Now we know you might be thinking, “Why are they repeating the same thing?” Well, your Airbnb house manual is not the same thing as your Airbnb house rules. They differ in terms of their content and purpose. We already know that your house rules are instructions that your guests are expected to adhere to so that everything can go smoothly during their stay.
On the other hand, the house manual is more like a guide that seeks to explain to your guests how they can find and use certain amenities and appliances, like the game station, Wi-Fi, coffee machine, and so on. It also contains other helpful information, like details of nearby attractions and events in the neighborhood that guests can attend to enjoy themselves.
Essentially, providing your guests with an explicit Airbnb house manual is like automating your Airbnb business. It contains answers to most of the questions that they are likely to have concerning different aspects of your property.
To create a successful house manual that will give you and your guests all the benefits we have mentioned above, you need to understand the exact information that goes into a house manual.
What essential piece of information should you include in an Airbnb House Manual?
– A brief welcome statement
Your Airbnb house manual should begin with a personal welcome message. A welcome statement helps you establish a connection with your potential guests, especially in situations where you will not be available to do an in-person check-in when they arrive. However, the message should be short!
– Your listing address and contact information
On the first page of your Airbnb house manual, you should include the address of your Airbnb property. It makes things easier for your guests when they need to call for a car service or order food.
The Airbnb manual should also include your contact information and your preferred means of communication—phone call, email, or text. The contact information comes in handy in situations where the content of the Airbnb manual is not enough to answer any questions your guests may have.
– Emergency contact and information
Sometimes, an Airbnb House manual can be a lifesaver in cases of emergencies. As such, you can dedicate a whole page on the Airbnb house manual to providing the contacts of emergency management agencies, like the police, fire department, and hospital.
Apart from these contacts, you should also provide adequate information on where to find fire extinguishers and how to safely exit the building during a fire outbreak, as well as other important emergency tips.
– Where to find appliances and amenities and how to use them
One of the advantages that Airbnb properties have over hotels is access to more appliances. But of what use will those appliances be if your guests cannot operate them? Your Airbnb house manual should provide clear instructions on how your guests can operate the appliances that they are allowed to use.
It should also explain the location of certain amenities. For example, you could mention that you provide makeup remover wipes for your female guests to use instead of towels and state where they can find these wipes.
– Local transport information
Transportation information is something your guests can research online. However, you can make things much easier for them by providing more information on subway stations or bus stops in the neighborhood. You could also offer them some insider tips on local transport in the neighborhood. However, you don’t necessarily have to go into details.
– Sights to see and things to do
In the second part of this article, we discussed how you can research to gather relevant information about the unique and attractive places in your neighborhood. Well, this section is where you get to put all that research information to good use.
Your guests do not necessarily need you to provide a detailed guide of your area in your Airbnb house manual. They would rather appreciate it if you gave them an overview of what makes your area a unique and attractive destination.
You can get a bit more personal by recommending your favorite places to visit, your favorite things to do, and your favorite restaurants to eat at. Just in case you are confused about the kind of sights or events your potential guests might be interested in, here is a list that might be of help:
- Tourist attraction sites, like parks and museums
- Restaurants
- Shopping centers and grocery stores
- Fairs and festivals
- Attractive nightlife areas, like bars, clubs, playhouses, and music concerts
- Fun trip ideas, such as hiking or visiting a winery or hot spring
If possible, you could also include the websites, addresses, and photos of the places you recommend in your Airbnb Manual. This way, you also get to make the manual more engaging and visually appealing.
