Providing your guests with an Airbnb guest manual is a fantastic way to save you, the Airbnb host, time and hassle, and get more bookings. An Airbnb guest manual is a set of instructions and notes written by you that is made available to guests online or on the Airbnb app when they have a booking for your vacation rental property.
Read on to find out why you should take the time to write an Airbnb welcome book, or get an expert to write one for you, and what to include in it.
What Should be Included in an Airbnb Guest Manual?
In an Airbnb guest manual, you should include the Wi-Fi password for the property, instructions regarding parking their vehicles or directions from local public transport, and instructions on how to use appliances and electronics in the vacation rental property. You should include instructions on how to get to local amenities and how to use amenities within the property, such as recycling and rubbish collection. You may also want to include emergency information, for example, what to do in the event of a fire, and your contact details, in case your guests do not have them saved.
Why Should I Write an Airbnb Guest Manual?
You should provide your guests with an Airbnb welcome book to save yourself time, prevent damages and breakages in your short-term rental property, make your guests’ stay more effortless and enjoyable, and make sure your guests respect your house rules and any agreements you have with neighboring properties. Going the extra mile is one of the easiest ways to stand out from other hosts.
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To Save You Time
Firstly, having an Airbnb manual that your guests can refer to when they have a question saves you countless hours of messages to and from. Instead of answering questions that you receive from every guest, you can simply refer them to your manual when they make a booking. That way, they will be able to find details like the Wi-Fi password and instructions for the TV without getting in contact with you. Putting this kind of system in place is worth the initial time investment as it helps to make your income stream more passive and make the booking process smoother.
To Prevent Damage and Breakages
The less that guests have to look for or figure out on their own, the less likely they are to cause accidental damage or breakages. If you know, for example, that the lock on the front door is stiff, you can let guests know how to best open the door so that you don’t end up with a door that has been forced open and a lock that is now broken.
“Please bear in mind that this characterful property was built over 100 years ago, and as such, it is more delicate than a modern building! Avoid slamming the doors and windows as this may cause damage. Creaky floorboards are perfectly normal in this property!”
In the example above, the host has reminded guests of some of the pitfalls of an older building in a light-hearted way. This makes the request to avoid damage seem very reasonable, as it is part of respecting the older architecture.
To Make it Easy for Your Guests
Provide simple instructions for your guests to look through if they stumble across a problem. Especially after a long day of traveling, your guests may not want to spend hours figuring out how the air conditioning works, or how to log into their Netflix account on the TV. Make it as easy as possible for your guests to find what they need by providing clear, short instructions for common tasks.
Read more about what to include in your Airbnb house manual to create a better stay for your guests.
To Respect Neighbours
Providing a guest manual is a great way to respect any agreements you have with your neighbors when it comes to things like parking, noise, and outdoor space. Provide detailed instructions for where your guests can park their vehicle, to avoid disagreements with neighbors over parking spaces!
“Samuel, our lovely neighbor, shares a driveway with us. He typically parks his van on the left-hand side of the drive, closest to the white fence. As such, please make sure to park your vehicle on the right-hand side, and never block in another vehicle without asking first!”
In this example, the issue of parking is addressed in a friendly way, encouraging guests to be respectful of the neighbor’s parking space.
To Avoid Negative Guest Reviews
If a guest can’t find a particular password, item, or appliance, they may assume that you don’t have one, and worse, that you falsely advertised the short-term rental property. They may give you a call at unsociable hours, or bombard you with a string of messages to try and fix the problem. Throw in a time difference between you and them and you have a recipe for a negative guest review!
Learn how to respond to negative guest reviews.
What is the Difference Between an Airbnb Guest Manual and an Airbnb Guidebook?
An Airbnb welcome book/guest manual is a specific set of pre-written instructions and notes about the property or location for your guests to follow when they check in to the vacation rental property. It will typically include instructions for how to work appliances and electronics, including connecting to Wi-Fi, and instructions for parking a vehicle or finding the property from nearby public transport.
An Airbnb guidebook, on the other hand, is a digital guidebook where you can share personal recommendations for the local area including coffee shops, bars, and restaurants, shopping and sightseeing attractions. If you offer any Airbnb experiences, this would be the place to include them. You can upload your guide to your Airbnb listing, share it with guests, and even print it out for easy reference.
Read more about my Airbnb guidebook-writing services.
What Should be in an Airbnb Guidebook?
In your Airbnb guidebook, you should include information that may be relevant to the local area. This includes any restaurant and shopping recommendations, unique experiences, outdoor activities, and any other information that would be relevant to your guests.
The most important features of a guidebook are that it should be fairly short, and easy for guests to scan quickly. Recommendations should be your own; the guidebook should contain information that your guests can’t easily find on a review website such as TripAdvisor. You should include relevant photos, and make sure to keep the guidebook updated with local attractions and activities.
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How Do I Make a Guest Manual and Guidebook on Airbnb?
The most important part of an Airbnb guest manual or Airbnb guidebook is the content. Having said that, a striking design and beautiful layout can create a brilliant first impression for guests. Consistent branding, colors, and messages are important for gaining the trust of your guests and getting those all-important guest reviews.
Make Your Own Airbnb Manual or Guidebook
There are many free and easy-to-use online tools, such as Canva, for creating beautiful guidebooks and manuals that contain all the relevant information for your guests. Search for templates and edit them to fit your branding and colors, then simply download them as a pdf and upload them to your Airbnb listing.
Employ an Expert to Make Your Manual or Guidebook
If you don’t have the time to write the content for or design your manual or guidebook, enlist the help of a professional copywriter to write an Airbnb guidebook or an Airbnb house manual for you. A single one-off time and financial investment like this will be well worth it in the long run.
Airbnb House Manual Example
The example below is a template for how to start your Airbnb house manual. Fill in the relevant sections with your instructions and upload them to Airbnb! Alternatively, check out more information about my Airbnb guidebook writing service or Airbnb house manual writing service.
Dear Guest,
Welcome to The Cottage! Thank you so much for choosing to stay in this beautiful area of Cornwall. We know that you’re going to love our recently renovated property and the magic of the local area.
In this manual, you’ll find some useful information to help you make the most of your stay here. Please have a read of the instructions before you check in, and let us know if you have any questions!
Have a great stay!
Best wishes,
Anna & John
Manual Contents
- Check-in Instructions
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
- House Rules
- Appliances Instructions
- Electronics Instructions
- Public Transport
- Airbnb Guidebook
- Emergency Information and Contact Details
- Check-out Instructions
Make sure to keep each section brief and easy for your guests to scan through. Include a contents section so that your guests can easily find what they are looking for, and keep it friendly and light-hearted throughout. You may also want to include a reminder to leave a review at the end of the manual!
In conclusion, creating an Airbnb house manual and Airbnb guidebook can save you time and hassle, make your guests’ stay more enjoyable, and limit damages to your property. In your Airbnb manual, include information about how to check-in and check-out, how to connect to the Wi-Fi, and how to use appliances and electronics in the property. Provide emergency information and your contact details if something goes wrong. Create your manual on a free website such as Canva, or enlist the help of an Airbnb expert to write your Airbnb manual for you.