What is an Airbnb guidebook?

An Airbnb guidebook is a custom digital travel guide that Airbnb hosts create for their guests, to highlight the local area and enhance the guest experience.

An Airbnb guidebook is a chance to tell guests your favourite things about your neighbourhood, to make their stay special (earning you a nice review) and to encourage them to visit again (earning you return business).

This blog will give you a full overview of Airbnb guidebooks and how to create one at your property.

Make a better impression with Little Hotelier

An Airbnb guidebook is just one way to enhance the experience you offer your guests. Little Hotelier can help you improve guest comms, booking management, payments and more.

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Why do you need an Airbnb guidebook? 

An Airbnb digital guidebook is a great way to entice people to book your accommodation and to ensure that guests have the best possible experience during their stay. Airbnb guidebooks can also be an effective way to let people know practical information about your accommodation and the rules they need to abide by.

  • Attract more guests: A potential guest can check out your guidebook before they book. If you paint an enticing picture of your accommodation and area your guidebook could earn you more business.
  • Enhance the guest experience: Let your guests know about local secrets. Ensure they have a stay that makes them excited to visit you again in the future.
  • Offer up important info: Give your guests easy access to the info they need, from Wi-Fi details, to house rules, to emergency procedures.

How do I find the guidebook on Airbnb? 

As a host you can find and edit your guidebook by following these simple instructions:

  1. Navigate to your Airbnb dashboard.
  2. In the ‘Listings’ tab, choose the listing you want to add the guide to.
  3. Click ‘Listing editor’ > ‘Arrival guide’ > ‘Guidebooks’.
  4. Create your guidebook, then choose which listings it’s associated with.

Your guidebook can be easily accessed by guests. They can find it on both your listing and on your profile pages before they book, and in their Trips tab after they book. 

Airbnb will also prompt you to send your guidebook through whenever a guest asks a relevant question using Airbnb’s messaging tool.

Airbnb guidebook

How to write a good Airbnb guidebook (with examples)

What should be in an Airbnb guidebook? Here’s how to make a guidebook/how to write a guidebook, and what you should consider including in your Airbnb host guidebook, along with some Airbnb guidebook examples that you can use as inspiration. 

Welcome message

Start things off with a nice message that welcomes the guest to your place and thanks them for choosing you.

“Hi there, thank you so much for choosing to stay with us! We’ll do whatever we can to make your stay special. This guidebook tells you all you need to know about our space, and lists a few of our favourite things to see and do in the area. If you have any questions that aren’t answered by our guidebook, don’t hesitate to reach out!”

House/community rules

List the rules for your property that the guest must agree to in order to book. By clearly setting your expectations from the get-go, you minimise the likelihood of issues later.

“We want you to have as much fun as possible during your stay, we just need you to be mindful of a few house rules:

  • No parties
  • No pets
  • No smoking
  • 2pm check-in, 10am check-out
  • Quiet hours: 11pm-7am”

Practical information

What does a guest need to know while staying at your property? List practical info like Wi-Fi details, where to put the rubbish, and how to use appliances.

Emergency information 

Tell guests where they can find a fire extinguisher, fire blanket and first aid kit. Tell them where the emergency assembly point is. Provide your contact details and those of the local emergency services.

Local recommendations

Now to the fun part: think of your favourite things to see and do in your local area, then build out a list of local recommendations that will wow your guests. Think of the things that tourists don’t often hear about – the truly unique experiences that can really make a stay. You might include landmarks, hikes or bike rides, bars and restaurants, museums and galleries, or local events.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to end your big day of sightseeing, grab a meal at one of our favourite restaurants. Within a stone’s throw of our property you’ll find:

  • Estia for unreal Greek (ask for Jen – she’s great!)
  • Blue Rose for an interesting take on Asian
  • Carnivore for the meat lovers (go the rib eye!)

Henley House for pizza with a view

Tips to making your Airbnb host guidebook stand out

Airbnb has a focus on providing guests with as much information and personalisation as possible, which helps guests to feel more comfortable and prepared for their stay.

Let’s look at how your hotel can use some of the tactics employed by Airbnb to give guests yet another reason to stay at your property.

Tactic #1: Create a downloadable PDF showcasing your local destination

Airbnb guest guidebooks let hosts put together a comprehensive list of destination recommendations and tips. Everything from restaurants, parks, attractions, grocery stores, tourist hotspots, and more are listed to give guests a reference point for every need they may have.

You can use this concept outside of Airbnb, by providing your guests with a downloadable or printable PDF that lets guests know exactly what’s in store and where to go. Every recommendation should come from a ‘local’ perspective – adding photos is also a great touch

Tactic #2: Publish additional destination content on your website

The personal touch is what stands out most on Airbnb. Every piece of knowledge or advice is coming from a true local who knows the best spots are not always the most publicised or the most expensive.

Consider publishing content on your website via a blog or ‘things to do’ page that gives guests the inside scoop on where they can find the most enjoyable experiences, and the best value for money. Publishing content like this will make your website a good resource for the destination in general. It can drive higher volumes of online traffic, and if you let your guests book directly with you, it can earn you more reservations too.

Tactic #3: Give guests helpful tips to get the most from your amenities

Guests want to know how to make the most of their experience while staying with you. Let guests know the ins and outs of their room, including where to find and how to use the Wi-Fi, heating systems, lighting, appliances etc.

Tell them the best way to contact staff and make requests, and where their room is in relation to all the amenities they might use during their stay. Any hotel rules should also be included in an easy-to-access guide.

Self-service features give guests autonomy during their stay and can reduce the amount of time staff have to attend to run-of-the-mill requests – but only if a guest knows exactly how everything works, so be sure to feature instructions in your guide.

Tactic #4: Don’t waste user-generated content

User-generated content is something that powers Airbnb and can be a great resource for guests, while demanding minimal effort from you. Travellers love to hear from their peers, since it gives them good insight into the places they should frequent and those they should avoid (including feedback on your hotel) from a source they feel is trustworthy.

Include genuine reviews on your website and leverage the guest experience to drive direct bookings. Take note of social media posts and pictures of your property or destination and use them to influence other travellers. Why not ask your guests to recommend local experiences and places to other guests? You can then compile these in your hotel’s guidebook.

Bonus tips:

  • Remember your staff are locals too and have a wealth of knowledge to offer guests. Encourage your hotel’s employees to be as personal as possible with their recommendations.
  • Think about incorporating any locally made products into your hotel guidebook to give guests a taste of what your destination has to offer.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).