A good welcome book does one job: it answers your guests' questions before they message you. Get it right and you get fewer late-night texts, smoother check-ins and more five-star reviews that mention how "easy" and "thoughtful" the stay was.
The trick is to organise it the way guests actually use it. Nobody reads a welcome book cover to cover. They look things up at four moments: when they arrive, while they stay, when they go out, and when they leave. Here's what to put in each part.
1. Arrive: everything for the first 30 minutes
This is the section guests open on the doorstep, often tired and juggling bags, so put it first and keep it short.
- Check-in steps and times. Numbered steps, from the street to the front door. Add a photo of the door or lockbox if it's hard to find.
- Wi-Fi name and password. The most-asked question in hosting. Put it on page one, and on a sign by the router.
- Parking and the smart lock. Where to park, whether it's free, and what to do if the code doesn't work.
- Early and late arrivals. Can they drop bags early? What happens after midnight?
2. Stay: how the home works
- House rules. Short and friendly: quiet hours, smoking, pets, parties, extra guests.
- How the heating, TV and oven work. The appliances guests always get stuck on. A line each is enough.
- Bins and recycling. Which bin is which, and which day they go out.
- Emergency contacts. Your number, a local backup, the nearest hospital and the emergency number for the country.
3. Explore: your local knowledge
This is where you beat the hotel down the road. Guests can find the famous sights on their own. What they want is your list.
- Where to eat and drink. Your favourite breakfast spot, a dinner for a special night, and somewhere cheap and cheerful.
- Things to do nearby. A walk, a view, a rainy-day option.
- Groceries and pharmacy. The nearest shop and its opening hours.
- Rainy day ideas. One or two indoor plans saves a lot of disappointed reviews.
4. Leave: a check-out that takes five minutes
- Check-out time. Repeat it here, even if it's in the listing.
- A five-step checklist. Dishwasher on, towels in the bath, bins out, windows shut, keys back. Five steps, not fifteen.
- Where to leave the keys. Lockbox, key safe, or the kitchen table.
- A thank-you and a gentle review ask. One warm line works better than a paragraph.
Paper or digital?
A printed binder on the kitchen counter still works, but a digital welcome book wins on two counts: guests can read it on their phone before they arrive, and you can update it in seconds when the Wi-Fi password or your favourite café changes. Share it as a link in your booking message and put a QR code by the door for anyone who missed it.
Tips that make guests mention it in reviews
- Write like you talk. "The kettle's in the corner cupboard" beats "Kitchen equipment is located in the cabinets."
- Add a few photos of your own: the view, the café, the beach. They make it feel personal.
- Keep each page to one topic, so it's easy to find on a small screen.
- Send the link three days before arrival, with the check-in steps.
Want all 16 pages ready to fill in? The Host Welcome Book
It's an editable, clickable guest book with a tap-to-jump menu and every section above, in 7 colour palettes. Edit it in Canva or PowerPoint in an evening, then share it by link or QR code.