Best check-in message templates for Airbnb — what actually reduces issues

Category: Guest Communication

By: James Wu

Posted: 2026-01-04T15:19:12.538Z

I know first impressions matter. I want to set up an automated messaging sequence that covers check-in, mid-stay, and check-out. But I don't want to seem like a robot or annoy guests with too many messages. What message templates have worked best for you? How many messages do you send? And do automated messages actually reduce guest issues?

Reply by Brittany Simmons:

After hosting for 3 years and a LOT of trial and error, I've landed on 5 messages total. Any more and guests feel annoyed. Any fewer and you're fielding avoidable questions. Booking confirmation — send right away. Keep it short and warm: "Thanks for booking! Check-in is [date] at [time]. I'll send detailed instructions a couple days before. Hit me up if you have questions!" Pre-arrival (2 days out) — this is the BIG one that prevents 80% of guest questions. Put EVERYTHING in one message: address with a Google Maps link, door code, parking instructions, WiFi name and password, check-in/checkout times, quiet hours. I used to split this across multiple messages and guests would miss half of it. Check-in evening (around 8pm) — super casual: "Hey! Hope you got settled in okay. Everything working alright? Let me know if you need anything." This catches problems early before they become bad reviews. Mid-stay (day 3, only for 4+ night stays) — "How's the trip going? Need any restaurant recs?" Just a touch point that makes hosting feel personal. Checkout morning — clear instructions plus a gentle review ask: "Checkout's at [time]. Just start the dishwasher and leave towels in the tub. If you enjoyed your stay, we'd really appreciate a review — it means a lot! Safe travels." Since I got this dialed in, my guest-initiated questions dropped like 70% and my communication rating went from 4.7 to basically 5.0. It's all automated through Hospitable (https://hospitable.com) so I set it up once and basically forget about it. The house manual link in that pre-arrival message does a ton of heavy lifting — create one at https://strspecialist.com/tools/house-manual-generator if you don't have one yet.

Reply by Tyler Jackson:

Great templates above. I'll add a few messaging DON'Ts that I learned the hard way: **DON'T:** - Send more than 5-6 messages total (guests feel surveilled) - Ask for a 5-star review specifically (against Airbnb TOS — ask for "a review" generically) - Send long paragraphs — use bullet points and emojis for scanability - Repeat information they already received - Message late at night (schedule messages during daytime hours) - Be overly casual with strangers or overly formal with repeat guests **DO:** - Personalize with guest's first name - Include a local restaurant recommendation (shows you care + helps them) - Respond to ALL messages within 1 hour during waking hours (Airbnb tracks response time) - Use Airbnb's Quick Replies for common questions (saves so much time) - Send a "happy birthday" if you notice their stay coincides with a birthday (mentioned in trip notes) The personalization is what separates a 4.8 host from a 5.0 host. Guests remember when you recommended that amazing taco place or wished them happy anniversary.