By the Planfolk team · Updated: October 2026
A vacation rental welcome book answers your guests' questions before they have to ask: how to get in, how to connect to the Wi-Fi, where to park, what to do with the trash and where to find good coffee in the morning. Below we go through it page by page, with what to include on each page and a short example from Seabreeze Cottage, the fictional beach rental we use as sample text in our templates.
Before you write: print, PDF or both?
Many hosts do both. A printed copy lives on the kitchen counter or the entry table, and a PDF goes to guests a few days before arrival, so they already know the check-in time, the parking and the Wi-Fi before they pull into the driveway. If you send the PDF ahead, you may prefer to leave the door code out of that version and send it separately, closer to arrival.
What to put in a vacation rental welcome book, page by page
The 15 pages fall into three groups: arrival, the house and the extras. The numbers give a running order, and you can skip any page your home doesn't need.
Arrival: welcome letter, house rules, check-in, check-out
1. Welcome letter
Include a warm hello, who you are, what is in the book and how to reach you. A photo of you or the home is a nice touch.
Example: "Hi there, and welcome to Seabreeze Cottage! We're Emma and Daniel. This book covers how the house works, our favorite places to eat and explore, and who to call if anything comes up. Make yourselves at home."
2. House rules
Keep it to about eight short rules and phrase them kindly: check-in and check-out times, quiet hours, smoking, the maximum number of guests, pets, parking and trash. If you are unsure what you are allowed to require, check your local rules.
Example: "Quiet hours: 10 PM to 8 AM. Please keep voices and music low, especially outside."
3. Check-in
Include the time, the full address, how to recognize the house, where the lockbox or keypad is and the first steps after arrival.
Example: "Check-in is from 4:00 PM. Look for the blue door and the white picket fence. The lockbox is by the front door, under the porch light. We'll text you the code the day before you arrive."
4. Check-out
Include the check-out time, a short checklist and how to ask for a late check-out.
Example: "Check-out by 10:00 AM. Before you go: load and start the dishwasher, take the trash out to the bins, leave used towels in the bathtub, and close and lock all windows and doors."
The house: Wi-Fi, parking, appliances, kitchen, trash
5. Wi-Fi
Include the network name, the password, a QR code guests can scan to join, where the router is and what to try if the connection drops.
Example: "Network: Seabreeze_Guest. Password: sandydays2027. Or scan the QR code. If the Wi-Fi drops, unplug the white router in the living room for 30 seconds."
6. Parking and directions
Include how many cars fit, where to park, any street parking quirks, directions from the main road and a map, either as a screenshot or a QR code to a map link.
Example: "There's room for 2 cars in the driveway. Please don't block the neighbors."
7. Appliances
Give each appliance a small card: where it is and three or four steps. Think about anything a guest might not have at home: the TV and streaming, the thermostat, the washer and dryer, the coffee maker, a grill, a pool or a hot tub.
Example: "Gas grill, back deck. Open the lid, then open the valve on the propane tank. Turn one knob to High and press the igniter button. Turn off the knobs and the tank valve after cooking."
8. Kitchen
List what is provided, where things are kept and which basics guests can use.
Example: "Glasses and mugs: cabinet left of the sink. Plates and bowls: cabinet above the dishwasher. Salt, pepper, oil and spices are yours to use, and there's coffee and tea to start you off."
9. Trash and recycling
Include where the bins are, pickup days, what goes where and any local quirks, such as wildlife. Sorting rules vary from town to town, so check your local rules and copy them in.
Example: "Bins are beside the garage door. Trash goes out Tuesday, and recycling every other Tuesday. Gulls love trash, so please keep the lids closed."
The extras: local favorites, emergency info, Q&A, guest book, reviews, signs
10. Local favorites
This is the page that makes the book feel personal. Group your picks: restaurants, coffee and bakeries, groceries and essentials, things to do, the outdoors and family fun. Four places per group is plenty. For each one, give the name, the type, how far it is, one line on why you like it, the address and the hours, plus a QR code to the map.
