What to put in an Airbnb welcome book (the house manual that earns reviews)
Every guest arrives with the same handful of questions — what's the Wi-Fi, when's check-out, how does this shower work, where should we eat — and how you answer them sets the tone for the whole stay. Answer well, in one place, before they have to ask, and the guest feels looked-after; leave them texting you at 9pm about the thermostat and you've started the review on the back foot. A welcome book is the quiet workhorse that handles all of it: it makes guests feel at home, cuts your repetitive messages to near zero, and shows up, again and again, in five-star reviews.
This is a plain-English guide to what actually belongs in a short-term-rental welcome book — the sections that matter, in the order guests reach for them — plus why it lifts your reviews, and whether to go printed, digital, or both.
Why a welcome book is worth the effort
A good welcome book pays off three ways at once. It reduces your workload — the same questions, answered once, stop landing in your messages every single stay. It improves the guest experience — people relax when the information they need is right there, not gatekept behind a text to a host who might be asleep. And it protects your reviews — a guest who never had to hunt for the Wi-Fi or guess the check-out time simply has a smoother trip, and smoother trips rate higher. It's one of the highest-leverage hours a host can spend, because you write it once and it works on every guest forever.
The sections a great welcome book needs
Think of the book as moving with the guest through their stay — arrival, settling in, living there, leaving. That order is the structure:
- A warm welcome. A short, genuine hello and the property's name. It costs nothing and it sets the tone — a book that opens warmly reads as a host who cares.
- Quick reference. The page they'll actually use: Wi-Fi name and password, check-out time, the address, your contact method, and emergency numbers. Put it right up front, big and scannable — this is the single most-consulted page in the book.
- Getting settled. The arrival basics: how to get in, parking, where to find trash and recycling, the essentials of the space.
- The house manual. How everything works — TV and streaming, the coffee maker, laundry, the thermostat, and every appliance with a quirk. This is the section that kills the repetitive "how do I…" texts.
- House rules. Friendly but clear, and matching your listing exactly: quiet hours, pets, smoking, extra guests, anything property-specific. Framing matters — "so the neighbors stay happy" lands better than a list of don'ts.
- The local guide. Your favorite coffee, dinner, groceries, and things to do. This is the section guests remember and thank you for — genuine local picks are what a hotel can't give them, and they're pure review gold.
- Safety & emergencies. Exits, the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit, how to shut off water, and emergency contacts. The page you hope no one needs and must never skip.
- Check-out. A short, specific list — what to do with towels, trash, dishes, keys, and the thermostat — plus a warm thank-you and a gentle nudge to leave a review.
Two sections that punch above their weight
Every section earns its place, but two do outsized work. The house manual is the one that saves you the most time — most repetitive guest messages are "how does X work," and a clear manual with the finicky details (the TV input, the trick to the shower, which bin is which) eliminates them wholesale. The local guide is the one that most moves your reviews — guests can get a clean bed anywhere, but your genuine "here's where the locals actually eat" is the personal touch that turns a fine stay into a memorable one and shows up verbatim in the review.
The check-out section deserves a special mention too: a few clear, reasonable asks ("start a load of towels, take the trash out, leave the keys on the counter") get you a cooperative departure — as long as they're modest. Pile on chores and you invite the resentful review; keep them light and specific and most guests happily comply.
Printed, digital, or both?
You don't have to choose, and the best answer is usually both:
- A printed copy on the kitchen counter is instantly visible, needs no app or login, and works when the Wi-Fi doesn't. Many guests still prefer flipping a physical book.
- A digital version — a PDF behind a QR code, or a link in your check-in message — is searchable, easy to update, and something guests can pull up on their phone while they're out finding your recommended taco place.
Printing a copy and exporting a PDF for a QR code covers every guest and every situation, from the tech-averse to the phone-first, online or off. One document, both formats.
The STR Guest Welcome Book
A polished, fully editable house manual with all eight sections already written — cover, quick reference, getting settled, house manual, house rules, local guide, safety, and check-out. Open it in Word or Google Docs, replace the blue example text with your property's details, delete the tips, and print it for the counter or export a PDF for a QR-code digital guide. It comes pre-filled with a realistic sample so you're editing, not staring at a blank page — most hosts finish in one sitting.
Write it once, let it work forever
The welcome book is the guest-facing finish to a well-run operation. Behind the scenes you're tracking each property's profit, running a tight turnover, and keeping supplies stocked to par — and the welcome book is what the guest actually sees and remembers from all that effort. Setting it out (fresh, correct, easy to find) is literally the last item on a good turnover's final walk. Get it right and it does three jobs on autopilot: fewer questions for you, a smoother stay for them, and a warmer review at the end.
You write a welcome book once and it greets every guest who ever stays. Lead with the essentials they need in five seconds, explain how the place works so your phone stops buzzing, share the local picks only you can give, cover safety without fail, and send them off with a light check-out and a genuine thank-you. That's the whole book — and it's one of the simplest upgrades a host can make to both their sanity and their star rating.
This is general hosting guidance for short-term-rental operators, not legal, safety, or tax advice. House rules, safety requirements, and local short-term-rental regulations vary by property and jurisdiction — set yours accordingly. Quire Paper is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Airbnb or VRBO; those names are the trademarks of their respective owners.