Your check-in guide – what are your tips?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

We’re looking for tips regarding check-in guides you send to your guests in advance of their stay. As you know, there can be quite a few things you need to mention to your guest before they arrive, such as guidance on how to find your home, and how they can enter your home.

What are your top tips on what to include in a check-in guide? Are there specific pieces of information you like to highlight to your guests? Perhaps you provide photos and if so, what would you say is important to capture?

We'd love to hear your input for an upcoming article. Thank you!

Lizzie

[Βασίλης-and-Ann0]

@Lizzie

Before our guests arrive, we let them know that we'll meet them at the island port/airport, usually with pre arranged taxis or hire cars. This seems to be highly appreciated by all our visitors, most of whom have never been to Syros before. It takes the stress out of their arrival, as they tell us & who doesn't like a friendly welcome?

I ask to travel in their car/taxi with them so as to point out certain facilities on route like banks, petrol stations, farmers markets etc and generally get to know them also ask about any particular interests they might have like scuba diving , renting a skippered boat for a day, fishing, great hikes and we take pleasure in supplying them with answers or options.

At the villa, layout, maps beaches, tavernas & equipment is explained plus 1 or 2 extra house rules like rubbish bin collection & the 'no candles' rule. This is hugely important as, being only a summer destination, fires can happen in an instant as the land is so dry, especially on windy days. It's not mentioned on our listing ( & probably they would not see the gravity of the situation) - we don't want to scare the horses !!

Cold drinks & enough food essential for a quick meal or snack are provided for them plus fresh bread & local produce  which goes down extremely well & adds to their enjoyment as they 'wow!' & coo over the views , smiles all round. We name all the islands visible & show them the sea pool below the house, perfect for a dip before breakfast

Then we're done & leave feeling caught up in their holiday excitement. What a wonderful high !!

[John2273]

I use the Airbnb website to put all my check-in information within the pre-made fields.  It saves me time and allows users to find things quickly.  I also made up a 2 page flyer with contact info, wi-fi password and instructions. I leave it on the bed to help folks after they have checked in.

[Annabel44]

I am wanting to do this - use the air bnb website to pass on my check in information - but cannot find any pre-made fields. 

Do you just mean that you reply to the persons message with your own message and check in details on the air bnb website? I thought (hoped) perhaps there was some helpful step by step guide?

[John2273]

Hi Annabel!

You will find the "Guide" on the listing page for your guest room (or guest house, or whatnot).  Scroll down a bit, past the Title & Location, Ammenities, and a few more... you'll see "Guide".  It provides different categories for you to make recommendations in.  Hope this helps!

[Susan1028]

@Annabel9

I prefere to meet my guests and offer a peronal tour/orientation, but that's not always possible, so I've created forms I cna personalize, print and leave, and in the messaging platform there's a way to create commonly saved messages so you literally just clikc on a link (use saved message) and it appears, also like a form letter(s).

I've created a few such as:

1- You're booked....

2- Check-in instructions

3- Directions

4- house logistics (heat, lights, appliances)

etc.

I saves a ton of time, guests have appreciated it, and you can still personalize it with name etc as needed.

[Helen427]

@Lizzie@John2273@Jill2@Βασίλης-and-Ann0@Montoia0@Montoia0

I keep it as simple as can be, depending on how well they have read my listing which explains it all togther with there itinerary and House Manual they will usually have to msg me what my street number is!

Some don't need prompting for it as they ask when there booking is confirmed, others are not so  aware until they arrive in my street then I get a txt msg from them via the msg system.

All the best

[Pete69]

I have a list of things for them to read online before checking in. I also leave a laminated piece of paper with the same info in the room. Just some of the things I have on there....

I tell them don't leave the space heater unattended.

I tell them to turn off the AC if leaving the suite for more that just a quick trip away.

"This is a non-smoking room. Future guests are expecting a non-smoking room. Please go outside and away from open windows if you must smoke"

Then I have less important tips such as what time the sprinklers come on, I let them know that the city meter reader comes by just outside their room once per month. I tell them when checking out to make sure they didn’t leave something behind (under or in the bed, in the bathroom drawers, in the refrigerator). Please leave keys in or on top of the lock box when checking out. 

