You can win your guests’ hearts by the time they check-in by writing them an Airbnb welcome letter. This guide will show you how to write one.
To be a successful Airbnb host, you first need to secure bookings. This means taking good photos of your rental property, writing an engaging listing description, and continuously optimizing your daily rate to stay competitive.
But that is only half the battle. Once you acquire new guests, you need to keep them happy during their stay. When they love the accommodation and experience, they are likely to give you a five-star review. The more five-star reviews you get, the closer you are to getting the coveted Superhost badge and earning a higher income.
One of the ways to make your guests happy is by writing them an Airbnb welcome letter. This type of correspondence helps you welcome your guests, introduce them to your rental property, and give them useful tips. It should contain everything you want to communicate to them, from “where to find the key” to “5 interesting locations near you”. It is also a great opportunity to gently remind your guests about the house rules.
If you want to help set your guests at ease and make them look forward to their stay at your property, keep reading to learn how to write an effective Airbnb welcome letter.
Why It Is Important To Write a Warm Airbnb Welcome Letter
First impressions last, and that remains to be true. When your guests check in and look around the place, they will start forming an impression of you and your property. Making sure that the property is in tip-top shape before they walk in is expected of a good host. But what separates a great host from a good one is their ability to provide a personalized and hospitable experience.
A letter like this can go a long way in making them feel more comfortable in your property and with you even if they have not met you in person yet. Guests who enjoyed their stay are more likely to leave five-star reviews unprompted and recommend your property to others.
By giving your guests an Airbnb welcome letter, you will leave a great first impression. It also shows them that you care about their wellbeing and desire to have a wonderful stay.
What to Include in Your Airbnb Welcome Letter
If you have checked into a four- or five-star hotel before, you may have found a welcome letter in your room. Your Airbnb welcome letter will be similar to that, except it will be more personal. Whereas hotels’ welcome letters have the same contents in almost all of their rooms, your letter must contain details that apply to the guests reading your letter.
This may sound intimidating, but it is easier than you think. There are no hard guidelines on how long your letter should be and what it should contain. Below is a list of the details you can include, but you do not have to use all of them or put them in the exact order. It only serves as a framework for your message.
Personal Greeting
A hotel would write, “Dear Mr./Ms. Smith,” but you do not have to do the same. A simple, “Hello, Joe,” sets the tone for a personal and friendly approach. Even if you are copying and pasting the same welcome letter to all of your guests, putting their names in your salutation lets them know that you put in the effort to personalize it.
Tip: Include all of your guests in your salutation. For example:
- “Hello, Joe and Taylor!”
- “Dear Smith Family,”
- “Welcome, John, Jane, and Emma!”
Thank Your Guests for Booking Your Place
Put a couple of sentences about how happy you are that they chose to book your property, and how you are committed to making sure that they have the best experience possible. You do not have to pull out all the stops here, but if you do everything else right with your hosting, then they will see how much you care about their stay.
Tip: Make this section specific to your location or their travel purpose. For example:
- If people visit mostly for the nearby beach, say something nice about it
- Is your guest in the city for a convention? Mention the event.
Check-In and Check-Out Instructions
Include in your letter the time that they can check-in and what time they are supposed to check out. If your property allows for self-check-ins, give instructions on how they can find the key and enter the house. Tell them how to unlock the lockbox or the code to open your smart lock box which contains the key to the front door. And do not forget to give directions on how they should properly lock up when they leave.
Exact Property Address With Detailed Directions
Aside from giving your guests your property’s street address, provide step-by-step directions from the airport or from the highway exit. You can use Google Maps to figure this out.
And if your rental property is a single-family home in the suburbs, tell your guests of any unique features that separate your house from your neighbors’, like an Airbnb welcome sign on their front door.
Parking Instructions
If there are any special parking restrictions or rules in your area, make sure to let your guests know ahead of time so they do not get their vehicle towed.
WiFi Password and Connection Details
This will be the first thing that your guests would be looking for when they get to your property, especially if they are from abroad and do not have a local SIM card. They would want to connect to the internet upon arrival so they can let their loved ones know that they got to your property safely. Adding your WiFi network name and password to your Airbnb welcome letter will allow them to do this quickly.
You can also point out any notable details about your Wi-Fi. For example, tell them which part of your house has the strongest reception, or if the connection goes out at certain times. Letting your guests know about these minor issues prevents them from complaining later on.
How to Use Appliances and Where to Find Everyday Supplies
Do not assume that your guests will know how your appliances work. Even though these may be found in everyone’s homes, the ones you have in your Airbnb may be different from what your guests use at home.
Write down directions for how to operate the electronics and appliances such as the coffee maker, induction cooker, or TV. This way, your guests would be able to use them without getting frustrated, and you will avoid the risk of getting your things damaged. Also, let them know where the thermostat, cookware, trash bags, cleaning supplies, and other things they might need are located.
Complimentary Services
If you supply your Airbnb with free things like coffee and tea, or if your guests can use the pool or jacuzzi, make sure to let them know. Give them instructions on where to find them and how to use them as well.
House Rules
This is a great opportunity to state any house rules that you want your guests to keep in mind during their stay. Even if you have already written them on your listing page, there is a chance that they have not read it yet when they booked your property. Feel free to be specific, but try not to sound strict or negative.
Things to Do in the City
Lastly, include a list of places for them to visit. These could be nearby attractions and local restaurants that they should try. Give them information about the local culture as well if they are not from your state or country. You can look up ideas of places to go and things to do and then print out the results, or curate your own list to include your favorites.
