Host Guides › Airbnb Welcome Book Template: A Fill-in-the-Blanks Outline You Can Copy
Airbnb Welcome Book Template: A Fill-in-the-Blanks Outline You Can Copy
A welcome book has one job: answer the questions guests would otherwise message you about, in the order they'll have them. It isn't a brochure. The best ones are short, scannable and specific to the home, and they take about an hour to write if you start from a solid outline instead of a blank page.
Below is a page-by-page welcome book template with fill-in-the-blank wording you can copy into Word, Google Docs or Pages. If you want the reasoning behind each section first, read our guide to what to put in an Airbnb welcome book. This article is the hands-on version: the actual words.
Before you write: three decisions
- Print, digital or both? Airbnb's listing editor has an Arrival guide with fields for check-in instructions, Wi-Fi details, a house manual, directions and checkout instructions. Use those fields, because guests check the app. A printed book still earns its place: it's on the counter when the guest's phone is dead, the Wi-Fi isn't connected yet, or someone other than the booker wants to know how the TV works.
- How long? Aim for 8 to 12 short pages. If a section runs past one page, it's probably an appliance manual. Link to the manual or tape the quick-start card to the appliance instead.
- Who maintains it? Put a "last updated" date on the cover and a reminder on your calendar to review it each season. A book with last year's restaurant hours costs you credibility.
The welcome book template, page by page
Copy each block, replace the brackets, and delete anything that doesn't apply to your home.
Page 1: Cover and welcome
Welcome to [Home Name]
We're so glad you're here. This book has everything you need for a smooth stay: how to get in, Wi-Fi, how things work, and our favorite places nearby. If you can't find an answer here, message us in the [Airbnb/Vrbo] app any time. We usually reply within [30 minutes] between [8 AM and 10 PM].
— [Your first name(s)], your hosts
Last updated: [Month Year]
Page 2: At a glance
This is the most-used page in the book. Keep it to one page and put it first.
Wi-Fi: [Network name] · Password: [password] (or scan the QR code)
Check-out: by [11:00 AM]
Door code: see your check-in message in the app
Parking: [driveway, 2 cars]
Trash day: [Tuesday night, bins to the curb]
Thermostat: [hallway, please keep between 65–75°F]
Emergency: call 911 · Nearest urgent care: [name, address, drive time]
Your hosts: message us in the app · Urgent issues: [phone]
A tip for the Wi-Fi line: you can print a QR code that joins guests to your network when they point a phone camera at it. Most free QR generators have a Wi-Fi option, or you can encode the text WIFI:T:WPA;S:YourNetworkName;P:YourPassword;; (replace the network name and password). Test it on both an iPhone and an Android phone before you print.
Leave the door code out of the printed book if the code changes between guests. Send it in the check-in message instead.
Page 3: Arrival in three steps
1. Park [in the driveway on the left; please don't block the neighbor's mailbox].
2. Find the door: [the side door under the porch light, not the front door].
3. Enter your code on the keypad, then press [✓]. The door locks automatically when it closes.
If the code doesn't work: [touch the keypad to wake it and try again; a backup key is in the lockbox at (location)]. Then message us.
Page 4: Guest FAQ
Write this page from your real message history. Open your last 20 guest conversations and list every question that came up twice. Then answer them here in plain language.
Where are the extra towels and blankets? [Hall closet, top shelf.]
How does the TV work? [Use the black remote. Press Home, then pick your streaming app and sign in with your own account. Please sign out before you leave.]
Is there coffee? [Yes: the drip machine takes the filters in the drawer to its left. Pods for the single-serve machine are in the basket.]
Can we check in early or check out late? [Message us. It depends on the cleaning schedule, and we'll confirm in the app if we can.]
Is the hot tub/pool/fireplace safe to use? [See page 6 for instructions.]
Where's the first-aid kit / fire extinguisher? [Under the kitchen sink / beside the back door.]
Page 5: House rules (with the reasons)
List the rules guests agreed to when they booked, and add one short reason for each. Guests follow rules they understand. Our house rules template has copy-and-paste wording for the most common rules.
- Max [4] guests, including children. Our permit and insurance are based on this number.
- No parties or events. Neighbors live here year-round.
- Quiet hours [10 PM–8 AM].
- No smoking or vaping indoors (patio is fine). Smoke takes days to clear and can cancel the next guest's stay.
