The ideal Airbnb Welcome Book and Why you Need One

Being an Airbnb host comes with many perks, but one of the best is seeing the joy on a guest's face when they come to stay with you. Starting your own vacation rental business can be a daunting task, so when guests start ringing your bell, it's natural to feel excited. However, without getting too overwhelmed, you'll need to ensure you've taken all the necessary precautions to ensure a great guest experience. Besides all the work you do before a guest arrives, the moment they step foot on your doorstep is perhaps the most important part of your vacation. Make sure your guests are welcomed with a warm welcome by creating a personalized welcome book for every guest who stays with you.

What is an Airbnb welcome book?

A welcome book is not the same as an Airbnb welcome letter. It’s a summary of everything your guests need to know during their stay, whether that’s recommendations, check-out details, etc. Putting yourself in the guest’s shoes will help you understand what information they want to see in your Airbnb welcome packet, so that you can tailor it to meet their needs.

Your welcome book can be as big or small as you want. Depending on what type of Airbnb you offer, you may want to include or leave out certain information. For instance, if you have an indoor Airbnb, you might want to include a section on the outdoor features, but if you have an outdoor Airbnb, you can leave that out and focus on the city’s nightlife.

It’s also important to consider what type of guests you want to attract. If you have a +50 audience or a family-oriented audience, a section on the nightlife in your city might not be relevant to your guests, and will actually turn them off.

Have 3-4 different welcome book versions to accommodate each guest.

Why do you need an Airbnb welcome book? Have you ever wondered why you don't have an Airbnb Welcome Book? It's not your average welcome packet.

Guests who stay at an Airbnb are looking for a more personalized, more immersive vacation than they would at a large-scale hotel.

Sets the stage for a good trip

Taking a vacation is just as much an act of hard work as it is an act of serenity. Before you get to the serenity, there is a lot of planning, anxiety, and stress that go into a vacation. Keep this in mind when creating an Airbnb welcome book. You want to let your guests know that their hard work paid off just by booking your Airbnb. You also want to let them know that they made the right decision to book your vacation rental right away. When you greet your guests with a helpful Airbnb welcome book, it helps to alleviate their worries and reminds them that their vacation is just beginning.

Introduces guests to the area

In most cases, your guests will be brand new to your area. They may be from the neighboring town or country. To ensure they feel at home in your town, you'll want to introduce them to everything your property has to offer, whether it's a restaurant, a museum, or a stunning natural setting. You may not know exactly what they're looking for, so make sure to list all the main attractions they might enjoy.

Some guests like the comfort of home, so include a list of international restaurants or bars. You can also include a list of languages spoken at these attractions if you know them, and you can include a flag symbol representing each language. Most businesses offer a website or a QR code that you can link to in your attraction description.

Encourages guests to care for your home

When you take the time to write an Airbnb welcome book for guests, you’re demonstrating just how much you care about your guests, but also your home! The Airbnb welcome book helps to humanize the owner behind the book, encouraging guests to take better care of your property. Demonstrating just how much you care about your rental property means that guests will follow suit.

How someone treats a family-run bed and breakfast differs widely from the treatment of a chain-motel room. Why? The most glaring reason is the impersonality of the stay. When guests feel as though there’s no face behind the property, they might be tempted to treat it as just a place to holiday rather than someone’s actual home. Protect your accommodation by adding a face to the home and motivate guests to take care of your property as if it were their own.

How to make your Airbnb welcome book standout

If you decide to put your own welcome book on Airbnb, you need to make sure it stands out from the crowd. If your welcome book isn’t placed at the entrance, or if the welcome book itself isn’t eye-catching, guests might just throw it to the side, or worse, they might not even open it. Make sure your Airbnb welcome book stands out by adding your personal touch.

Eye-catching design

This is extremely important. Your welcome book design is what will make it stand out from the crowd. If your book is dull, ostentatious, or just plain ugly, guests will likely ignore it because it will look like an ad or just plain ugly.

