Airbnb Digital Guidebook: What to Include and How to Get Guests to Actually Read It

Every host has written one. A guidebook full of WiFi details, parking notes, trash day and a list of favorite taco spots. And every host has also gotten the message at 10pm asking for the WiFi password that is sitting on page one.

The problem is rarely what is in the guidebook. It is where the guidebook lives. This guide covers what to include in an Airbnb digital guidebook, and how to put the information where guests will actually see it.

What is an Airbnb digital guidebook?

A digital guidebook is an online version of the classic house binder. Guests open it on their phone through a link or QR code, and it holds everything they need for the stay: arrival steps, house rules, how things work and local recommendations. Airbnb has a basic guidebook feature built in, and many hosts use dedicated tools that add branding, maps and automation.

What to include in your guidebook

Before arrival

• Address, parking instructions and a photo of the entrance
• Check-in time and door code or lockbox steps
• What to do if they arrive early or late

During the stay

• WiFi network name and password
• How to use the TV, thermostat, hot tub or any tricky appliance
• House rules: quiet hours, guest limits, smoking, pets
• Where to find extra towels, linens, coffee and cleaning supplies
• Trash and recycling days
• Emergency contacts, nearest hospital and your phone number

Local recommendations

• Your five favorite restaurants, with one line on what to order
• Coffee, groceries and a pharmacy nearby
• Two or three experiences you would personally send a friend to

Check-out

• Check-out time
• A short list of what you would like guests to do (keep it to three or four items)
• Where to leave keys

Why guests do not read guidebooks

Host forums are full of the same complaint: guests do not open the manual. There are a few reasons. The link arrives in a long pre-arrival message. Guests are tired from travel when they walk in. And a PDF on a phone is simply not something anyone wants to scroll through on vacation.

The answer is not writing a longer guidebook. It is putting the five things guests need most in the one place they look first.

Put the essentials on the TV

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The TV is the biggest screen in the rental and almost every guest turns it on in the first hour. Hosts are now using it as the front page of their guidebook. WelcomeScreen turns the TV into a personal welcome that greets guests by name and shows the WiFi, house rules, check-out steps and local recommendations the moment they walk in. It also includes a mobile guidebook with an AI trip planner, so the full details are one QR code scan away.

Because it connects with PMS tools like Hostaway, Guesty, Lodgify, OwnerRez and Hospitable, guest names and dates fill in automatically for every booking. You can see how the guidebook side is set up in the WelcomeScreen Guidebook Tutorial, or watch the full feature walkthrough.

Quick guidebook checklist

• WiFi details are on the first screen, not buried
• Check-in steps include photos
• House rules fit on one screen
• Check-out asks for four things or fewer
• Local picks are personal, not a copy of Google Maps
• The guidebook is visible in the home, not only in a message

FAQs

Q: Does Airbnb have a built-in guidebook?

Yes. Airbnb lets hosts create a basic guidebook of local places, and add house manual and check-in details in the listing. Many hosts pair it with a dedicated digital guidebook for branding, automation and on-screen display.

Q: Should I still leave a printed binder?

A short printed card with WiFi and emergency contacts is still useful. The full binder rarely gets read, so keep the details digital where you can update them in seconds.

Q: How do I get guests to read the guidebook?

Put the most important information where guests already look. A TV welcome screen shows it the moment they arrive, with a QR code to the full guidebook on their phone. Try WelcomeScreen free.

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