Airbnb Welcome Letter Example [+ Plug & Play Template]

You’re a host in the Airbnb business, so you know it’s vital to keep guests well informed in the lead-up to their trip.

You’re a host in the Airbnb business, so you know it’s vital to keep guests well informed in the lead-up to their trip. That’s why you need a strong Airbnb welcome letter template that’s ready to go for your next guest.


But what does a good welcome letter look like, and how do you make yours stand out?


If you’re looking for tips on writing an Airbnb welcome letter, you’re taking the right steps to ensure that every element of your vacation rental business is carefully considered and primed to impress your guests. Because you know that first impressions are key to crafting a wonderful guest experience with lasting memories.


This guide has tips for writing a welcome letter that will make a great first impression and get your 5-star reviews. When you’re ready to get started on your own welcome letter, you’ll find a free template at the end.

Table of Contents

What is an Airbnb welcome letter?

An Airbnb welcome letter, or host welcome note, is key to your guest communication strategy. It’s your chance to introduce yourself and your rental property, and give guests a hint of what to expect from their stay.


And why is communication so important? It’s your way of supporting your guest and shaping their experience. Because a great guest experience leads to great reviews.


“There are very few things you need to do to meet your customer’s expectations when it comes to guest experience. One is communication. You just need to communicate really well.”

BRIAN HAMAOUI
Allevo Homes Founder and CEO


Some hosts write long welcome letters that include all sorts of information like their Airbnb house rules. But this isn’t the time for logistics. It’s time to build a relationship with your guest and prepare them for an unforgettable trip.

We’d recommend keeping your welcome letter down to one page and saving any other important information for your Airbnb house manual.


Where can an Airbnb welcome letter be found?

Some hosts like to send the guest welcome letter by email or make a printable version to keep at the rental property. You could even do both if you’re thorough.


But how will you be sure your welcome letter gets read? Guests will be more likely to read important messages if they’re delivered at the right time using automatic messaging.


It helps to have a hospitality app like Operto Guest, which allows you to schedule important messages, host key documents like the house manual, and communicate with your guests all in one place.


With Operto Guest, you can customize your welcome letter for maximum engagement using images and personalized messaging. Plus, your guests will enjoy instant access to an easy-to-use web app, with no need for downloads or account creation when they want to find out about their stay or message you, their host.

How to write a welcome message for your guest

You’ve got everything on your Airbnb host checklist ready to go, and your STR is pulling in bookings. But there’s no welcome note to start your guests’ stay the right way.


Don’t worry, it’s not too late. Writing your welcome letter will take no time at all. All you need to do is follow these guidelines:


  • Be personal. Airbnb guests love to feel like they can reach out to their hosts, so make your greeting warm and friendly. Try introducing yourself and explaining how you know the local area.
  • Include the crucial details. Is there something you really need your guests to know? Some hosts like to include check-in and check-out instructions, the WiFi password, or even a house motto (like “always be respectful”).
  • Keep it short. Keeping your welcome letter short will mean the really important details will stand out. You can point to other documents like your house manual for house rules and instructions for using your vacation rental amenities.
  • Build excitement. Anticipation is a key part of a memorable guest experience, so use the welcome letter to get your guests excited about their stay. You’ll see this in action in our welcome letter examples below.
  • Make sure your guests read it. The way you communicate with your guests is important, as it will impact how carefully (if at all) they read your messages. Delivering your welcome message online via a hospitality app means it will be easily accessible for your guests to browse whenever they wish.
  • Make it nice to look at. Ensure your communications are well received by making them appealing to the eye. You could use a letter template on Canva to design your welcome message, or customize a template with your own branding in Operto Guest.
Operto Guest web app local recommendations

Using Operto Guest to communicate with guests is a smart way to make sure your messages are getting read. With modern, easy-to-use templates and automatic recommendations based on location, you can create engaging local area guides and amenity handbooks.

Airbnb welcome letter examples

Think you’re ready to add a welcome letter to your Airbnb listing? Take a look at these three examples for inspiration. You can try out our tips for how each one can be improved when you use our free template at the end of this guide.

Example A

Here’s an example of a welcome letter for a townhouse in central Lisbon, Portugal.


Here’s what we like about Rodrigo and Amelia’s welcome letter:


  • It can be customized with the guest name
  • It shares a personal story
  • It encourages guests to feel at home and reach out to their hosts via the provided contact information

Here’s where it could improve:


  • The information about amenities could be included in the house manual
  • It could build more excitement about the trip
  • It could focus less on house rules

Definition: A white speech bubble containing a welcome letter from hosts in Lisbon.

Example B

Here’s an example of a welcome letter for an apartment in San Francisco, California.


Here’s what we like about Rizwaan’s welcome letter:


  • It includes useful information about the property, like the property address
  • It directs guests to visit the house manual
  • It includes the check-in and check-out time

Here’s where it could be improved:


  • It’s very impersonal and could make more effort to welcome visitors
  • It does not encourage guests to reach out to the host
  • It builds no excitement about the property or local area

Definition: A white speech bubble containing a welcome letter from a host in San Francisco.

Example C

Here’s an example of a welcome letter for a lodge in Ellesmere, UK.


Here’s what we like about Ayodele’s welcome letter:


  • It builds excitement about the local area and amenities
  • You can hear the warmth and personality of the host
  • It tells the guest where to find more information

Here’s where it could be improved:


  • It doesn’t offer clear instructions about how or when to contact the host

Definition: A white speech bubble containing a welcome letter from hosts in Ellesmere.

Airbnb welcome letter template

Now you’ve seen some examples of Airbnb welcome letters, you’re ready to start creating your own. This plug-and-play template combines all the best qualities of the example letters above, so you can adapt it for your own use.
Definition: A white page on a blue background containing a welcome letter template.

Writing your Airbnb welcome letter

Your Airbnb welcome letter is a chance to make your guests feel at home, get them excited about their trip, and establish that important connection between host and guest that makes vacation rentals magic.


Now you’ve seen our examples, you’re ready to go and create a thoughtfully crafted guest welcome letter that’s worthy of an Airbnb superhost. Once you’ve got your communication strategy perfected, you’ll see how quickly those 5-star reviews come in.


Plus, if you’re using a guest app, you’ll never need to worry about your welcome letter going unread in a forgotten corner of your property. You can use the pre-existing design templates to craft an engaging message that gets automatically delivered at the right time. Hosting an amazing guest experience has never been easier.