A welcome book is only useful if it answers the right questions in the right order. Guests read it the moment they arrive — tired, maybe a little lost — so the flow matters as much as the content. Here's a complete checklist, section by section, following the guest's journey from arrival to departure.
1. A warm welcome
Open with a personal note. A few lines from you as the host — why you're glad they're here and what to expect — instantly sets a five-star tone and costs nothing.
2. Arrival & check-in
The practical basics: the address, where the key or lockbox is, the entry code, and the earliest check-in time. Be crystal clear here — a guest who can't get in is a stressed guest.
3. Wi-Fi & the essentials
The number-one question, always. Put the network name and password front and centre, ideally with a QR code for one-scan access. Add heating, hot water, the coffee machine, and the TV.
4. How the home works
Nothing frustrates a guest like a cold shower because they couldn't find the boiler. Briefly explain the appliances, where the fuse box is, and what to do about small issues.
5. House rules — kept friendly
Smoking, pets, quiet hours, rubbish and recycling. Keep it short and warm rather than a list of bans. Guests follow rules better when they sound welcoming.
6. Local safety
This is the section free templates skip — and the one that genuinely protects your guests. Depending on your location: tides and beach flags at the coast, weather and altitude in the mountains, ticks in the forest. And everywhere: the emergency number (112 across Europe).
7. Exploring the area
You don't need to be a travel agency, but a handful of personal favourites — a scenic walk, a hidden viewpoint, your go-to café — make a real impression.
8. Food & drink
The best bakery for fresh bread, a restaurant worth booking, the nearest supermarket. Real recommendations, not an anonymous list.
9. Check-out & reviews
What time, and what's expected? Dishwasher on, rubbish out, key back where? Finish with a friendly nudge for a review — right when the guest is happiest.
Turn the checklist into one clean guide
Sending these details one by one means ten messages per guest. The smart move is to bundle them into a single mobile-friendly welcome book guests find on their phone or on the table. Fewer questions for you, more calm for them — and that shows up in your reviews.
Start free
Our Wi-Fi & Arrival Card covers the first few points instantly. Download it and see how it feels.
Wi-Fi & Arrival Card →Written by the Welcomap team — more about us.