@Stephanie and all of my fellow hosts.
Well, the first two comments nearly reflect what I also do, but then, years before I became part of the Airbnb phenomenon, I was sending a pdf file with lots more information about our property, what we have and provide, where we are located, where Guests are able to park, on which local beaches dogs are (or aren't) allowed, and when.
I'm also able to ask what bed set up they require (we have a zip-and-link Super King bed, so can either set it up as such, or separate both base and mattress into 2 x Single beds), and as we provide (free of charge) what surely must be the biggest Welcome Pack in the world, we also ask whether anyone within their group is vegan, vegetarian, has an allergy, or is an omnivore (I used to list all of the items within the Pack, and offer alternatives for the butter, cheese, yoghurt, bacon, jam, chutney, marmalade, milk, bottled water, beer, cider, savoury biscuits, [wine], other drinks, and - when children will be staying - ice-cream (for all of the other items, we don't offer alternatives, but then being advised whether any of the Guests' follow a specific "diet" automatically tells us whether the eggs, chocolate, bread, and other items we usually include, should be included or not).
And then we include our names, the full address of our property, how to reach it using various mapping methods, as not everyone uses the same "finding" tools, and good old sat-nav isn't as accurate as other methods now available.
So we also include a map of the area showing where to park, plus a plan of the layout of our property (even though both are included amongst the images of our place, on Airbnb), and we also provide any extra details about our place we feel they would like to know - in advance of their arrival (because there's not enough space on the Airbnb website for us to include the extra information there).
Oh yes, and because Airbnb and most of the more-modern OTA's don't provide insurance, we always suggest to our Guests (and well in advance) that they are insured for their travel, including for anything "untoward" during their stay.
That my pdf file has 8 pages to it, is one thing, but apart from hinting to the recipient(s) that "matchsticks might be required to hold open their eyelids by the time they finish reading everything" (!) I also let each Guest - via Airbnb's messaging page - know that I'll be sending the pdf, then - after sending it - I message (via Airbnb) the recipient to let them know that I've sent the pdf, and suggesting that if they can't see the email c/w attachment in their inbox, that they also check their spam/junk folders.
For the majority of the time, Guests' let me know whether they've received our email (or not), but in other instances I don't get any feedback until very close to the arrival date, when I get in contact again - which is when I'm usually advised that the pdf file did arrive with them "safe & sound"
That - as mentioned at the beginning of my comment - our pdf file has always been sent to our own Guests, long before we became part of Airbnb, is one thing, but that there is another OTA with which we are part of (can't mention their name, as Airbnb will either redact their name from this comment, or might block my comments altogether) who actually allow me to attach my pdf file to their messaging page, so obviating the requirement to send an external email/file via a "strange" email address.
Recently I've been looking at the possibility of including all the pdf (contents) information on one either the "new" "Check-in Instructions" section, or within both the "House Manual" and "Directions" sections, although feel that if I were to centre on any of those methods, it would have to be the "Check-in Instructions" section, but I would have to convert some of my pdf file's pages to photos/images rather than just text. Of course, one would then have to wonder whether that particular section would actually be read, (perhaps the addition of a tick box on each page would be useful /beneficial for all concerned?) let alone that a pdf file addressed personally to the Guest and family, is more likely to be read and be useful, than maybe one that is standard to everyone?
OK, so all of the above is my own take on how I use the non-identifying Guest's email address, but like other comments, I too feel that having the ability to send our pdf file via the existing messaging service would not only be far easier, but would/should be far more secure than sending any attachment by email (besides which, I'm always amazed at how little, people don't look at or check their emails!)
OK, I'm going to go and do some proper work now, but thanks for the poll, and look forward to reading the results of same.
