Host Guides › What to Put in an Airbnb Welcome Book
What to Put in an Airbnb Welcome Book
Ask any group of hosts whether guests read the welcome book and you'll get a mix of eye-rolls and "mine do." The difference is usually the book itself. A welcome book that opens with three paragraphs about the history of the house gets skipped. One that puts the Wi-Fi password, parking and door code on the first page gets used, and it saves you messages.
Here are the 10 sections worth including, what to put in each, and how to format the book so guests find answers in seconds.
The rule that makes a welcome book work: answers first
Guests open your welcome book with a question: What's the Wi-Fi? Where do we park? How does the TV work? What time is check-out? Your job is to answer that question before they reach for their phone to message you.
So structure the book like a reference guide, not a story:
- Most-asked information on the first pages. Everything a guest needs in the first hour goes up front.
- Short sections with clear headings. Guests scan; they don't read cover to cover.
- One topic per page where possible. "Kitchen" shouldn't hide inside "House information."
- Same information everywhere. The welcome book, your listing, your check-in message and any digital guidebook should all say the same thing. Conflicting details create more questions.
1. Welcome letter (short)
Two or three sentences: welcome them, say you hope they enjoy the stay and tell them how to reach you. A personal touch here helps, but keep it brief. The useful information comes next.
2. "At a glance" page
This is the most important page in the book. Put it first, or make it a separate card guests see as soon as they walk in:
- Address (for deliveries and ride-shares)
- Check-in and check-out times
- Wi-Fi network and password, ideally with a scan-to-join QR code so guests connect without typing
- Parking: where, how many cars, any permits
- Door code or lock instructions
- Trash and recycling day
- How to reach you (and your response hours) plus a backup contact
If a guest only ever reads one page, this should be it.
3. Arrival in three steps
A short, numbered sequence for the first ten minutes: park here, enter the code here, start here (for example: thermostat, lights, where the welcome basket is). Numbered steps are easier to follow than paragraphs, especially for guests arriving late and tired.
4. Guest FAQ
List the questions guests actually ask you. Go through your message history: whatever you've answered more than twice belongs here. Common ones include:
- Can we check in early or check out late?
- Where are extra towels, blankets and pillows?
- How do we use the TV and streaming apps?
- Is there coffee? What kind of machine?
- How does the shower, washer or dishwasher work?
- Where does trash go, and when is pickup?
- What do we do if the power or Wi-Fi goes out?
Keep each answer to one or two lines and point to where the item is in the home.
5. House rules, with the reason behind each one
Rules work better when guests understand why they exist. "Quiet hours 10 PM to 8 AM. Our neighbors are families with young kids" reads as a reasonable request, not a scolding.
Your welcome book rules should match the rules in your listing. Airbnb lets hosts set standard rules on the listing (things like pets, events, smoking, quiet hours, guest count and check-in/check-out times) and add additional rules (Airbnb Help: house rules). Guests agree to listing rules when they book, so the welcome book should remind them of those rules, not introduce new ones after they arrive.
Typical topics: maximum occupancy, quiet hours, smoking and vaping, pets, parties and events, parking, pool or hot tub safety and anything specific to the property (stairs, a septic system, a shared driveway).
6. How the home works
Short instructions for anything guests might struggle with:
- Thermostat and any heating quirks
- TV, streaming and sound system
- Coffee maker, oven, induction cooktop, dishwasher
- Washer and dryer, with a note on which detergent to use
- Fireplace, grill, hot tub or pool (with safety notes)
- Window coverings, fans, garage door
A photo of a confusing control panel with an arrow often beats a paragraph.
7. Local guide with opinions
Generic lists of "restaurants nearby" aren't very useful; guests can search Google Maps. What they can't get elsewhere is your take. Include:
- Your favorite spots for coffee, breakfast, dinner and takeout, with one line on why
- Drive or walk times from the property
- The nearest grocery store, pharmacy and gas station
- One or two things to do on a rainy day
- Seasonal suggestions if your area changes through the year
Check this section every few months so nothing on it has closed.
8. Essentials and safety
This is the page you hope nobody needs, so make it easy to find:
- Emergency number (911 in the US) and the property address to give dispatchers
- Nearest urgent care and hospital
- Location of the first-aid kit, fire extinguisher and flashlight
- Water shut-off and electrical panel locations
- What to do if a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm sounds
- How to reach you or your local contact in an urgent situation
9. Check-out steps (keep it short)
Long chore lists are a common complaint in guest reviews. Ask only for what genuinely matters and that you've disclosed in your listing, for example: start the dishwasher, put trash in the outside bin, turn off the lights, lock the door. Four or five lines is plenty. Airbnb also lets hosts add check-out instructions to the listing, so keep both versions consistent.
10. Thank-you page
End warmly. Thank guests, invite them to message you directly with anything that could be better and mention that you'd appreciate a review. Keep the review request simple and honest. Airbnb's reviews policy doesn't allow offering anything of value in exchange for a review or pressuring guests about ratings (Airbnb Help: reviews policy).
Formatting tips that make guests read it
- Print it and keep it where guests land, such as the kitchen counter or entry table. A binder or bound booklet survives better than loose pages.
- Use large headings and plenty of white space. It should be readable at arm's length.
- Add a digital copy. Many hosts paste the same text into a digital guidebook app or the house manual field on their listing, and send a link in the check-in message.
- Put the Wi-Fi details on a small standalone card too. It's the single most-asked question.
- Date it and review it twice a year. Update codes, appliances, local recommendations and seasonal notes.
- Make it platform-neutral. If you list on Airbnb, Vrbo and direct, one book that doesn't name a platform works for every guest.
Quick checklist
- ☐ Welcome letter (short)
- ☐ At-a-glance page with Wi-Fi QR code
- ☐ Arrival in three steps
- ☐ Guest FAQ from your real message history
- ☐ House rules that match your listing, with reasons
- ☐ How the home works
- ☐ Local guide with your opinions and drive times
- ☐ Essentials and safety
- ☐ Short check-out steps
- ☐ Thank-you page with an honest feedback and review request
Skip the blank page
If you'd rather edit than write from scratch, the Key & Kit Guest Welcome Book has all ten sections, 12 pages of real sample text written to be adapted (not lorem ipsum), a scan-to-join Wi-Fi QR card and a host setup page that walks you through personalizing it in about 30 minutes. You get a print-ready PDF and an editable file for Word, Google Docs and Pages, so no Canva account is needed.
See the Guest Welcome Book template →
Hosting with a cleaner? Pair your welcome book with our free one-page Apartment Turnover Card so the home looks the way your welcome book promises.
Key & Kit isn't affiliated with Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com. Platform names are used only to describe compatibility. Check each platform's current policies when you set your rules.