It has my contact information on there. It also has the WIFI info and password. I also let them know that the WIFI will continue to work for about an hour and a half after any power outage (I have a UPS).

I have on separrate sheets of paper (under a glass desktop) tips on restaurants (including where to park for free) as well as tourist sights to see.

[Magda14]

We are just 5 min from airport so I ask them to text or call upon arrival to the airport so we can be ready. Give instructions if arriving by rental or taxi. Will meet at lobby or parking garage. I drop pin, share location for GPS to ease how to get here.  Keep it simple. 

[António-E-Sandra0]

Olá,

A hora de entrada é previamente combinada com o nosso hóspede. Damos a conhecer a localização exata através da plataforma Airbnb, enviando as coordenadas GPS e a morada completa. No dia de entrada, o check-in é feito por nós, momento no qual temos oportunidade de conhecer pessoalmente os nossos hóspedes. Caso exista alguma dificuldade em chegar à moradia, o hóspede inidca-nos a sua localização e vamos, no imediato, ter com eles para os acompanhar à casa.

[Victoria329]

Our guests receive ALL the information they need on our suite the moment they book. The pass code is alway the last four digests of their phone & it is entered the morning they arrive. We have traveled through AIRBNB and are always stressed at not knowing ALL the details of our stay BEFORE we leave on our vacation. I do not find comfort in being told the day before or the day of our Arrival. What if the guest does not have access to wifi to receive your message while in transit?  We have had guests walking around our street looking for our home because they did not have wifi upon arrival & didn’t think to print off the details  on how to get to and enter our home. Details that were send minutes after they booked. They send a Thank you for all the information but do ‘t think to print it off or write it down. 

Me...I like to have all the details in hand before I leave my home. 

[Sandra126]

I only tell them WHEN to check in and WHERE. Extremely brief, and I find 50% still try to go to my neighbour's house, which means they have not read the message even though it is only three sentences long.

So I get guests to let me know when they will be here 5 mins in advance if at all poss and I stand on the street and wave like mad  when I see a slow car.

When checking in, as I am there in person I go through everything, from how to open the front door to how to check out. I do this on autopilot, room by room. It is like learning a play, or standup routine. It is brief, professional, perhaps amusing. And no, Ben (couldn't tag), nobody gets to wave me away, I will not have it. Because I really need to know they will be able to use the heating etc, also my house is a bit strange and needs explaining in places in order to have the best and safest stay possible. Often if it is a group some will wander off and explore and ignore me, that is fine as long as I have the attention of at least one.

[Lizzie]

Hello @Sandra126, @Victoria329, @António-E-Sandra0, @Annabel44, @Magda14, @Rubén16, @Montoia0, @Jill2, @Ben551, @Mark116, @Robin4, @Emily352, @Βασίλης-and-Ann0, @John2273, @Helen427, @Pete69,

Thanks for your great responses here, it's so insightful to hear what you do and a great way to learn from each other.

I have noticed a few of your asked whether I was referring to the app. I'm not sure if you are aware that there is a check-in guide feature on the Airbnb app. I wonder, do any of you use this function to send your check-in guide to your guest before they arrive? If you weren't aware of this, I would recommend taking a look. Would this save you time, do you think?

Thanks so much again, look forward to hearing more.

Lizzie

[Rubén16]

@Lizzie  I use my desk top computer to communicate with my guests, are you talking about the pre-saved airbnb communication messages?

[Lizzie]

Aw, actually no. There is actually a specific Airbnb feature to send a check-in guide, it's only available on the app though. 

It looks a like this:

You can also attach photos with directions.  

From what you mentioned earlier in this discussion, it sounds like you have a nice process set up that works for you. Do you think something like this would be useful or might save you time?

[Rubén16]

@Lizzie  I will take a look at it on the app, I have yet to use it, I like that photos can be attached, I believe we can not attach photos through regular airbnb messaging. however it does look that it is something I would use when I am on the road and need to respond to a guest however, when at home I preffer to use the desk top computer.