How to Write a Vacation Rental Guest Guide (2026 Template)
By StayScan Editorial Team · Published · Last updated
Create the ultimate vacation rental guest guide with sections for check-in, house rules, WiFi, appliances, and local recommendations. Help guests enjoy their stay without bombarding you with questions.
The Guest Guide Problem
Most vacation rental guest guides are written for the host. Long, thorough, covering every possible scenario. Weeks of work. Then guests arrive and immediately text you asking where the TV remote is.
A guest guide only works if guests actually open it, find what they need in seconds, and trust what they read. Here's how to build one that does all three.
What Guests Actually Need (and When They Need It)
Guests don't read a guide linearly. They access it at three specific moments:
- Pre-arrival: How do I get in? Where do I park? What time can I arrive?
- During the stay: How does [appliance/thing] work? What's a good restaurant nearby?
- Checkout: What do I need to do before I leave?
Structure your guide around these three moments, not around what you feel like documenting.
Structure That Works
Section 1: Arrival (Everything Before They Step Inside)
This needs to arrive separately, before guests reach your property. Include it in your check-in message 24 hours before arrival:
- Full address with postcode (copy-paste ready for navigation apps)
- Parking instructions (specific bay number, permit codes, alternatives if full)
- Entry method (lockbox code, smart lock code, key collection location)
- What to do if they arrive and something doesn't work (your phone number)
Section 2: The Essentials
The information guests need within the first hour:
- Wi-Fi name and password (put this on page one, it's the first thing everyone asks for)
- Heating/cooling controls
- Hot water instructions if there's anything non-obvious
- Checkout time and key departure tasks
Section 3: Around the Home
Room-by-room specifics for anything non-obvious. Appliances, quirks, locations of supplies.
Section 4: The Neighbourhood
Your personal recommendations, not TripAdvisor's. The places you'd send your own friends. Be specific: "The coffee at Rosetta on the corner is excellent, get the flat white" beats "there are many nice cafes nearby."
This is the section guests talk about in reviews. It transforms you from a landlord into a host.
Section 5: Checkout
Maximum five tasks. Clear, specific, achievable. Don't ask guests to deep clean.
Tone: The Single Biggest Difference
Read your guest guide out loud. Does it sound like you're talking to a trusted friend, or like a terms and conditions document?
Most guest guides read like legal disclaimers. "Guests are strictly prohibited from..." and "Under no circumstances should you..." create an adversarial tone from the first sentence.
Rewrite those sentences as if you're talking to someone you invited as a guest:
- "No parties" → "The property is in a residential building, we keep noise to a minimum after 10pm"
- "Do not leave dishes in the sink" → "If you load the dishwasher before checkout, it's incredibly helpful for our cleaning team"
- "Strictly no smoking" → "The property is entirely non-smoking, including the balcony"
Same rules, different relationship.
Format and Delivery
The format matters as much as the content. Options, ranked by guest usability:
Digital Guidebook (Best)
A link or QR code guests access on their phone. No downloading, no printing, always accessible. Works best for modern guests (which is increasingly all guests). Can be updated without reprinting anything when something changes.
Printed Binder (Good Backup)
Some guests, particularly older guests or those staying at rural properties with poor connectivity, appreciate a physical binder. If you use one, laminate the key pages and keep them scannable. Update it regularly, nothing undermines trust faster than a printed guide with the wrong Wi-Fi password.
PDF (Least Effective)
PDFs require downloading, don't display well on phones, and guests rarely revisit them. Save PDFs for the checkout instructions email.
The Hybrid Approach
A QR code at the property linking to your digital guide, with a one-page printed "essentials" card covering Wi-Fi, entry, and checkout. This covers all guest types with minimal effort.
What Actually Goes in Each Section (Real Examples)
Vague advice is useless. Here's what real, effective guides include:
Wi-Fi section: "Network: StudioPark_5G | Password: sunflower2025 | If it drops, restart the black router on the kitchen shelf (hold the power button 10 seconds, wait 30 seconds)"
Kitchen section: "The coffee machine is a Nespresso, pods are in the top drawer on the left. It takes about 40 seconds to warm up. We've left a variety box, help yourself. If you want more, any supermarket stocks them (Vertuo pods)."
Neighbourhood section: "Best breakfast: The Larder on Maple Street (walk 6 mins), opens 7:30am, the sourdough toast is exceptional. Best dinner if you want something special: Onda (10 min drive or £8 Uber), book a table, it fills up fast."
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include rules in my guest guide?
Keep rules brief and separate from the main guide. A short "House Rules" section at the back is fine. But don't let rules dominate the experience, lead with hospitality, end with logistics.
How do I update my guest guide when things change?
This is the biggest advantage of digital guides: you change it once and every future guest sees the update automatically. With printed guides, you need to reprint. If your guide has the wrong Wi-Fi password, every guest will notice, and some won't tell you until they leave a review.
Do I need a separate guide for each platform (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com)?
No. One guide that covers everything. Deliver it via a link that works on any device regardless of which platform guests booked through.
StayScan is a digital guidebook for Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com and Agoda hosts: one QR code gives guests Wi-Fi, check-in steps, house rules and local tips in 30+ languages. Create your guidebook with a 30-day free trial, no credit card required.