What to Put in an Airbnb Welcome Book (18-Section Checklist + Template)

A welcome book is the one thing in your rental that answers questions before guests ask them. Done well, it cuts your message load in half, protects your house, and quietly earns you five-star reviews for "great communication". Done badly, it's a dusty binder nobody opens.

This is the checklist we use for every welcome book we design at Welcome Desk Co. — 18 sections, in the order guests actually need them, plus a few things most hosts forget. Use it to write your own, or start from one of our editable templates and just fill in the blanks.

What is an Airbnb welcome book, exactly?

It's a short guest guide — printed, PDF or both — that lives on the coffee table and covers everything about your home: how to get in, how the TV works, where to put the trash, what to do on a rainy day. Platforms call it a "house manual" or "guidebook". Guests call it "the folder". Whatever the name, the goal is the same: a guest who feels expected, and a host who doesn't get a 11 pm text asking for the WiFi password.

The 18 sections every welcome book should have

1. Cover with your property name

Keep it simple: the name of the place, a photo or an icon, and "Welcome". Guests will see this page more than any other, so it sets the tone.

2. A short welcome letter

Three or four sentences from you. Who you are, that you're glad they're here, and the one thing you want them to know (usually: "message us any time, here's how"). Warm beats formal.

3. Quick info at a glance

One page, big text: WiFi network and password, check-in and check-out times, the address, your phone number, and the emergency number for your country. This is the page guests photograph.

4. Check-in instructions

How to get in, step by step: parking, which door, lockbox or keypad code, what to do if the code doesn't work. Include a line about where to find the light switches — it sounds obvious until someone arrives at midnight.

5. House rules

Short, friendly, and the same rules you put in your listing. Quiet hours, smoking, pets, parties, maximum guests, shoes off, and anything specific to your place (septic system, hot tub cover, no glass by the pool). Rules in the welcome book are a courtesy reminder; rules in the listing are what you can enforce.

6. WiFi & entertainment

Repeat the WiFi details here, then explain the TV: which remote, which input, which streaming logins are available. If you have a sound system or a game console, add two lines for each.

7. Around the home

Heating and air conditioning, hot water, washer and dryer, the dishwasher, the coffee maker. Four bullet points per appliance is plenty — if something needs more, it needs a sign next to it instead.

8. Kitchen notes

Where the basics are (salt, oil, filters), what's free to use, what to do with leftovers, and how the stove works if it's gas or induction. Mention the fire extinguisher location here too.

9. Trash, recycling and utilities

Which bin, which day, where the bins live, and what gets recycled in your area. If guests need to put bins out for collection, say so clearly and give the day. This single page saves more cleaning-fee disputes than any other.

10. Getting around

Parking rules, the nearest public transport, rideshare pickup spot, how far the airport is, and whether there's a bike or car rental nearby. Include a line about taxis if rideshare is unreliable in your area.

11. Local favourites: eat and drink

Five to eight places you actually like, with one sentence each. A coffee spot, a breakfast place, a casual dinner, a nicer dinner, a bar, and somewhere to get groceries. Guests trust a short, opinionated list far more than a long neutral one.

12. Local favourites: things to do

Same idea: a few walks or beaches, a museum or market, one rainy-day option, one thing for kids. Add rough driving times.

13. Emergency and safety

Emergency number, nearest hospital and pharmacy with addresses, where the first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, smoke detectors and water shut-off are. For cabins and desert homes, add the local wildlife and weather notes (bears, snakes, flash floods, snow chains).

14. Check-out checklist

Five or six items maximum: dishes in the dishwasher, towels in the tub, trash out, windows closed, lights off, key back in the lockbox. Include the check-out time again and what to do if they need to leave early.

15. FAQ

The questions you've actually been asked. "Is there a hair dryer?" "Can we have an early check-in?" "Is the water drinkable?" Every time a guest messages you something new, add it here.

16. Good to know

The quirks: the door that sticks, the shower that takes a minute to warm up, the neighbour's dog that barks at 7 am. Naming these in advance turns a complaint into a smile.

17. Thank you and review request

A short thank-you, a gentle ask for a review, and how to book directly next time if you take direct bookings. Keep it to one page.

18. Guestbook or notes page

A blank page or two for guests to leave a note for the next visitors. These become the best part of the book after a year.

Five things most welcome books forget

• A matching WiFi sign. The welcome book sits on the table; the WiFi sign sits by the router or on the fridge. Guests look for both.
• A digital version. Export the book as a PDF and send the link the day before arrival. Guests read it on the plane, and your check-in questions drop to almost zero.
• The time zone. If guests travel far, write check-in and check-out times with the time zone.
• Allergy and pet notes. One line about whether pets have stayed in the home, and whether there are feather pillows, helps guests with allergies and avoids a bad review.
• Your name. Sign the welcome letter. Guests are kinder to a person than to "the host".

How long should it be?

Fifteen to twenty pages, with big headings and short paragraphs. If a guest can't find the WiFi password in five seconds, the book is too long or badly ordered. Put the practical pages (quick info, check-in, rules, WiFi) first and the local recommendations after.

Do you need Canva to make one?

No. A welcome book is text and a few photos — Google Slides, PowerPoint or Keynote handle it perfectly, and you don't need another subscription. Every welcome book template we make opens in those apps: you replace the sample text, add your photos and export to PDF. No Canva account, no watermarks, no monthly fee.

Start from a template

If you'd rather not design from a blank page, our welcome book templates follow this exact 18-section structure, with sample text already written for every page — beach house, mountain cabin, luxury villa, boho desert, farmhouse, Scandinavian, lake house, tropical, a Spanish edition and a phone-size digital version. Each one is $4.99 right now, and the Host Mega Bundle includes all of them plus signs, cards, message templates and spreadsheets for $29.99.

Print it, leave it on the table, and let the book answer the questions for you.