There's no shortage of Airbnb guest manual templates online — but most of them suggest including far more than guests will ever read. Here's a cleaner approach to what actually belongs in yours.

What Every Manual Needs (No Exceptions)

Check-in instructions, door codes or key location, WiFi password, check-out time and checklist, your contact details, and emergency information. These are non-negotiable. Everything else is a bonus.

What Adds Real Value

Appliance guides for anything non-obvious. Parking instructions. Local restaurant and activity recommendations — ideally with your personal note on why you like them. Nearby grocery stores and transport options.

A brief welcome message from you as a person, not just as a host, also goes a long way.

What to Cut

Long lists of house rules phrased as warnings. Lengthy history of the property that nobody asked for. Affiliate links disguised as recommendations. Anything that makes the manual feel like a legal document.

Guests aren't reading your manual to learn — they're consulting it to solve a problem. Keep it focused on that job.

Platform-Specific Tip

Don't duplicate your Airbnb listing description inside your manual. Guests who booked your property have already read that. Use the manual for operational information they need now that they're staying with you.

Digital Means Updatable

One reason to avoid the template-heavy approach: templates encourage you to fill every section, even when you don't have much to say in it. A digital manual lets you start lean and add sections as you learn what guests actually need.

A tight, well-structured Airbnb guest manual beats a lengthy one every time. GuestIntro helps you build exactly that start at https://guestintro.com/ and have your manual ready in under an hour.