Example: "Tidepool Coffee. Coffee bar, 4 min walk. Small-batch roasts and oat-milk lattes. Grab a window seat and watch the morning surfers. 20 Shore Avenue, daily 6:30 AM to 2 PM."
11. Emergency information
Include the full address of the home (guests will need it if they call for help), the emergency number (911 in the US) and the Poison Help line, the nearest hospital and urgent care with drive times, a pharmacy, the police non-emergency number, where the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are, and your own phone number. Rules about what you must post differ by place, so check your local rules.
Example: "Nearest hospital: Cape Merrow Regional Hospital, 210 Harbor Road, 555-0177, 12 min drive."
12. Questions and answers
Answer the six to eight questions guests ask you most: early check-in, a hair dryer or crib, luggage storage, visitors, pets and what to do if something breaks.
Example: "What if something breaks? Accidents happen! Just let us know so we can fix it for the next guests."
13. Guest book
A lined page with a friendly prompt. Print a few copies and leave them with a pen.
Example: "Leave us a note: where you came from, what you loved, and a tip for the next guests."
14. Reviews page
A short thank-you, one line on why reviews help and a QR code that opens your review link. Keep it a simple, polite ask, and follow the rules of the site you list on.
Example: "One small favor: a short review helps other travelers find us. Scan to leave a review."
15. Signs
Three one-page signs answer common questions, even for guests who never open the book: Wi-Fi, house rules and check-out. Frame them, or stand them where they're needed.
Example: a Wi-Fi sign by the router with the network, the password and the QR code, and a check-out sign by the door with the time and the checklist.
Mistakes that make a welcome book less useful
- Out-of-date Wi-Fi details. If you change the network name or password, update the Wi-Fi page, the Wi-Fi sign and the QR code at the same time.
- No check-out time on the first page. Put the check-out time where guests see it first, such as in the welcome letter, not only on the check-out page.
- A buried door code. Put how to get in at the top of the check-in page and say where the code will be (for example, in a text the day before), so nobody is flipping pages at the door.
- No emergency address. Write the full street address of the home on the emergency page, because a guest calling for help may not know it.
- Too much text on one page. Keep each page to one topic, with short steps and lists that guests can skim.
Host tips that make it easier
- Print it and send it. Send the PDF before arrival and keep a printed copy in the house.
- Use QR codes. Make them for the Wi-Fi, map links and your review link with any QR code generator, and test each one with your phone before you print.
- Update it each season. Opening hours change, and so do seasonal extras like a pool, a hot tub, firewood or sleds. Check the local favorites at the start of each season.
- Check it on site. Walk through the house with the book in hand, as if you were a guest arriving for the first time.
Using a welcome book template or house manual template
You don't need to design this from scratch. Our Vacation Rental Welcome Book is an editable house manual template with every page above, plus a cover, a contents page, an About the home page and a thank-you back page: 27 pages in US Letter and A4. Every word is editable in PowerPoint, and it also opens in Google Slides and Keynote, so Canva isn't needed. The sample text from a fictional rental shows you what to write, and you type your own details over it.
It comes in three designs: Coastal for beach houses and seaside rentals, Mountain Cabin for cabins and lake or mountain rentals, and Modern Minimal for homes, apartments and city rentals. You'll find all three for vacation rental hosts, and how downloads work explains getting your files.
Questions
How long should a welcome book be?
As long as your home needs. Our template has 27 pages, and you can delete any you don't use.
Is a welcome book the same as a house manual?
Mostly, yes. A house manual focuses on how things work, while a welcome book adds the welcome letter, local favorites and a guest book. One book can easily do both jobs.
Should the door code go in the book?
The printed copy inside the house doesn't need it. In the PDF you send ahead, you may prefer to leave it out and send the code separately.
Do I have to include certain safety information?
Requirements differ by place, so check your local rules. Whatever you include, make sure the address, the phone numbers and the location of the safety equipment are correct.
Written by the Planfolk team, who design Planfolk's planners and templates.