lockbox or don’t know where to park. Create a warm welcome by providing detailed arrival instructions helps make check-in as smooth as possible for guests, getting their stay off to a great start. 

What information you need to include depends on the nature of your properties, of course—here are some common instructions that could be helpful to include in your Airbnb template:

• Check-in time and general instructions (will someone meet your guest on arrival or do you offer self-check-in?)
• Clear directions with handy visual references
• Parking information
• Where to find and how to open the lockbox
• Detailed instructions on how to work your smart lock with access code
  

Written instructions will help your guests find your place more easily if it’s a little off the beaten path. 

Contact information

While your guests can always message you via the Airbnb app, it can be helpful to provide alternative methods of communication. They also need to know who to reach out to in case of an emergency. So, consider including: 

• How you prefer to be contacted (whether that’s via Airbnb, Vrbo, SMS, or WhatsApp)
• Emergency contact information, whether that’s you, another member or your team, or a neighbor
• Numbers for local services, such as the pharmacy, vet, or taxi

House and safety rules

Airbnb house rules help make sure your guest has the best possible stay, but they also help you protect your properties and prevent harm. Also, including house rules in your welcome guidebook can provide you with some protection in the case of a dispute. 

In this section, you should include: 

• Pet policies, smoking policies, and guest policies
• Guidelines on noise levels and parties
• Instructions on keeping the house secure, like locking up upon departure
• Safety tips such as where to find the fire extinguisher, the location of the first aid kit, or how to operate the security alarm

Property information

Remember, your guests are arriving at a property that’s completely foreign to them. So while it may seem obvious to you where they can find the trash or switch for the fridge, having this information at their fingertips in their digital Airbnb welcome book will give your guests a more convenient and functional stay. 

Your property information section could include helpful house manaul details like:

• How to open a tricky backdoor lock or bathroom window
• How to control the thermostat and air conditioning
• Where to find cleaning supplies, extra linens, or kitchen items like herbs and utensils
  

Instructions for appliances and electronics

You may think your oven is easy to operate, but you’re always better off providing your guests with detailed instructions on how to work the appliances and electronics at your vacation home. Include information about: 

• WiFi access details (provide this in multiple locations within your welcome book, a physical note that’s easily seen, and a welcome message on the morning of arrival)
• How to work kitchen appliances, like your coffee maker, cooktop, and dishwasher
• How to work electronics, like your television and sound system
• How guests can make the most of your smart home devices, like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant
• How guests can connect to their own personal accounts on your devices, like Spotify or Netflix

Giving your guests the WiFi password up front means they don’t have to message you to ask for it. 

Local recommendations

Here’s your chance to shine: Sharing your local recommendations helps ensure your guests have a special, memorable stay.  You can suggest a favorite restaurant, recommend a secluded beach, or tell guests about those places only the locals visit. 

When curating your list of recommendations, consider your audience—are your guests business travelers? Families? Couples? Hikers or surfers? Suggest places and activities that connect your guests with the unique characteristics of the property’s local area. For example:

• The best breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots
• Where to find locally produced artisan goods
• Must-see attractions
• Your favorite walks
• How to keep the kids entertained
• Romantic vistas and at what time
• Tips on transportation, tours, and ticketing
• Nightlife hot spots

Customizable Airbnb welcome book template

Adapt this editable template to your needs, customizing it to include property-specific information and anything else your Airbnb guests might need: 

Welcome to [Your Property Name] - Your Home Away from Home

We are thrilled to have you as our guest and look forward to ensuring your stay is comfortable and memorable. This welcome book is designed to provide you with all the information you need to make the most of your time here.

Whether you're here for a short visit or an extended stay, we want you to feel at home. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the information provided, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need help during your stay.

Arrival Information

Check-in and Check-out instructions

• Check-in Time: We're ready to welcome you from [Check-in Time].
• Check-out Time: We kindly request that you check out by [Check-out Time] so we can prepare for our next guests.

Parking

• [Explain the parking options available to guests, including any parking permits or restrictions.]

