Airbnb house manual: what to include, with a free template
A good house manual answers guests' questions before they turn into messages. Here is what to include, how to write instructions people follow at 11pm, and a free template to copy.
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What a house manual is (and isn't)
A house manual explains how your place works: the heating, the appliances, the bins, what to do at checkout. It is not the same as your house rules, which say what you expect of guests and appear on your listing before anyone books, though a short reminder of them in the manual helps.
On Airbnb, guests can read your house manual in the app once their reservation is confirmed (Airbnb Help Center). Many hosts also keep a copy in the home, on paper or behind a QR code, because that's where guests are when the hob won't turn on.
What to include
Cover how everything in your place works:
- Arriving: parking, keys or lockbox, where the light switches are.
- The router: where it is, and how to restart it when the connection drops.
- Heating, cooling and hot water: where the thermostat is and what to do if the water runs cold.
- Kitchen: hob, oven, coffee machine, dishwasher. Anything with a quirk.
- Laundry: which programme to use and where things dry.
- TV and streaming: which remote, and a reminder to sign out of their accounts.
- Bins and recycling: what goes where and when it's collected.
- House rules: a short reminder of quiet hours, smoking and pets.
- Safety: where the fire extinguisher, first aid kit, fuse box and water shut-off are.
- Checkout: the time, and the short list of things to do before leaving.
What goes next to the manual, not in it: the Wi-Fi name and password, emergency numbers, your local recommendations and a review link. Guests look for each of these on its own, so give each its own page. Airbnb's advice is to put the Wi-Fi first, because it's one of the first things guests ask for (Airbnb Resource Center). In Guestate, each is its own tool beside the house manual, and the Wi-Fi tool comes with a printable code that joins the network in one scan.
How to write instructions guests follow
- One appliance per entry. A guest looking for the washing machine shouldn't have to read about the oven.
- Numbered steps, four or five at most. Say which button, where it is, and what happens when you press it.
- Write about your machine, not machines in general. “Hold the key symbol for 3 seconds” beats “unlock the hob”.
- Put the most-asked items first. If three guests in a row asked about the heating, it goes near the top.
- Update it when something changes. A manual describing last year's coffee machine creates more messages than no manual.
Free house manual template
Copy this, replace everything in [brackets], and delete the sections your place doesn't need. It covers the manual itself; the Wi-Fi details, emergency numbers and local tips go on their own pages, as above.
WELCOME TO [PROPERTY NAME] We're glad you're here. Everything you need for your stay is below. If something isn't covered, message us: [how to reach you]. ROUTER The router is [where]. If the connection drops, unplug it for 10 seconds and plug it back in. ARRIVING Parking: [where to park, permits, costs] Keys: [how the keys or lockbox work — send codes that change by message, not here] Lights: [where the main switches are] HEATING AND COOLING [Where the thermostat is, how to turn heating or air conditioning on, a sensible setting] HOT WATER [Always on, or a switch to press? How long it takes to heat up] KITCHEN Hob: [how to turn it on, child lock if any] Oven: [how to start it, any quirks] Coffee machine: [pods or beans, where they are kept] Dishwasher: [where the tablets are, which programme to use] LAUNDRY Washing machine: [programme to use, where the detergent is] Drying: [dryer or drying rack, and where] TV AND STREAMING [Which remote, how to switch input, how to sign in to streaming — and to sign out before leaving] BINS AND RECYCLING [What goes where, collection day, where the outdoor bins are] HOUSE RULES Quiet hours: [times] Smoking: [rule] Pets: [rule] SAFETY Fire extinguisher: [location] First aid kit: [location] Fuse box: [location] Water shut-off valve: [location] CHECKING OUT Check-out time: [time] Before you leave: [dishes, bins, towels, windows, heating off, where to leave the keys] Thank you for staying with us.
Examples: the entries guests need most
These come from our example guidebook, where you can see how they look on a guest's phone.
Induction hob
1. Press the power button, bottom right. The panel beeps. 2. Touch the ring you want, then + to set the heat (1–9). 3. Only flat, magnetic pans work. If a ring flashes, the pan isn't one. 4. Panel locked? Hold the key symbol for 3 seconds.
Coffee machine
1. Fill the water tank at the back. 2. Pods are in the drawer underneath. 3. Wait until the light stops blinking, then press the small cup for espresso or the large cup for a long coffee. 4. Empty the pod tray when it's full.
Washing machine
1. Detergent pods are on the shelf above. 2. Turn the dial to 40° Cotton for most loads (about 1.5 hours), or Quick 30 for a light wash. 3. Press Start. The door stays locked for 2 minutes after the cycle ends. 4. The drying rack is behind the bathroom door.
Heating
The thermostat is in the hallway. Turn the dial to 21° and the radiators warm up within 20 minutes. Please turn it down to 16° when you go out for the day.
Hot water
Hot water is always on. If it runs cold, the boiler in the kitchen cupboard needs a reset: hold the red button for 5 seconds and wait a minute.
TV & streaming
Use the black remote. Press Home to open Netflix or YouTube and sign in with your own account. Please sign out before you leave: Settings → Accounts.
Checking out
Check-out is at 11:00. 1. Start the dishwasher. 2. Take the bins to the shed by the gate. 3. Turn the heating down to 16°. 4. Leave the keys on the kitchen table and pull the door shut behind you.
Paper, PDF or digital?
A printed binder is easy to make but goes out of date, and guests have to find it. A PDF can be sent ahead, but every change means sending it again. A digital house manual lives at one link: you edit it, and the next guest sees the new version.
In Guestate, the house manual is one of the tools in your guest portal. Each entry has an icon, a name and up to 1,500 characters of instructions, with room for 20 entries. Guests open it from the QR code in your home and tap the item they need.
The house manual is one part of a wider digital guidebook, alongside the Wi-Fi, local recommendations, Shop the Stay, emergency contacts and a review link.
Questions hosts ask
Where do guests see the house manual on Airbnb?
Airbnb shows the house manual to guests once their reservation is confirmed, in the arrival guide in their Trips tab. Guests who booked elsewhere can't see it, which is one reason hosts also keep a digital version behind a QR code in the home.
Should I put the door code in the house manual?
Not if it changes between stays. A house manual is read by every guest, and a digital one can be opened by anyone with the link. Send entry codes through your booking platform's messages instead.
How long should a house manual be?
As short as it can be while still answering the questions guests actually ask. One entry per appliance, a few numbered steps each, and the most-asked items first.
What's the difference between a house manual and house rules?
House rules are what you expect of guests (quiet hours, smoking, pets) and appear on your listing before anyone books. The house manual is how things work, for guests who have already booked. A short reminder of the rules in the manual still helps.
Can I use this template for free?
Yes. Copy it, change anything, and use it wherever you like. No sign-up needed.