What is the difference between a welcome message and check-in instructions?

The welcome message says thanks and sets expectations. Check-in instructions are the practical part: address, parking, door code, Wi-Fi. Many hosts combine them into one message sent a day or two before arrival, which works well as long as the code and address are easy to find. Our check-in instructions template covers the practical half in detail.

Should I send the welcome message as soon as they book?

Send a short thank-you as soon as they book, then the full welcome with check-in details one to three days before arrival. A long welcome sent weeks ahead gets buried, and the guest messages you on arrival day asking for the code.

How long should an Airbnb welcome message be?

Short enough to read standing at the door on a phone. Put the essentials (address, check-in time, how to get in, Wi-Fi) in the first few lines, and link to a guidebook for everything else. If it needs scrolling, it is too long.

Can I automate my Airbnb welcome message?

Yes. Airbnb scheduled messages can send it at a set time before check-in and fill in some details, such as the guest's first name, with shortcodes. A PMS can fill in per-stay details like a unique door code. See how to automate Airbnb messages.

Should I include my phone number?

Give guests a way to reach you fast for anything urgent. Airbnb asks hosts to keep communication on the platform, so make the in-app thread the main channel and share a phone number for emergencies in line with Airbnb's current rules.

Airbnb Welcome Message Templates That Cut Questions

A good Airbnb welcome message thanks the guest by name and gives them the four things they need to arrive: the address, the check-in time, how to get in and the Wi-Fi. Send it one to three days before arrival, keep it short enough to read on a phone at the door, and link to a guidebook for the rest.

Below are nine templates for different guests and arrivals. Copy one, fill in the brackets, and paste it into Airbnb scheduled messages or your PMS. They come from the messages we send across the 200 homes we manage.

What to include

Every welcome message needs the same core, in this order. Guests read the top and stop, so the order matters more than the wording.

Their name and a one-line thanks. It confirms the message is about their booking.
The address, written so it pastes into a maps app. Add the unit number and building name if there is one.
Check-in time, and what to do if they are early.
How to get in. Lock type, where it is, the code. One sentence each.
Parking, if they are likely to drive.
Wi-Fi network and password. The most asked question after the door code.
One way to reach you, and when.
A link to the guidebook for house rules, appliances, trash days and local tips.

Leave out what the guest does not need to arrive. House rules, the full appliance guide and your restaurant list belong in the guidebook, where they can find them when they need them.

When to send it

Message	When	What it carries
Booking thank-you	Straight after booking	Thanks, dates, when details will arrive
Welcome message	1 to 3 days before arrival	Address, check-in time, entry, Wi-Fi, guidebook link
Arrival-day reminder	Morning of check-in	The door code again, and who to contact

If your lock creates a new code for each stay, send the welcome only after the code is active. If you get a lot of last-minute bookings, send the welcome as soon as the booking lands when arrival is under 24 hours away.

9 welcome message templates

Anything in square brackets is a field to fill in. Each template is plain text and ready to paste.

1. Standard welcome

Standard welcome · 2 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], Thanks for booking [Property name]. Here's everything you need for [check-in day]. Address: [full address] Check-in: from [time] Getting in: [how to get in, e.g. keypad on the left of the front door, code [code]] Parking: [where to park] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] Everything else, from the coffee machine to trash day, is in your guidebook: [link] Message me here if you need anything. Looking forward to having you. [Your name]

2. Self check-in

Self check-in · 1 to 2 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], welcome to [Property name]. Check-in is self check-in, so you can arrive any time after [time]. 1. Go to [full address]. Look for [landmark, e.g. the blue door next to the cafe]. 2. The keypad is [where it is]. Enter [code] and turn the handle. 3. To lock when you leave, [how to lock]. Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] Parking: [where to park] Photos of the entrance and the full guidebook are here: [link] If the code doesn't work, message me straight away and I'll help you in.

3. Family

Family stay · 2 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], We're looking forward to having your family at [Property name]. Address: [full address] Check-in: from [time] Getting in: [entry instructions and code] Parking: [where to park, and space for a second car if there is one] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] For the kids: [the travel cot and high chair are in the hall closet / the pool gate locks with a latch at the top / the nearest park is a 5 minute walk]. Your guidebook has the nearest supermarket, pharmacy and family-friendly places to eat: [link] Have a great trip, and message me if you need anything.

