How We Picked
We started with the questions guests ask most often during a stay: how to get in, how to get online, how to work the heat, where to eat and what to do at checkout. Then we sorted them by where they belong.
Airbnb separates the two. Its Help Center says a house manual is for day-to-day details, like how to turn on the hot water heater or where to find an extra blanket, and only guests with a confirmed reservation can see it. A guidebook is for local tips like restaurants, stores, parks and attractions, and Airbnb says host guidebooks are public: anyone can see them on Airbnb, and you can share a link or print a copy. So anything private (door codes, the Wi-Fi password, the lockbox location) goes in the manual or your check-in message, never the guidebook.
If you want a ready-made structure, our local area guide template follows the same order as this list.
1. Arrival Steps
The full address as it should be typed into a map app, where to park, which door to use and how to get in. Add a photo of the entrance. If the driveway is steep or shared, say so. Put the door code in the private check-in message, not here.
2. Wi-Fi Name and Password
Put it on the first page of the house manual and on a card inside the home. Add a note on where the router is and how to restart it, which solves many connection problems without a call.
3. Heat, Cooling and Hot Water
Explain the thermostat, any zones, and what to do if a room feels cold. For homes with a wood stove, fireplace, heat pump or boiler, give step-by-step instructions or say plainly that guests should not use it. In a New England winter, this section can save you a lot of late-night messages.
4. Appliances and Entertainment
The TV and streaming setup, the coffee maker, the dishwasher, the washer and dryer. If you have a hot tub or sauna, include the rules and how to use the cover or controls. Short, numbered steps work better than paragraphs.
5. House Rules
Quiet hours, maximum guests, pets, smoking, parking limits and any local rules your town enforces. Keep them polite and specific. Guests follow rules they understand.
6. Safety and Emergencies
Call 911 in an emergency. Then list the nearest hospital and urgent care, where the fire extinguisher and first aid kit are, and where the water shutoff and breaker panel are. Mention the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The NFPA recommends testing smoke alarms at least once a month and replacing them when they are 10 years old, which is a job for your turnover checklist, not the guest.
7. How to Reach You
Who to contact, how (in-app messaging, phone or text) and what counts as urgent. Guests relax when they know a real person will answer. New England Host Co handles guest messaging and support for the homes it manages, so guests have one place to ask.
8. Trash, Recycling and Trash Day
Which bins go where, what gets recycled, and which day the truck comes. If your town has no curbside pickup, which is not unusual in small New England towns, explain what to do instead, whether that is leaving bags in a bear-proof shed or leaving them for the cleaners.
9. Checkout Steps
Keep the list short: start the dishwasher, bag the trash, lock the door, leave the keys or confirm the lock. Guests are on vacation, so ask only for what matters. Tell guests what you do not need them to do (for example, strip the beds) so they are not guessing.
10. Food, Coffee and Groceries
This is where the public guidebook shines. List your favorite coffee shop, a few restaurants at different price points, the nearest grocery store and a place for takeout on arrival night. Recommend places you have actually been, and keep each entry to a line or two so the list is easy to scan.
11. Things to Do, by Season
Group ideas by season, because a Lakes Region home in July and in October are different trips. Foliage drives and farm stands for fall, ski areas and rental shops for winter, beaches and boat launches for summer. Our list of fall foliage towns can help you pick nearby ideas for autumn.
12. Roads and Weather
For mountain and lake homes, link New England 511 for road conditions and cameras in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine, and remind guests that cell service can drop in the mountains. Mention if the road to the home is steep or unpaved, and whether guests need all-wheel drive in winter.
Putting the Guidebook Together
A few formatting choices make a big difference:
- Split private and public. Codes and passwords in the house manual or check-in message. Local tips in the public guidebook.
- Keep a printed copy in the home. Airbnb lets you print your guidebook, and a binder on the counter helps guests with no signal.
- Use photos. A picture of the thermostat or the trash shed answers the question faster than words.
- Review it every season. Restaurants close and hours change. Check your list when you do your seasonal deep clean.
- Match it to the home. A 22-guest lake estate needs different notes than a two-person townhome. Group homes need clear parking and quiet-hours sections.
Keeping the guidebook current is easier when someone is in the home after every stay. New England Host Co's crews do housekeeping and an inspection after every stay, at the same visit, which is a natural time to check the printed guidebook is still in place. Our guest-ready checklist covers the rest of that visit. If you would like help running your rental, see our list of Airbnb co-hosting services in New England.
FAQ
What Is the Difference Between an Airbnb Guidebook and a House Manual?
Per Airbnb's Help Center, a house manual holds day-to-day details about your home and is visible only to guests with a confirmed reservation. A guidebook holds local recommendations and is public.
Should I Put the Door Code in My Guidebook?
No. Airbnb guidebooks are public. Share codes in the house manual or in your check-in message to confirmed guests.
How Long Should a Guidebook Be?
Long enough to answer the common questions and no longer. Short sections with headings, and a printed copy in the home, work better than one long document.
Can I Use the Same Guidebook for More than One Listing?
On Airbnb, yes. When you create or edit a guidebook, you choose which listings it is associated with. Keep home-specific details in each listing's house manual.
