Airbnb house manual template: what to include, with a copyable outline
A copyable house manual outline for Airbnb and vacation rentals: Wi-Fi, arrival, appliances, rules, safety and local tips, in print or as a digital guide.
Guest Manuals · · 4 min read · By StayPerk Team · Updated
A house manual is the guide guests use to live in your home for a few days: how to get in, connect to Wi-Fi, work the appliances and find help. A good one saves you from answering the same questions every stay.
Use the outline below for Airbnb's built-in house manual, a printed Welcome Book, a digital guest manual, or all three. The sections are the same; only the format changes.
What Airbnb recommends
Airbnb's guide to writing a house manual suggests starting with the Wi-Fi password, because it is one of the first things guests ask for, then covering parking, appliances and the location of essentials. It recommends keeping the manual short, easy to understand and friendly in tone.
House manual outline
House manual outline
Template
Welcome to [property name] A short hello from [your name], and the best way to reach you: [contact method]. Wi-Fi Network: [network name] Password: [password] Arriving Address: [address]. Parking: [where to park]. Check-in from [time]. [How to get in, shared close to arrival.] Around the home Heating and cooling: [how to adjust it]. TV and entertainment: [remote, inputs, streaming apps]. Kitchen: [coffee machine, dishwasher, oven notes]. Laundry: [washer and dryer notes]. Hot tub, fireplace or pool: [how to use it safely]. House rules [Quiet hours, guest limit, smoking, pets, parties.] Safety Emergency number: [local emergency number]. Fire extinguisher: [location]. First-aid kit: [location]. Nearest hospital or urgent care: [name and address]. Local tips [Groceries, coffee, restaurants, walks and things to do.] Checking out Checkout by [time]. [Keys, rubbish and switching things off.] Thank you for staying with us!
Keep door codes and lockbox codes out of anything left in the home or shared publicly. Send them close to arrival.
Airbnb house manual, printed book or digital guide?
| Format | Works well for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Airbnb's house manual | Guests who booked on Airbnb and use the app | Guests from other booking sites won't see it |
| Printed Welcome Book | Guests who like paper, and anything guests need inside the home | Printed copies go out of date when details change |
| Digital guest manual | One link for every booking site, short videos and quick updates | Guests need the link or a QR code to open it |
You don't have to choose: keep a printed book on the counter, and share a digital manual by link after booking and through a QR code inside the home.
Keep it accurate
- Test every instruction at the property, especially entry, Wi-Fi and heating.
- Use the button names guests will actually see on each appliance.
- Add a photo or short video for anything that is easier to show than explain.
- Review the manual after each season, or whenever you change something in the home.
On Airbnb, check-in details are shown to guests 48 hours before check-in (Airbnb help). Keep access codes in those instructions rather than in a general manual.
- View sample manual
See how a guest manual can combine stay details, service context, and mobile-first access.
Frequently asked questions
What should an Airbnb house manual include?
Wi-Fi details, arrival and parking, how to use heating, appliances and entertainment, house rules, safety information, local tips and checkout steps.
Is a house manual the same as a Welcome Book?
They cover the same information. A Welcome Book is usually printed and left in the home, while a house manual can be printed, in the Airbnb app, or a digital guide.
Should I put the door code in my house manual?
Not in anything left in the home or shared publicly. Send access codes close to arrival, for example in your booking platform's check-in instructions.
Do guests from other booking sites see my Airbnb house manual?
No. Airbnb's house manual is for Airbnb guests. A printed Welcome Book or a digital manual link works for every booking channel.
How long should a house manual be?
As short as it can be while still answering the common questions. Put long explanations in a photo, a short video or a separate appliance card.
Useful StayPerk pages
- What to include in a guest manual
A section-by-section guide.
- House rules template
Copyable rules and a short sign.
- Welcome Book templates
Turn the outline into a printed book.
- Free digital guest manual builder
Share one link with guests on every booking site.