4. Business traveler

Business traveler · 1 day before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], Your check-in details for [Property name]: Address: [full address] Check-in: from [time]. Checkout by [time]. Entry: [entry instructions and code] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password]. Speed is about [speed] Mbps. Workspace: [desk and chair in the second bedroom / monitor and HDMI cable on the desk] If you need a receipt for expenses, you can download one from your Airbnb trip. Message me if your company needs anything specific on it. Guidebook: [link]

Only state a Wi-Fi speed you have tested yourself, recently.

5. Long stay

Long stay (a week or more) · 3 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], Welcome to [Property name] for the next [number] nights. Here's what you need for day one, and a few things that matter on a longer stay. Address: [full address] Check-in: from [time] Entry: [entry instructions and code] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] For a longer stay: - Trash goes out [day], recycling [day]. Bins are [location]. - The washer and dryer are [location]. Detergent is [location]. - Fresh linen and towels are in [location]. [A mid-stay clean is included on day [number] / available on request.] I'll check in about halfway through. Your full guidebook: [link]

6. Late arrival

Late arrival · Day before, when the guest says they arrive late

Hi [Guest first name], thanks for letting me know you're arriving around [time]. No problem at all. Check-in is self check-in, so there's no rush. Address: [full address] Entry: [the keypad is on the left of the front door, under the light. Code [code].] Parking: [where to park at night, and whether street parking is free overnight] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] The porch light is on a sensor, and [I've left the hallway lamp on for you]. If you get stuck, message me here. I'll keep an eye on my phone until [time]. After that, [backup contact or instructions].

7. Pet-friendly

Pet-friendly stay · 2 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], we're looking forward to meeting [pet name] too. Address: [full address] Check-in: from [time] Entry: [entry instructions and code] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] For [pet name]: - The yard is [fully fenced / fenced except the side gate, which latches at the top]. - Bowls and a towel are [location]. - Please keep pets off [the beds and couches], and pick up after them in the yard. - The nearest off-leash area is [place], about [time] away. Nearest vet: [name, address, phone] Guidebook: [link]

8. Short and sweet

Short and sweet · Day before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], see you [tomorrow]. [Full address] Check-in from [time] Door code: [code] Wi-Fi: [network] / [password] Everything else: [guidebook link]

For one-night stays and guests who have stayed before, this is often all they want.

9. Returning guest

Returning guest · 2 days before arrival

Hi [Guest first name], welcome back to [Property name]. A couple of things have changed since your last stay: - [The door code is new: [code]] - [We've added [new thing, e.g. a coffee machine and a second parking bay]] Check-in is from [time], same as before. Wi-Fi is [network] / [password]. Good to have you back. Message me if you need anything.

Mistakes that cause questions

A lot of "how do I get in?" messages follow a welcome message that technically had the answer. The usual causes:

The code is buried. If the door code is in paragraph four, a guest standing in the rain will message you instead of scrolling. Put it near the top, on its own line.
The address does not paste. "Unit 4, the building behind the bakery" is helpful as a landmark but not as the address. Give both.
It arrived too early. A welcome sent at booking, three weeks before arrival, is hard to find on the day. Send it closer, or send the code again on arrival morning.
The details are out of date. A changed Wi-Fi password or an old door code in a saved template is worse than no message at all. Check your templates whenever something in the home changes.
It is trying to be the guidebook. House rules, appliance guides and local tips make the message long enough that guests skim the part they need.

After the welcome message

Even a good welcome message does not stop every question. Guests still ask where the spare blankets are, whether the pool is heated, or if they can check out late. Some of those have one right answer that already exists in your guidebook. Some need a decision.

Sample A follow-up question after the welcome message

Priya · 9:14 pm

Hi, we got in fine, thank you. Where are the extra blankets? It is colder than we expected.

Glad you made it in, Priya. Spare blankets are on the top shelf of the main bedroom closet. The heater remote is in the drawer under the TV.

Answered from the guidebook · 9:14 pm

HostOwls AI messaging handles these. It answers from the guidebook HostOwls builds from your reservations and passes anything it is not sure of to a person. The guidebook is included, and pricing runs A$3.75 to A$6 per property per month. See pricing.

More templates for the rest of the stay are in the Airbnb message template library, and the house manual generator builds the guidebook your welcome message links to.

Airbnb welcome message templates