Free host template
Airbnb check-in instructions template you can copy today
A complete, copy-and-paste self check-in template for Airbnb and vacation rental guests: what to send before arrival, how to describe the way in, lockbox and door codes, Wi-Fi, house rules and the emergency contact. Replace the [BRACKETS] with your details — or turn it into an interactive QR welcome page instead of a PDF.
The full check-in instructions template
Copy the template below into your Airbnb saved messages, welcome PDF or house manual. Everything in [BRACKETS] is a placeholder — replace it with your property's details and delete any line that doesn't apply.
CHECK-IN INSTRUCTIONS — [PROPERTY NAME] BEFORE YOU ARRIVE • Check-in is from [3:00 PM]. Early check-in: message us — we'll confirm if the apartment is ready. • Please send us your estimated arrival time the day before. • You'll need: this message, the door code below, and about 5 minutes. GETTING HERE • Address: [FULL ADDRESS + FLOOR / APARTMENT NUMBER] • From the airport: [TAXI / TRAIN / BUS — LINE, STOP, TRAVEL TIME, APPROX. PRICE] • Parking: [FREE STREET PARKING / GARAGE ADDRESS + HOW TO OPEN THE GATE] • Google Maps pin: [LINK] GETTING INSIDE (SELF CHECK-IN) 1. The main entrance is [DESCRIPTION — e.g. the blue door next to the bakery]. 2. [BUILDING DOOR: code [XXXX] on the keypad, then press the key symbol.] 3. The lockbox is [LOCATION — e.g. mounted on the left railing]. Code: [XXXX]. 4. Take the keys, close the lockbox and scramble the code. 5. Your apartment is [FLOOR / DOOR NUMBER]. [ANY QUIRKS — e.g. lift the handle while turning the key.] Trouble getting in? Call or WhatsApp us: [PHONE NUMBER]. WI-FI • Network: [NETWORK NAME] • Password: [PASSWORD] • The router is [LOCATION] — restarting it fixes most issues. HOUSE RULES (THE SHORT VERSION) • Quiet hours: [10:00 PM – 7:00 AM]. Our neighbors are lovely — let's keep it that way. • No smoking inside. No parties or unregistered guests. • Check-out is by [11:00 AM]: leave the keys [WHERE], close the windows, lock the door. EMERGENCY & CONTACT • Host: [NAME], [PHONE / WHATSAPP] — fastest way to reach us. • Emergency number (EU): 112. Nearest pharmacy: [NAME + ADDRESS]. • Building manager (water/power issues): [PHONE NUMBER]. Enjoy your stay! [YOUR NAME]
Guest check-in message template (day before arrival)
Don't paste the whole manual into the chat. Send this short check-in message the day before arrival and link to the full instructions — a web page guests can reopen anytime, not a PDF buried in the thread.
Hi [GUEST NAME], we're looking forward to hosting you tomorrow! Quick recap for your arrival: • Check-in from [3:00 PM] — self check-in, no need to meet us. • Address: [FULL ADDRESS] • Door code: [XXXX] · Lockbox code: [XXXX] • Full instructions with photos, Wi-Fi and house tips: [LINK TO YOUR WELCOME PAGE] What time do you expect to arrive? If anything comes up on the way, call or WhatsApp me at [PHONE NUMBER]. Safe travels! [YOUR NAME]
How to write each section
1Before arrival
State the earliest check-in time, ask for an ETA, and list what the guest needs to have ready (codes, ID, parking permit). This is the section that prevents the 9 AM “we're outside” surprise.
Tip: Send it the day before arrival, not at booking — guests forget messages sent weeks earlier.
2Getting there
Full address with floor and apartment number, one recommended route from the airport or station with price and travel time, and exact parking instructions. Add a Google Maps pin link.
Tip: Describe the entrance visually (“the blue door next to the bakery”) — house numbers are often hard to spot at night.
3Entry, lockbox and door codes
Number the steps: building door, lockbox location, code, which key opens what. Mention quirks like a sticky lock or a handle you must lift. This is where most self check-ins fail.
Tip: Always include a “if you can't get in, call this number” line right under the steps.
4Wi-Fi
Network name and password exactly as written, plus where the router is. Wi-Fi is the first thing most guests look for after opening the door.
Tip: Avoid ambiguous characters in passwords (O vs 0, l vs 1) or spell them out.
5House rules
Keep it to the rules that actually matter: quiet hours, smoking, parties, checkout time and key return. A friendly two-line version beats a legal-sounding page nobody reads.
Tip: Frame rules positively — “our neighbors are lovely, let's keep it that way” works better than threats.
6Emergency contact
Your phone or WhatsApp, the local emergency number, the nearest pharmacy, and who to call for building issues like water or power. Guests rarely need it — but when they do, it defines your review.
Tip: If you use a co-host or cleaner as first contact, put their number first and say who they are.
Skip the PDF: make it a QR welcome page
A text template is a great start — but guests lose messages, PDFs go stale the day you change a door code, and international guests may not read your language. The interactive version of this template is a mobile welcome page: guests scan a QR code by the door or tap a link in your message and always see the current check-in steps, Wi-Fi, rules and local tips, auto-translated into 9 languages.
HostGreeter turns this exact structure into that page in a few minutes — it can even import the details from your Airbnb listing. See how the check-in section fits into a complete guide in our Airbnb digital welcome book guide.
Check-in instructions FAQ
What should Airbnb check-in instructions include?
Good check-in instructions cover six things: arrival window and what to prepare before arrival, directions to the property with parking, step-by-step entry instructions (building door, lockbox location and codes), the Wi-Fi network and password, the short version of your house rules, and an emergency contact. Number the entry steps and always add a phone number guests can call if they get stuck.
When should I send check-in instructions to Airbnb guests?
Send a short message with the address, codes and a link to the full instructions the day before arrival — that's when guests actually read it. Sending full instructions at booking time rarely works because guests lose the message in the thread. Many hosts also place a QR code inside the property that opens the same instructions, so guests can re-check codes and rules during the stay.
How do self check-in instructions differ from a hosted check-in?
Self check-in instructions must work with zero help: exact lockbox or smart-lock location, codes, numbered steps, a photo or visual description of the entrance, and a fallback phone number. With a hosted check-in you mostly need the meeting time, place and your phone number — but it's still worth sending directions and parking info in advance.
Should I send check-in instructions as a PDF?
PDFs are easy to produce but hard to use on a phone: guests pinch-zoom, lose the file in their downloads, and never see updates after you change a door code. A mobile web page — like a HostGreeter welcome page opened from a link or QR code — always shows the current version, works offline once opened, and can be auto-translated for international guests.
How do I share check-in instructions with a QR code?
Create a digital welcome page with your check-in steps, Wi-Fi, rules and recommendations, then print its QR code and place it by the entrance or send the link in your Airbnb message. Guests scan or tap and see the latest instructions without installing an app. HostGreeter generates the page and the QR code for you, with automatic translation into 9 languages.