Airbnb welcome book essentials: A comprehensive guide to creating a guest-centric resource

01.2025
Airbnb welcome book essentials: A comprehensive guide to creating a guest-centric resource

Are you overlooking the final touch your Airbnb needs to secure those all-important five-star reviews? Creating a guest-centric welcome book could be the crucial asset that takes your Airbnb to the next level, guaranteeing those rave reviews you’re after, and maybe even enticing guests to return for future stays. 

This guide will walk you through crafting a welcome book that truly ticks all the boxes, covering everything from house rules to design tips, ensuring you’re fully equipped with all the essentials.

What is an Airbnb welcome book?

An airbnb welcome book should be your guests’ holiday bible — it will include everything they need to fully make the most of your rental and immerse themselves in the area they are staying.

The welcome book should be centered around what your guests want and need. This will mean different things depending on the nature of the stay. As most of the properties we manage at Frank Porter are premium high-end rentals, the guests’ welcome book should reflect this. Ultimately, it’s the little touches that will make your guests’ experience truly stand out.

 

Key sections for your Airbnb welcome book

Deciding to create a welcome book for your Airbnb is the easy part — knowing what to include in it is where it gets tricky. We’ve put together a quick list of the essential sections your Airbnb welcome book should include to make your guests stay as comfortable as possible.

Arrival essentials

Starting off simple, the first page of your welcome book should include the key information your guests will immediately be searching for upon arrival.

It can include:

  • A personalized welcome message: Acknowledge your guests’ arrival — essentially, say hello!
  • Contact information: In case of emergency, what’s the best way for you guests to reach you? It’s best to provide your full name, number and email address just in case.
  • Check-in and check-out times: Self-explanatory and crucial.
  • Wifi network name and password: Without a doubt, this will be the first thing your guests will want when they arrive — make sure they don’t have to go searching for it.

 

House rules and safety information 

This section is where you can advocate for your property and how it should be treated. It’s an opportunity for property owners to set out boundaries and non-negotiables that guests should respect during their stay.

It can include: 

  • Rubbish and recycling: Details on where disposal points are located and pickup days.
  • Quiet hours: If your property is in a residential area, specify times when guests should keep the noise down.
  • Smoking rules: Is smoking allowed? If so, where?
  • Pet policy: Are your guests’ furry friends allowed to stay too?
  • Safety information: What should your guests do in case of an emergency? Where do you keep the plasters? Be explicit and detailed; it will save you trouble in the long run.

Local information and recommendations

When your guests choose to book your Airbnb, they also choose to book with you. Including your favorite local recommendations in your welcome guide will add a personal touch that your guests will appreciate. Plus,  it will allow you to show off your local knowledge and expertise, all while further enhancing your guests’ stay.

It can include: 

  • Nearby attractions your guests will love: Points of interests as well as their distances from your property.
  • Restaurant recommendations: You want every guest to feel catered for, so include a range of options and price points — whether it’s the humble vegan cafe or the five-star steak restaurant that would entice the meat lovers, make sure your recommendations are still inclusive.
  • Local history: Sometimes, adding a touch of local cultural history can enhance the experience for your guests.

 

Design and presentation tips for a standout welcome book

The design and presentation of your Airbnb welcome book is important. If you’re listing a sophisticated city apartment and your welcome book resembles a few scraps of paper, your guests may be a little confused, if not annoyed! With welcome book design and presentation, cohesion is key. We’ve combined a few of our top design tips to leave your guests confident that the property they’ve rented delivers just as much as it promised.

Keep it simple

Don’t overthink it — your guests want to access all the important information clearly. Keep your design simple and remember, less is more.

Use consistent colors and fonts

Keep your color scheme and fonts consistent throughout the welcome book. Choose fonts and colors on brand with your property. Avoid Comic Sans at all costs.

Provide a logical layout

Put yourself in your guests shoes. Is the information in your welcome book ordered in a way that makes sense for the reader? Keep things sectioned wherever possible so it’s easy for your guests to flick through and pick out the information they need.

Choose images and pictures carefully

Adding images can be a nice way to make your welcome book a little more engaging. Take care in making sure they’re high quality, as blurry images can bring down the tone and professionalism of your welcome book.

Tailoring your welcome book to your airbnb and guest demographics

This is where you can turn a run-of-the-mill welcome book into something special. Depending on your property’s location and general vibe, your guest demographic could be quite specific.

Promising your guests a luxury experience? Keep the welcome book’s appearance sleek and stylish. If your guests are looking for some family fun, include lots of pictures of the activities on offer so the little ones can get excited.

Beyond the visual elements, tailoring the contents for your guests is another key element of creating the perfect welcome book. Let’s say your property is a one-bed luxury cabin in the countryside complete with luxury amenities and at a premium price. Chances are your core guest demographic is city-dueling couples looking for a weekend getaway. In this case, including guided walks, romantic restaurants and directions to the nearest swanky cocktail bar would be perfect for your welcome book. Plus, a list of family-friendly activities may not be necessary.

It’s important to take into consideration what your typical guests would actually want to know — don’t just bombard them with information for the sake of it. Even if you’ve got the welcome book’s aesthetic perfected, the contents need to be practical and useful for your guests.

 

Welcome book woes? Frank Porter can help

Let’s be honest, when it comes to managing a listing, creating the welcome book is only half of the equation. At Frank Porter our guest support team can assist you with all guest-related matters — from the initial inquiry to check-in and beyond. We take care of much more than just the welcome book, and are available 24/7, so whatever time you need us, we’ll be there.

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