There are a few ways to design an Airbnb welcome book that will make it more visible to guests.

Your Airbnb welcome book should not be too ostentatious. Using distracting fonts, mixing colors, and making the cardstock too large for these purposes will not reflect a design that is elegant and professional, but amateur and cheap.

Your welcome manual should match the rest of your home's design, but also have a "pop" that catches people's attention. Take inspiration from your home's color scheme and select the most eye-catching colors. Selecting colors that match the location where you want to leave your leaflet will also make it more eye-catching. For instance, if your entryway is made of white marble, you could choose dark, rich colors to complement the furnishings.

Organize in order of importance

Captivating your guests with an attractive design is just the beginning; keeping their attention is key. Rather than having them skim through the welcome book, encourage a thorough read to fully acquaint them with your property. Structuring the book by prioritizing information based on what typically matters most to travelers ensures they stay engaged till the end. While it's challenging to predict every guest's unique needs, focusing on universally important aspects, like nearby amenities or essential safety information, can guide your organization strategy.

Enhancing interactivity, especially in digital versions of your welcome guide, enriches the user experience. Online guidebooks allow for dynamic content like clickable links, animations, and videos, making the exploration of your property and its surroundings both informative and enjoyable. For physical copies, incorporating elements like checklists, local tips, and personalized notes can make each guide feel bespoke, fostering a deeper connection between guests and their temporary home.

What should you put in your Welcome Book?

When considering what to include in your welcome book, the essence lies in crafting content that is both engaging and useful. A heartfelt greeting sets the tone, reaffirming your excitement for their stay. Beyond a mere repetition of the welcome email, this introduction should segue into practical details like Wi-Fi access, local contact numbers, and any unique property instructions, laying out everything guests might need from the moment they arrive.

In detailing check-in and departure processes, personalizing the information can act as a gentle reminder of their stay's timeline, enhancing their experience by smoothing transitions. An activities guide invites guests to dive into the holiday spirit, offering suggestions tailored to the diverse interests of your visitors, from adventurous excursions to relaxing local spots.

Useful and enaging information goes a long way

Food enthusiasts will appreciate a curated guide to the best dining experiences around, potentially structured by cuisine type, ambiance, or proximity. This section is your chance to showcase your insider knowledge and maybe even introduce guests to the local culinary scene's hidden gems.

Addressing the functional aspects of your accommodation, such as how to operate home appliances or what to explore in the surrounding area, ensures guests have a hassle-free stay. This practical advice demonstrates your attention to detail and commitment to their comfort.

Finally, adding special extras like a local bakery voucher or a custom welcome message can leave a lasting impression, making guests feel truly valued. Whether opting for a digital format for its convenience and cost-effectiveness or a printed version for its tangible personal touch, the delivery of your welcome book should align with your guests' preferences and your property's character.

Don't miss the opportunity to give value

Creating an Airbnb welcome book is more than a courtesy; it's an opportunity to enhance your guests' experience, making their stay memorable and stress-free. By thoughtfully compiling and presenting this information, you invite your guests to fully immerse themselves in the comfort and charm of your rental, potentially turning first-time visitors into repeat guests.

It’s also the perfect way to offer useful services to enhance their experience before or after their stay with you. Enhancing the guest experience even further, consider offering additional services like luggage storage through Stasher.

Boost your guest experience by partnering with Stasher.

As the world's first luggage storage network, Stasher connects travelers with local hotels and businesses that can safely store their bags. This service is a game-changer for guests needing to store their luggage before check-in or after check-out, providing them with a more flexible and enjoyable travel experience.

With over 1,500,000 bags stored and partnerships with leading hotel chains like Accor Hotels, Premier Inn, and Marriott, Stasher offers a reliable and convenient solution.

It's a simple addition to your guest communications, requiring only a link and coupon code, and it's a cost-effective alternative to traditional station lockers.

By partnering with Stasher, at no cost to you, you can elevate your service offering and potentially boost your reviews by enhancing your guests' overall experience.

Sign up here by filling this brief form today.