Holiday Let Welcome Pack: How to Build a Digital Guide Guests Read
A holiday let welcome pack gives guests everything they need for the stay, from arrival instructions and Wi-Fi to bin collection days, emergency contacts and local recommendations. The printed folder on the kitchen table still has a place, but most guests now look for answers on their phone before they arrive, often on a lane with no signal. A digital version reaches them earlier, stays current and cuts repetitive questions.
This guide covers what to include, how digital guidebook tools such as Touch Stay and Hostfully compare with built-in options, and how ChargeAutomation delivers the guide inside the same link guests use for online check-in.
Key Takeaways
A good welcome pack for a UK holiday let covers arrival, access, Wi-Fi, heating, bins and recycling, emergency contacts, house rules and local recommendations.
Digital guidebooks replace printed folders with a link guests open on any device, and Touch Stay guides can work offline once saved to a phone's home screen.
Touch Stay, Hostfully and guest journey platforms such as ChargeAutomation all offer digital guidebooks, with different levels of messaging, upsells and check-in integration.
ChargeAutomation places the guidebook inside the guest portal with automated multi-language localisation, and properties report up to 45% guest engagement with the portal.
Holiday let owners who already send an online check-in link can typically add the digital guide to that link rather than managing a separate tool.
What Should a Holiday Let Welcome Pack Include?
A welcome pack should answer the questions guests would otherwise message you about: how to get in, how the heating and hot water work, the Wi-Fi password and what to do on the last morning. Start with arrival and departure, because that is when most calls happen. Then cover the house room by room.
UK holiday lets need local details that city apartments rarely do. Guests should know the bin and recycling days set by the local council, where to park, whether the water comes from a private supply and what to do if the phone signal drops. Include the nearest A&E, a 24-hour pharmacy and the out-of-hours emergency contact.
House rules belong in the guest information book too, written plainly rather than as a list of warnings. Explain quiet hours, maximum occupancy, pet rules and smoking policy, and add the fire escape route and the location of the fire blanket and extinguisher. A short local guide with walks, pubs and the nearest supermarket turns a practical document into part of the stay.
A complete guest welcome pack usually covers the following sections:
Directions, parking and arrival instructions
Door access, key safe or smart lock details
Wi-Fi, heating and hot water
Bins, recycling and council collection days
Emergency contacts, nearest A&E and pharmacy
House rules, quiet hours and occupancy limits
Fire escape route and safety equipment
Local walks, pubs and shops
Digital Guidebook Options: Touch Stay, Hostfully and Built-in Guides
A digital guidebook is a web page or web app that holds your welcome pack and updates instantly, so guests always see current details. Touch Stay, found at touchstay.com, is a widely used option in the UK: guides open from a link with no app to download, work on any device and can be saved to a phone’s home screen for offline use. It also offers multiple languages, a QR code generator, upsells and a scheduled messaging tool called Memo.
Hostfully offers a Hostfully guidebook product alongside its property management software, and many PMS and guest journey platforms now include a built-in guide. The trade-off is simple: a standalone tool gives the most design control, while a built-in guide means one fewer login and one fewer link for guests. Owners with one cottage often choose whichever tool they already pay for.
Whichever tool you choose, a digital house manual should be written for a phone screen, with short sections, photos of switches and boilers, and a clear table of contents. Keep sensitive details such as door codes out of any public link and release them close to arrival. An Airbnb guidebook on the listing itself works well for local tips, but it is not the place for access codes.
Hosts comparing digital guest book tools usually look at these features:
No app download for guests
Offline access in low-signal areas
Multiple languages
Photos and short videos
Scheduled release of access codes
Upsells inside the guide
Link from the booking confirmation or check-in message
How ChargeAutomation Delivers Your Holiday Let Welcome Pack Digitally
ChargeAutomation delivers the welcome pack as a personalised digital guidebook inside the guest portal, the same link guests receive by email, SMS, WhatsApp or QR code for online check-in and payments. Owners add property guides, house rules, directions and Wi-Fi once, and every guest sees the right version for their property with automated multi-language localisation. No app is required, and properties report up to 45% engagement with the guest portal.
Sensitive content follows conditions. On direct bookings, ChargeAutomation can release door codes only after online check-in, payment or ID approval through Stripe Identity, while Airbnb stays keep a simple time-based release in line with Airbnb’s Off-Platform Policy. Smart lock codes from 40+ providers, including Keynest and RemoteLock, appear in the guide automatically when conditions are met.
The guide also sells. Early check-in, late checkout, pet fees, luggage storage or a mid-stay clean can sit next to the relevant section, and upsells typically convert at 15-20% on direct bookings. ChargeAutomation connects with 50+ PMS platforms, including Hostfully, Eviivo and Uplisting, so the digital welcome book updates with every reservation. Launch your online check-in at chargeautomation.com.
ChargeAutomation’s digital guidebook includes the following:
Property guides, house rules, directions and Wi-Fi
Automated multi-language localisation
Conditional release of access codes on direct bookings
Smart lock codes from 40+ providers
Upsells for early check-in, late checkout and pets
One link shared with online check-in
No app required for guests
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main features of TouchStay for holiday lets and hotels?
TouchStay's main features are digital guidebooks that open from a link without an app, offline access once saved to a home screen, multiple languages, a QR code generator, upsells and the Memo messaging tool. Guides can be branded with your logo and colours. Details such as door codes can be restricted until close to arrival.
How does TouchStay help in managing guest stays and check-ins at holiday lets?
TouchStay helps by giving guests arrival instructions, house rules and local tips in one link, which reduces repetitive questions. Its Memo tool schedules SMS and email messages around the stay. Owners who want online check-in, ID verification and payments in the same link as the guide can use ChargeAutomation, which includes its own digital guidebook.
What should be in an Airbnb welcome book for a UK holiday let?
An Airbnb welcome book for a UK holiday let should cover arrival and access, Wi-Fi, heating, bin and recycling days, emergency contacts, house rules and local recommendations. Add the fire escape route and the location of safety equipment. Keep door codes out of public guides and release them close to arrival.
Should a holiday let still have a printed welcome pack?
Yes, a short printed version is still worth keeping for emergencies, power cuts and guests without a charged phone. Limit it to essentials such as emergency contacts, the fire escape route, Wi-Fi and how to turn off water and gas. Keep the full guide digital so it stays current.
How do I share an Airbnb welcome guide with guests?
Share the guide link in Airbnb messages or add it to the check-in instructions for confirmed guests. Do not require guests to register on another website to access the listing, in line with Airbnb's Off-Platform Policy. Door codes can be released at a set time before check-in.