Access information

• Upon your arrival, access the property with [Access Details]. If you have any trouble finding them, feel free to give us a call at [Your Phone Number].

Contact Information

• Host Name: [Your Name]
• Phone Number: For any questions or concerns during your stay, don't hesitate to reach out at [Your Phone Number].
• Email: We're also available by email at [Your Email Address].
• Address: [Your Property Address]
  

For non-emergency inquiries or assistance, please feel free to contact us at any time. Also, here are some local services you may find useful:
[List of Local Services with Phone Numbers]

House and Safety Rules

To ensure everyone's safety and a comfortable experience, we kindly ask you to follow these guidelines:

• No Smoking: We have a strict no-smoking policy inside the property. Please use the designated outdoor areas.
• No Pets: As much as we love animals, we can't accommodate pets in our property.
• Quiet Hours: Please be considerate of our neighbors and maintain quiet hours from [Start Time] to [End Time].
• Guest Limit: The maximum number of guests allowed in the property is [Maximum Number of Guests].
• [Add any other specific house rules.]
  

Property Information

Wi-Fi Access

• Network Name: [Your Wi-Fi Network Name]

• Password: [Your Wi-Fi Password]

Heating and Cooling

• [Provide instructions on how to adjust the heating and cooling systems to your preferred comfort level.]

Security

• We take your security seriously. You'll find [Describe Security Features] in place to keep you safe and secure.

Miscellaneous

• You can find extra linens and towels in [Linens and Towels Location]. If you need any cleaning supplies, you’ll find them [Cleaning Supplies Location].

Instructions for Appliances and Electronics

Kitchen Appliances

• [Offer instructions for the stove, oven, microwave, dishwasher, and any other kitchen appliances.]

Entertainment

• To use the smart TV and sound system, [Smart TV and Sound System Instructions].

Laundry

• If you need to do laundry, we've got a washing machine and dryer for your convenience. To operate the washer and dryer, [ Washer and Dryer Instructions].

Local Recommendations

We want you to explore and enjoy our local area, so here are some personal recommendations:

Restaurants

• [Favorite Local Restaurants, Cafes, and Dishes.]

Attractions

• [Top Local Attractions and Hidden Gems.]

Grocery Stores

• For your grocery needs, we recommend [ Recommended Grocery Stores], where you can find fresh produce, local treats, and more.

Thank you for choosing [Your Property Name] as your home away from home. We hope you have a fantastic stay. If you have any questions, need assistance, or simply want to share your experience with us, please feel free to get in touch.

How to easily share your welcome book with your guests

Creating your welcome book is just the first step. Now you need to share it, which you can do with automated Airbnb messages—this will save you time and make sure the guest always has it before check-in. 

For example, Breezeway automatically pulls reservation data from your property management system (PMS) to personalize a pre-check-in message that includes a link to your Airbnb guestbook. You can also use one of our customizable templates to prepare a pre-arrival message that links out to your welcome book. 

What’s more, Breezeway helps you make the most of your digital guidebook by making it interactive for guests. So, if an issue arises during their stay, the guest can report it right in your digital guide. Then, you can instantly create an Airbnb cleaning or maintenance task—so it’s addressed right away, making the process quick, reliable, and hands-off. 

The Breezeway Guide is easy to share with guests and ensures they have the smoothest stay possible, from arrival to check-out. 

Create a welcome book in just minutes with Breezeway 

If you want to bring in more bookings, reach Airbnb Superhost status, and grow your business, each guest’s stay needs to exceed their expectations, and a welcome book can help you do that. The good news is that creating a welcome book for your guests doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. 

With Breezeway Guide, you can set up a welcome book in minutes. Guide automatically fills in your property details from your Airbnb listing or your PMS, and once you add personalized information, like curated recommendations and house rules, you can automatically share it with guests via Breezeway’s messaging platform. 

Not only do your guests get all the information they need about your property at their fingertips, but they can also report maintenance issues right within the welcome book, simplifying the process for everyone. 

This smoother guest experience not only means better reviews, but also fewer guest messages and calls to answer. This gives you more time to focus on bigger-picture concerns like growing your short-term rental business.