Hey, what answers do you need?

Categories

How to create a welcome book

Created On
byhello
You are here:
← All Topics

WHY MAKE A WELCOME BOOK?Welcome books have a big impact on your guests’ experience.
Welcome books help others navigate your rental property and treat it the right way.Guests want to know how to watch a movie at night or adjust the temperature in your house. Giving them a resource on how to get comfortable living in your rental is sure to make their vacation stress-free for both of you.
Welcome books provide local highlights and a sense of your personality.The reason many guests book vacation rental properties is to immerse themselves in the location. Recommending restaurants, coffee shops, stores, and more can turn a good trip into the best trip ever. Lead your guests to the most delicious slice in town — or teach them how to avoid crowds at a local attraction — and they’ll want to book with you again in the future.
Welcome books show guests that you care.Your advice on how to make the most of your property gives guests the friendly engagement they’re looking for. It also protects their personal space and privacy by providing valuable information without requiring personal interaction.
Welcome books help you get great reviews.Your guests are likely to reward your thoughtfulness in their reviews. Even better, you or your guest contact may get fewer questions during their stay, and you’ll be sending new customers to your favorite local shops and restaurants, ensuring they thrive!Sounds pretty great, right? But where should you start?
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR WELCOME BOOKFrom a friendly “hello” letter to your home’s policies, these are the sections you’ll need to put together the most useful welcome book.
A PERSONAL WELCOME NOTEGuests who choose vacation rental are looking for a unique home with a real person behind it. Writing a note to personally welcome them to your property is another way to separate yourself from a hotel — and reinforce their decision to stay with you.
HELPFUL LOCAL CONTACTSMake sure your welcome book provides at least one name, telephone number, and email for a local contact near your property. This person can be you, a local property manager, or even a neighbor — but they should be easily reachable, and available to come to the home on short notice. Nobody wants unanswered guest complaints to derail a pleasant stay.You’ll also want to include contact details and addresses for the following emergency resources, just in case:

  1. Nearest Medical Clinic or Hospital
  2. Fire Department
  3. Police Department

Remember, guests don’t have all of the resources they’d typically have at home. They’ll feel more at ease if they know you have their safety in mind.
YOUR PROPERTY’S POLICIESEven if you send your policies in a pre-stay email, (Evolve does!) it’s still important to reiterate them at the property. Including policies in your welcome book can help you resolve common vacation rental issues and complaints because guests will have a difficult time arguing that they weren’t aware of the rules.You should include all of the following information in your welcome book:

  1. Check-In Procedures
  2. House Rules (smoking policy, pet policy, quiet hours)
  3. Parking Instructions
  4. Check-Out Procedures
  5. Subdivision/Complex/Community Rules

An in-home reference guide will help remind guests how best to enjoy your home and leave it in good shape for the next guests.  Another perk of including your policies: you’re way less likely to find broken or misused items after a stay!
HOW-TO INSTRUCTIONSWhen your guests can’t figure out simple things like how to turn on the hot tub, they can get frustrated and wind up taking out that frustration in their review of your property. Even if every appliance works perfectly, spending valuable relaxation time figuring out how to use it is no one’s idea of a fun vacation.Include helpful instructions for your:

  1. Property Access (lockbox code, garage code, gate)
  2. Thermostat
  3. Hot tub or Fireplace
  4. Washer and Dryer
  5. Kitchen Appliances
  6. Wireless Internet Access (including the password!)
  7. TV or DVD Player Remote Control

This is also a good place to note any quirks of your property. For example, if the Wifi works very well all over the house, but not in the family room downstairs, make sure your guests know that. If they aren’t expecting an issue, they’ll be annoyed by it, but with a little forewarning, they’ll feel like they know exactly what they can expect, and it’s less likely to trouble them.
WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DOYou know all of the insights you’ve collected about your neighborhood? Now’s the time to share your expertise — because everyone loves a good recommendation from a local! Try to suggest activities that would appeal to a range of guest types, such as family-friendly museums or romantic places for a dinner out.Be sure to give addresses and phone numbers for each of your recommendations. Adding the amount of time it takes to get to the destination is a great idea, too. Include at least a suggestion or two in each of the following categories:

  1. Grocery Stores
  2. Restaurants
  3. Shopping
  4. Nightlife
  5. Activities (hikes, golf, snorkeling, skiing)
  6. Attractions (museums, monuments, parks, beaches)
  7. Places of Worship

And share places where you personally enjoy going. This isn’t to say you can’t include popular attractions you haven’t visited in person. Just let your guests know that you haven’t tried them yourself, but you’ve heard good things and you hope they’ll tell you how they liked them! You can then use the guest feedback to gauge whether that activity merits a mention in your Welcome Book.
HOW TO GET AROUNDHelp guests explore your area by creating a section devoted to local transit. Be sure to include contact info, directions, schedules and any other details that guests might find helpful, like:

  1. Taxi & Shuttle Services
  2. Bus Routes
  3. Car Rentals
  4. Airports and Train Stations
  5. Area Maps