- Pets: [policy].
Page 6: How things work
One short block per item that guests actually struggle with. Skip the obvious ones.
Thermostat: [Press the up/down arrows. It returns to (68°F) at midnight.]
Washer and dryer: [Detergent pods are on the shelf. Use the "Normal" cycle.]
Hot tub: [Shower first. Replace and lock the cover after every use. No glass.]
Fireplace: [Gas: hold the switch for 5 seconds. Wood: use only the firewood provided and keep the screen closed.]
Blinds/shades: [Pull the cord straight down, then release to the left.]
Page 7: Local guide (with opinions)
A list of every restaurant in town isn't useful. Your recommendations are. Keep it to 8 to 12 places, with a sentence of opinion and a drive or walk time.
Coffee: [Name], [5-minute walk]. Get the [drink]; it opens at 7.
Groceries: [Name], [8-minute drive]. Bigger selection at [Name], [15 minutes].
Dinner, casual: [Name]. Kid-friendly, great [dish].
Dinner, special: [Name]. Book ahead on weekends.
Outdoors: [Trail or park], [drive time]. Best at sunset.
Rainy day: [Museum, cinema, bowling].
Page 8: Safety and emergencies
Emergency: 911
Address of this home: [full street address] (you'll need it for emergency calls)
Nearest hospital / urgent care: [name, address, drive time]
Fire extinguisher: [location] · First-aid kit: [location]
Water shut-off: [location] · Breaker panel: [location]
Power or water outage: message us right away at [phone].
Page 9: Checkout
Keep checkout short. Airbnb says guests expect an easy checkout without cleaning tasks, and guests can report "excessive checkout tasks" in their feedback (Airbnb Resource Center). Match this page to the checkout instructions in your listing.
Checkout is by [11:00 AM]. Before you go:
1. Load and start the dishwasher.
2. Put trash and recycling in the outside bins.
3. Turn off lights and [the fireplace].
4. Lock the door behind you. It locks automatically on the keypad.
Thank you for staying with us! If anything wasn't five-star, please tell us directly so we can fix it for the next guest.
Formatting tips that make guests actually read it
- One topic per page, with a big heading. Guests flip; they don't read cover to cover.
- Photos for anything spatial. A photo of the right door, the parking spot and the breaker panel saves more messages than a paragraph.
- Large, plain fonts. At least 12-point body text for print. Fancy script fonts are hard to read in dim light.
- Same words as your listing. If your listing says "smart lock," don't call it a "keypad" in the book.
- Use a sheet protector or a binder for printed books, and keep a spare copy in your cleaning closet.
- Make it editable. Store the master in Google Docs or Word, not in a design app you'll stop paying for.
Free template vs. a finished one
There are free welcome book templates online, many of them Canva designs with placeholder text. They can work if you have the time to write every section. The trade-off is that you're still writing the content: the guest FAQ, the house rules wording, the local guide and the checkout steps are where the hour goes.
If you'd rather edit than write, look for a template with real sample text (not lorem ipsum), a format you can edit without a subscription, and the pages above already in order.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages should an Airbnb welcome book be?
Eight to twelve short pages covers most homes. Put the at-a-glance page first and keep each section to a page or less.
Should the door code go in the welcome book?
Only if the code never changes. If you change codes between guests, send the code in the check-in message and keep it out of the printed book.
Do I still need a printed welcome book if I use Airbnb's guidebook and house manual fields?
Use both. Fill in the Arrival guide fields in the listing editor, because guests check the app. Keep a printed copy in the home for guests whose phones are dead, who aren't the booker, or who just want to flip through it.
Does this template work for Vrbo and direct bookings?
Yes. Nothing in the outline is platform-specific. Just change the "message us in the app" line to match how each guest booked.
Skip the writing
The Key & Kit Guest Welcome Book is this outline, finished: 12 pages of real sample text written to be adapted, an at-a-glance page with a scan-to-join Wi-Fi QR card, a guest FAQ, house rules with reasons, a local guide and a host setup page. You get an editable Word/Google Docs file and a print-ready PDF.
Want to start free? Our one-page Apartment Turnover Card keeps your cleaner on the same checklist every time, so the home always matches the book.
Key & Kit isn't affiliated with Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com. Platform names are used only to describe compatibility.