Your Contact Information and Local Emergency Services Contact Numbers
Even if Airbnb has its own messaging system, providing your contact details such as your phone number and email address will show that you are a caring and considerate host. You can mention your preferred ways to contact you. For example, say that they could message you on Airbnb if they have any questions and you will get back to them within 15 minutes. But for any urgent matters, they can call you on your mobile number.
Do not forget to mention that you are available should they need any help or just have a question. You can give them a certain timeframe for when they can expect immediate responses (e.g. anytime between 8 AM and 11 PM EST). This would be especially helpful for your guests who live in a different time zone.
If there is someone helping you host, give out their contact details as well so your guests know whom else to reach if you are unavailable. This will reassure your guests that they have nothing to worry about.
Closing Note and Thank You
Finally, close out your letter by reinforcing your commitment to helping your guests have an enjoyable stay and that they are free to contact you if they have any questions or concerns. Then end with something like, “Have fun!” or, “Wishing you the best stay!” followed by your first name.
Airbnb Welcome Letter Template That You Can Use
If you do not like writing letters, here is a template to help you get started. Feel free to add, remove, or modify any parts of the template that specifically apply to your property.
Hello, [guest’s first name]! Thank you very much for booking your stay at the [your Airbnb’s name]. I look forward to welcoming you on [check-in date]. You are going to love the [something specific about your city].
You are free to check-in anytime after [check-in time], but you will have to check out by [checkout time] to give time for the cleaning crew to prepare the place for the next guest.
I am glad you chose to stay at my place, and I want to make sure that you will enjoy your accommodation. Here’s everything you need to know about your Airbnb:
ADDRESS
My rental address is [Insert your property address]. Here are the directions to reach my property:
From [name of the airport] airport:
[Insert directions]
From [name of train station] train station:
[Insert directions]
From [name of bus station] bus station:
[Insert directions]
If you are driving from [highway name]:
[Insert directions]
PARKING
You can park in the garage attached to the property or on the right side of the street, but not on the left. If you park on the left, your vehicle might get towed. Please note that I take no responsibility in that case.
The code for the garage door is XXXXX. Press the enter button twice and the garage door will open.
You will find a smart lockbox right next to the front door. The combination is XXXXXX. The key to the front door is inside, while each key to the bedroom is hanging on its respective doorknob. When you check out, you may either hang the bedroom keys on their doorknobs or put them on the kitchen counter. But please put the key to the front door back in the lockbox.
WIFI
WiFi Name: [Insert name here]
WiFi Password: [Insert password here]
The router is in the kitchen, but there are signal boosters in each bedroom so you can have stronger reception in your room. The signal is weaker in the backyard and garage.
THERMOSTAT
[Insert where to find it and any instructions you may have]
COFFEEMAKER
[Insert instructions]
OVEN
[Insert instructions]
MICROWAVE
[Insert instructions]
DISHWASHER
[Insert instructions]
WASHING MACHINE
[Insert instructions]
SMART TV
[Insert instructions]
COMMON ITEMS
[Insert instructions]
POOL & JACUZZI
[Insert instructions]
HOUSE RULES
I would really appreciate it if you could follow the house rules:
[List your house rules here]
GETTING AROUND
If you are looking for a place to try local eats, my favorite is [restaurant name]. It is located at [restaurant address and directions].
The nearest grocery store is [grocery address and directions].
Our local emergency hotline is XXXXXXXXX, though I hope you never have to use it. If you need to reach me, please call my mobile number XXXXXXXXXXX in case of an emergency. For other matters, send me a message on Airbnb. I promise to respond within 15 minutes when you message between 8 AM to 12 MN.
Please make yourself at home and enjoy your stay!
[Host’s first name]
Other Tips on Making Your Welcome Letter for Vacation Rentals
Aside from knowing what to write in your welcome note for house guests, here are other tips you should know:
- Feel free to tailor-fit your welcome letter to each guest. For example, if you know that a guest is flying in, then just include the directions from the airport.
- You can send your welcome letter one week before their check-in date, then have a printed message waiting for them at your property.
- When designing your first welcome letter, consider saving it in PDF format that your guests can print and read on their phones.
- If creating personalized welcome letters is taking a lot of your time, you can use mail merge to create your letters in batches or use automation tools.
- Update and improve your welcome letter based on your guests’ feedback. If you notice any frequently asked questions, or if they told you a particular detail about their stay that other guests should know too, include them in your note.
You Are on Your Way to Becoming a Super Host
Writing an Airbnb welcome letter that is personalized for your current guest is a simple but effective way to improve their experience in your property. When they read your message and see your specific instructions on how to get to the house and what they can do in the city, they will appreciate your hospitality.
A good Airbnb welcome message contains the following parts:
- A personal greeting
- A thank you message for booking the place
- Check-in and check-out instructions
- Exact property address and detailed directions
- Parking instructions
- WiFi connection details
- Instructions on how to use your appliances
- Where to find everyday supplies
- Complimentary services that you offer
- House rules
- Things to do in the city
- Your contact details and local emergency hotline numbers
- Closing note
We also included a guest welcome letter template above to help you get started on your writing.
Being a great host is not the only way to be successful on Airbnb and other short-term rental platforms. You also have to invest in a lucrative property that is situated in a great location. Mashvisor can help you search for a house that has high rental income potential.
We also have tools that can help you analyze any neighborhood and property in the US, so you are not limiting your search in your locality. To learn more about how we will help you make faster and smarter real estate investment decisions, click here.