Top TLDR:

An Austin Airbnb guest welcome guide gives guests everything they need to navigate your property and the city without constantly messaging you—making it one of the highest-leverage tools for earning 5-star reviews. This free template covers house rules, home orientation, local Austin recommendations, and emergency contacts in a format you can copy, customize, and use immediately. Download the template below and personalize it with your property's details before your next check-in.

If there's one hosting tool that consistently separates good Austin Airbnb listings from great ones, it's a well-crafted guest welcome guide. It's your silent co-host—answering questions before they're asked, setting expectations without awkwardness, and making guests feel genuinely taken care of the moment they walk through the door.

Across every property we manage through Sora Stays in Austin, a thorough welcome guide is part of the standard setup. It reduces message volume, prevents common misunderstandings, and earns hosts consistent positive mentions in reviews. Guests notice when they feel informed. They notice even more when they don't.

This page gives you a free, plug-and-play Austin Airbnb guest welcome guide template you can customize for your property and start using right away.

What Is an Airbnb Guest Welcome Guide (and Why Does It Matter)?

A guest welcome guide is a document—digital, printed, or both—that orients guests to your property and the surrounding area. Think of it as the briefing you'd give a close friend who was staying at your place while you were out of town. Everything they need to know, in one place, written with warmth and clarity.

On Airbnb specifically, the platform provides a basic digital guidebook feature. It's a useful starting point, but it's rarely enough on its own. The most effective welcome guides go beyond what Airbnb's native tools offer—including property-specific instructions, hyper-local Austin recommendations, and the kind of personal touches that make guests feel like they're staying somewhere intentional, not just somewhere available.

In Austin's competitive short-term rental market, where guests have dozens of options at any price point, the in-home experience matters as much as the listing itself. A welcome guide is a core part of that experience.

What to Include in Your Austin Airbnb Welcome Guide

A strong guest welcome guide covers five areas: a warm welcome, home orientation, house rules, local recommendations, and emergency information. Here's how to approach each one.

A Personal Welcome Message

Open with a brief, genuine welcome note. Introduce yourself (or your hosting team), express that you're glad they chose to stay, and invite them to reach out if they need anything. Keep it to a short paragraph—warm but not excessive. This sets the tone for the entire guide and signals the level of hospitality guests can expect throughout their stay.

Home Orientation

This section is the workhorse of the guide. Cover everything a guest needs to comfortably use your space:

Entry and access — Check-in instructions, door code or lockbox details, how to lock up, where to find a spare key if applicable.

Wi-Fi — Network name and password, prominently placed. Guests want this immediately and asking for it is the number-one message hosts receive at check-in.

Climate control — How to operate the thermostat, any quirks (e.g., it takes 10 minutes to cool down after being off), and what to expect given Austin's heat, especially if your A/C has zones or a scheduling setting.

Kitchen — How to use any non-obvious appliances (smart oven, espresso machine, instant hot water tap), where to find cookware and dishes, and where to dispose of trash and recycling. Austin has a single-stream recycling program—note what can and can't go in the bin.

Laundry — How to operate the washer and dryer, where to find detergent, and whether you prefer guests use it or not.

TV and entertainment — Instructions for the smart TV, how to connect streaming accounts, whether there's a cable remote or a soundbar, and how to pair Bluetooth speakers if available.

Parking — Where guests should and shouldn't park, any neighborhood restrictions, whether a parking pass is required, and what to do if they have multiple vehicles. This is especially important near South Congress, East Austin, and the Domain, where parking rules vary significantly by block.

Garbage and recycling — Collection days and where to place bins. A single missed trash day can cause real problems for longer stays.

Outdoor spaces — How to use the grill, whether the hot tub or pool has any specific operating instructions, outdoor shower access, gate codes, and any shared-space protocols.

