Is this welcome book template really free?

Yes. Copy it, download the Word file or save it as a PDF. No email, no signup, and you can use it for as many properties as you like.

Is there a Canva version?

Not as a Canva file. The text is plain, so you can paste each section into any Canva layout you already like, and keep the order.

What is the difference between a welcome book and a house manual?

Mostly the name. A house manual leans toward how things work and the rules; a welcome book adds the greeting and the local guide. This template covers both. See sample house manuals for four different property types.

How long should a welcome book be?

Keep each section to a few lines. Guests scan for one answer at a time, often on a phone, so short sections in the right order work better than a long book that covers everything.

Should I print my door code in the welcome book?

Only if it never changes. If you rotate codes between guests, leave it out of the printed copy and send it with your check-in message, or use a digital guidebook that shows each guest their own code.

Free Airbnb Welcome Book Template (Word and PDF)

What goes in a welcome book

A good vacation rental welcome book answers questions in the order guests have them. First they need to get in. Then they want the Wi-Fi. That evening they wonder how the heating works. On the last night they want to know what to do before they leave. Put the sections in that order and a good share of the 10 pm messages stop arriving.

Welcome noteSets the tone and tells guests how to reach you.
Arriving and getting inThe first thing guests need, usually from the car.
Wi-FiUsually the next question. Put it where nobody has to hunt for it.
Contacts and emergenciesGuests rarely open this page, and when they do it is urgent.
How the house worksHeating, hot water and the TV remote are the usual evening questions.
House rulesKeep it short and specific; guests skip long lists.
Trash and recyclingSaves a message and a cleaning surprise.
Around the neighborhoodYour picks are worth more than a list guests could find on a map.
CheckoutGuests will do four or five things. A longer list gets skipped, or mentioned in the review.
Thank youAsks for problems privately first, then for the review.

This order also works for a short term rental welcome book that lives online. A guest opening a link in a parking lot needs the same thing first as a guest opening a binder on the kitchen counter.

The template, section by section

Replace everything in [brackets] with your own details, and delete any line that doesn't apply. Each block has its own copy button. If you design in Canva, paste the text into your own layout and keep the order.

Welcome note · Page one

Welcome to [Property name] Hi [Guest name], We're glad you're here. This book has everything you need for your stay, in the order you'll need it: getting in, Wi-Fi, how the house works, and what's nearby. If something isn't covered, message [Host name] on [Airbnb or phone number]. We usually reply within [time window]. Enjoy your stay, [Host name]

Arriving and getting in · Before they reach the door

Address: [Street address, unit number] Check-in from: [3:00 pm] Parking: [Where to park, bay number, permit or gate code] Getting in: 1. [Find the lockbox or keypad at ...] 2. Enter the code [code] and [turn the handle or press the lock button]. 3. [Second door, gate or elevator instructions, if any] If the door won't open, call [phone number] straight away. Please don't wait outside.

Wi-Fi · First five minutes inside

Network: [Network name] Password: [Password] The router is [location]. If the connection drops, unplug it for 10 seconds and plug it back in. Give it [2 minutes] to come back.

Contacts and emergencies · Kept near the front

Host: [Name], [phone], [best way to reach you] Backup contact: [Name, phone], if you can't reach us Emergency: call [911 or your local emergency number] Nearest hospital: [Name, address, drive time] Late-night pharmacy: [Name, address, hours] First aid kit: [location] Fire extinguisher and fire blanket: [location] Water shut-off: [location] Breaker box: [location]

How the house works · First evening

Heating and air conditioning: [Where the controls are, how to switch modes] Hot water: [Anything guests should know, like how long it takes to heat] TV and streaming: [Which remote, which input, which apps are logged in] Kitchen: [Oven, cooktop, dishwasher or coffee machine quirks] Laundry: [Washer and dryer location, detergent supplied or not] Spare linen and towels: [location] Blinds, locks and windows: [Anything that sticks or needs a trick]

House rules · First evening

Quiet hours: [10:00 pm to 7:00 am] Maximum guests: [number]. No parties or events. Smoking: [Not permitted anywhere on the property, or outside only, at ...] Pets: [Allowed, not allowed, or conditions] [Pool, spa, balcony or fireplace rule] Please lock the door and close the windows when you go out. Thank you for looking after the place.

Trash and recycling · Day two

General waste: [Bin color and location] Recycling: [Bin color, and what goes in it] Collection day: [Day]. If you're here the night before, please put the bins [where].

Around the neighborhood · Day two onward

Coffee and breakfast: [Name, walking time, one line on why you like it] Groceries: [Name, distance, hours] Dinner: [Two or three picks, with a rough price guide] Things to do: [Beach, park, trail or market, and how to get there] Getting around: [Transit stop, rideshare pickup point, bike or car hire]

Checkout · The night before they leave

Checkout is by [10:00 am]. Before you go: - [Load and start the dishwasher] - [Leave used towels in the bathroom] - [Take trash to the bins outside] - [Turn off the air conditioning and lights] - Lock the door and [return the keys to the lockbox, or let it lock behind you] No need to strip the beds or vacuum. Want a later checkout? Message us by [time] the day before and we'll check whether the next booking allows it.

Thank you · Last page

Thanks for staying at [Property name]. We hope you had a great time. If anything wasn't right, please tell us directly so we can fix it for the next guest. And if you enjoyed your stay, a review on [Airbnb or booking site] helps other guests find us. Safe travels, [Host name]

Download Word or PDF

The whole welcome book, all ten sections

Edit the Word file in Word, Pages or Google Docs. The PDF version opens print-ready: choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog. Free, no email needed.

Digital or printed?

Plenty of hosts keep both, because each does a different job.

	Printed book	Digital guidebook
Read before arrival	No, it's inside	Yes, sent with your booking messages
Changing a detail	Reprint every copy	Edit once, every guest sees it
Door codes that rotate	Leave them out	Each guest can see their own
Works without signal	Always	Needs data or Wi-Fi
Wear and tear	Coffee rings, missing pages	None

Tips for the printed copy

Put Wi-Fi and emergency contacts on the first spread. Those are the pages guests open it for.
Print a date in the footer. When you spot an old copy, you'll know.
Use a binder or plastic sleeves so you can swap one page instead of reprinting the book.
Leave out anything that changes per guest, like door codes or checkout times on specific dates.

Tips for the digital version

Send the link before arrival, with the check-in message, so guests have the entry steps while they are still outside.
Keep each section short enough to read on a phone, standing up.
When a guest asks something the guidebook doesn't cover, add the answer that day.

Keep it current

Welcome books go stale. The Wi-Fi password changes, a café closes, the lockbox moves to the side gate. Writing one takes an afternoon; keeping every copy right means an update each time something in the house changes.

We built HostOwls partly to handle that. The HostOwls digital guidebook fills itself in from your reservations, so each guest gets their own link with their door code, Wi-Fi and check-in time, and a weekly review of guest messages adds the answers it was missing. It's free for your first property, then A$1.90 to A$3.75 per property per month. See pricing.

If you'd rather build a printable manual from a short form, try the free house manual generator. For layouts to borrow, see our Airbnb house manual examples, and for the arrival section in more depth, the check-in instructions template.

Free Airbnb welcome book template