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Airbnb check-in instructions template
Check-in is where most stressful messages start: a guest standing outside in the rain at 11 pm with a code that won't work. Clear, numbered instructions with a backup plan prevent almost all of them.
The template
Check-in instructions template
Airbnb check-in instructions template
Arrival details
Address: [Full address, including building name and flat number]
Check-in time: from [3:00 pm]. [Early check-in is possible if you ask us the day before.]
Map link: [Google Maps link to the exact entrance]
Parking
[Free street parking on X Road / parking space number 12 in the garage / nearest public car park: name, price].
[Garage door code or remote location]
Getting in, step by step
1. [Go through the main building door. The code is ____ / press the buzzer for flat ____.]
2. [The key box is on the left of the door, at waist height. The code is ____.]
3. [Take the lift or stairs to floor ____. The flat is the second door on the right, number ____.]
4. [Use the key to open the door. Turn it twice to the left.]
5. Please put the key back in the key box when you leave, or keep it with you during your stay.
Smart lock version
Your personal door code is [code], followed by [the tick button]. It works from [check-in time] until [checkout time].
If the keypad doesn't light up, press [the bottom of the keypad / hold your palm over it] to wake it.
If something doesn't work
Call or message [name] on [number]. We're available [24/7 / until 11 pm].
Backup plan: [a second key is at ____ / the building concierge can let you in / we can open the smart lock remotely].
Once you're in
WiFi: [Network] / [Password]
Your full guide to the home is here: [link to guest manual].
Please send us a quick message when you've arrived so we know you got in safely.
Highlighted text in [brackets] is yours to replace. Free to use and adapt, no attribution needed.
Tips
Making it work for your guests
Number the steps
Guests read check-in instructions on a phone, often with luggage in the other hand. Short numbered steps are far easier to follow than a paragraph.
Always include a backup
Batteries die and codes get mistyped. One sentence on what to do if the code fails saves a panicked phone call.
Test it as a stranger
You know your building too well to spot the confusing parts. Ask someone who's never been there to follow the instructions exactly.
Make it digital
Send it before guests arrive, in their language.
Paste this template into a free GuestIntro guest manual. Guests open it from a link or QR code, read it in any of ten languages, and you update it in seconds when a code changes.
Create a free guest manual →Questions
Common questions
- When should I send check-in instructions?
- Send full instructions two to three days before arrival so guests can plan, then a short reminder with the door code on the morning of check-in. Avoid sending codes weeks in advance.
- How do I write self check-in instructions?
- List each physical step from the street to the sofa, numbered, with a photo for each. Include the address, parking, every code, which door is yours, and what to do if something doesn't work.
- Should I use a key box or a smart lock?
- Both work for self check-in. Smart locks let you set a unique code per booking and open the door remotely. Key boxes are cheaper and need no power, but the code is usually shared across guests.
More templates
Templates that go with this one
- Checkout instructions
A short, polite checkout list: time, keys, the few tasks you actually need, and what guests can skip.
- Welcome letter
A one-page personal note left on the table: warm welcome, the three essentials, and how to reach you.
- WiFi sign
A printable WiFi card with network name, password and a scan-to-connect QR code, plus troubleshooting.
All templates are on the free host templates page.