House Rules (Warm, Not Legal)

Your house rules don't need to read like a lease agreement. Write them in a tone that assumes good intent while being clear about expectations. Cover:

• Quiet hours (Austin has neighborhood-specific noise ordinances—East Austin and South Austin both have rules around amplified sound)
• Maximum occupancy and guest policies
• Smoking policy and where it's permitted if at all
• Pet rules and any restricted areas
• Party and event restrictions
• Check-out time and what's expected before guests leave (dishes, towels, lights)

Frame these as ways to protect the experience for future guests, not as warnings. "We ask for quiet after 10pm so the neighborhood stays peaceful for everyone" lands differently than a bulleted list of prohibitions.

Austin Local Recommendations

This is where your guide becomes genuinely valuable—and where it gets remembered. Generic recommendations guests can find on any travel blog aren't what they're looking for. They want your take, your actual favorites, the places a local would send their best friend.

Organize this section by category and keep each recommendation brief but specific:

Coffee — Where you actually go on a weekday morning and why. Austin has exceptional independent coffee culture. Highlight one or two spots near your property.

Breakfast and brunch — Austin's breakfast taco scene is legendary. Point guests toward your personal favorite spot, including a specific order if you have one.

Dinner — A mix of walkable options near your property and one or two worth the drive. Note whether reservations are required—OpenTable and Resy are widely used for Austin's more popular spots.

Live music — Austin is the Live Music Capital of the World. Let guests know which venues are closest, what nights have the best lineups, and whether there are any free outdoor shows during their stay. If your property is near 6th Street or Red River Cultural District, note what to expect on weekend nights.

Outdoor activities — Barton Springs Pool, Barton Creek Greenbelt, Lady Bird Lake kayaking, McKinney Falls State Park. Mention which are worth the trip during the season of their stay and any parking or entry tips.

Grocery stores and markets — The nearest H-E-B (non-negotiable in Texas), any local farmers markets happening during their stay, and where to find specialty items.

Getting around — Whether a car is necessary from your property's location, the best rideshare zones, e-scooter and bike share availability, and any transit options worth knowing about.

If you're managing a property outside of central Austin—including in the Hill Country surrounding the city—our team at Sora Stays also handles Texas Hill Country vacation rentals, where local recommendations around wineries, swimming holes, and ranch experiences play a similarly important role in the guest guide.

Emergency Information and Key Contacts

Guests hope they never need this section. But when they do, they need it fast. Include:

• Your contact information (phone and email) or your property manager's details
• After-hours emergency contact if different from the above
• Nearest urgent care clinic and hospital (with address)
• Nearest pharmacy
• What to do if something breaks or malfunctions (especially A/C in Austin's summer heat—this is not optional)
• Local utility emergency numbers if relevant (Austin Energy, Austin Water)
• What to do if they're locked out

Being upfront about this information communicates trust and professionalism. It also protects you—guests who know how to reach you quickly are far less likely to escalate minor issues into negative reviews.

Free Austin Airbnb Welcome Guide Template

Copy and customize the template below. Replace all bracketed placeholders with your property's details.

Welcome to [Property Name]!

Hi [Guest Name or "Friends"],

We're so glad you chose to stay with us in Austin. [Property Name] is our way of sharing a little piece of this incredible city with visitors, and we hope your stay feels like home—maybe even better.

Everything you need to know is in this guide. And if you ever have a question that isn't answered here, just send us a message. We're always happy to help.

