10 Things Every Airbnb House Manual Must Include

Airbnb's own data consistently shows that communication and cleanliness are the two biggest drivers of five-star reviews. Your house manual handles both: it prevents the frantic 'how do I turn on the heating?' messages at midnight, and it guides guests through checkout so your cleaner walks into a manageable flat rather than a disaster.

Here are the ten things that make the difference between a manual guests actually read and one they ignore.

1. Property Address With Full Access Details

Don't assume guests have GPS signal or can find your building in the dark. Include the full address, floor, unit number, building entrance code, and step-by-step directions from the nearest tube/metro/bus stop. Add a photo of the front door if the building is hard to identify.

2. Wi-Fi Login

Put Wi-Fi on page one. Guests need it to read the rest of your manual if it's digital. Network name and password, case-sensitive. Some hosts set a QR code — guests scan and they're connected without typing anything.

3. Emergency Contacts

Your mobile, a backup contact (friend, co-host, or neighbour with a key), the local emergency number, and the address of the nearest hospital. Guests rarely need this list — but if they do, they need it immediately.

4. Heating, Cooling & Boiler

HVAC controls are the most common source of guest confusion and the most common middle-of-the-night WhatsApp. Include: how to turn the heating on, target temperature recommendation, and how long it takes to warm up. If there's a combi boiler, explain how to relight the pilot.

5. Appliance Guides

Every appliance with a non-obvious interface gets its own entry: induction hob, espresso machine, smart TV, dishwasher, washing machine. One or two sentences each. If the oven has a finicky ignition, say so. If the TV remote hides in a drawer, say where.

6. House Rules (Condensed)

Your Airbnb listing has the full rules. Your manual has the rules guests might break in the first 24 hours: quiet hours, smoking, max occupancy, parking restrictions. Keep it to a bullet list — the goal is compliance, not a legal document.

7. Rubbish & Recycling

This is where most manuals fall short. Tell guests which bin is which, where the bins are (outside? a communal area?), and what day collection happens. In cities with fines for incorrect recycling, make this section prominent.

8. Local Recommendations

The section guests actually want. Your three best restaurant picks at different price points, nearest supermarket, best coffee shop, and local pharmacy. Personalised picks outperform TripAdvisor lists because guests trust a human who knows the area. Keep it short — five to eight places maximum.

9. Transport & Parking

Nearest bus stop, metro station, or tram — with line numbers or route names. If you have a parking space, its number and any permit requirements. If street parking is available, which zones and what times are restricted. Taxi apps that work in your area.

10. Checkout Procedure

End the manual by telling guests exactly what to do on their last morning: checkout time, where to leave keys, whether to take out rubbish, whether to strip beds, and which windows/doors to lock. A smooth checkout protects your review and makes your cleaner's morning much easier.

Make Your Manual Available by QR Code

A laminated printed manual gets coffee spilled on it and goes out of date. A digital manual linked to a QR code beside the door is always current, always accessible on a smartphone, and supports multiple languages automatically.

QuickGuide QR generates a complete digital manual from your property address — local picks included — and produces a printable QR poster in under two minutes.