Enjoy Austin. 🤠

— [Your Name / Hosting Team]

Getting In

• Door code: [CODE] / Lockbox location: [DETAILS]
• Parking: [SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS AND RESTRICTIONS]
• If you have trouble accessing the property, call/text us at [PHONE NUMBER]

Wi-Fi

• Network: [NETWORK NAME]
• Password: [PASSWORD]

The Essentials

• Thermostat: [INSTRUCTIONS + QUIRKS]
• TV: [INSTRUCTIONS — how to switch inputs, access streaming]
• Washer/Dryer: [LOCATION + INSTRUCTIONS + WHERE TO FIND DETERGENT]
• Kitchen: [ANY NON-OBVIOUS APPLIANCE INSTRUCTIONS]
• Trash: [BIN LOCATIONS + COLLECTION DAYS]
• Recycling: [BIN LOCATION + WHAT'S ACCEPTED]

House Rules

• Quiet hours: [TIME] to [TIME]
• Maximum guests: [NUMBER]
• Smoking: [POLICY AND WHERE IF PERMITTED]
• Pets: [POLICY]
• Check-out time: [TIME]
• Before you leave: [SPECIFIC CHECK-OUT REQUESTS — e.g., start dishwasher, leave towels in tub, lock deadbolt]

Our Austin Recommendations

Coffee[Name of spot] — [Brief note on what makes it worth going]

Breakfast Tacos[Name of spot] — [Specific order recommendation if you have one]

Dinner (walkable)[Name] — [Why you like it, whether reservations are needed]

Dinner (worth the drive)[Name] — [Why it's worth it]

Live Music[Venue name] — [What nights are best / what genre / any tips]

Outdoors[Barton Springs / Greenbelt / Lady Bird Lake / etc.] — [Tip or context for their visit]

GroceryH-E-B at [nearest location] — [Any other specialty markets worth noting]

Getting Around[Car tips / rideshare zones / scooter availability in your neighborhood]

Emergency Contacts

• Your host: [PHONE] / [EMAIL]
• After-hours emergency: [CONTACT]
• Nearest urgent care: [NAME + ADDRESS]
• Nearest pharmacy: [NAME + ADDRESS]
• If something breaks: [WHAT TO DO — message us immediately at X]
• Austin Energy (power outage): 512-322-9100
• Austin Water (water emergency): 512-972-1000

Digital vs. Printed: Which Format Works Best?

Both have merit, and the best Austin Airbnb hosts often use a combination. A digital guide—linked in your pre-arrival message via a Notion page, Google Doc, or a platform like Hostfully or TouchStay—is easy to update, accessible before arrival, and searchable. A printed guide or welcome booklet placed prominently in the property feels intentional and hospitality-forward, and ensures guests have the information even if their phone is dead when they arrive.

For properties at the higher end of Austin's market, a printed guide inside a simple folder or custom-branded booklet elevates the first impression considerably. For mid-range listings, a cleanly formatted digital doc linked in your check-in message is completely sufficient and easier to maintain.

Whichever format you choose, update it regularly. Austin's restaurant scene turns over fast, parking rules change, and house rules evolve. A guide that recommends a restaurant that's been closed for six months signals inattention—the opposite of what you're going for.

Let Your Welcome Guide Do the Heavy Lifting

A strong Austin Airbnb guest welcome guide doesn't just help guests—it makes you a better host. It reduces the volume of repetitive messages you field at check-in. It sets expectations that guests then meet. It positions your property as a premium, well-run space before a guest has even opened a cabinet. And it gives guests the tools to discover Austin in a way that feels personal and curated, which shows up directly in the language of your reviews.

If you'd like help implementing this at a professional level—or if you're interested in what full-service Austin Airbnb property management looks like when a team handles everything from listing optimization to guest communication—we'd love to connect.

Before you finalize your welcome guide, make sure your listing is also compliant with Austin's short-term rental regulations. Our guide to Austin Airbnb laws and what every host needs to know covers licensing, zoning, and occupancy requirements in plain language.

Bottom TLDR:

‍An Austin Airbnb guest welcome guide is one of the simplest tools for earning consistent 5-star reviews—it reduces back-and-forth messaging, sets accurate expectations, and gives guests the confidence that they're in good hands. Use the free template above to cover your home orientation, house rules, Austin-specific local recommendations, and emergency contacts in one cohesive document. Customize it for your property, link it in your pre-arrival message, and update it at least twice a year to keep the information current.

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