host letter templates

[Ron4]

Just listed no booking but am with VRBO.  I realized Provides Welcome letter templates that merge with a booking I can send. Like Thank you for selecting to stay at our Suite.

Parking  street parking is generally available within eyesight of the suite, however if on yur arrival you do not find that so you are welcome to park your first night in our driveway adjacent to the suite walkway.

Upon arrival at the property  you will find your access from the North with a lighted sign. Preceed down the walk to the glass covered entry.  The code is xxxxx. and down the 4 step and you will find you suite's key in the door

We are available via text, email, call and even a knock on the door. 

Will I find something similar available with Airbnd.

Request a review

[Ron4]

mmmmm

[Kelly3]

Airbnb send a reservation confirmation and a reminder email to guests, but it feels more of Airbnb informing the guests not really from hosts.

The reservation confirmation has direction and house manuals, but I find that layout not so 'reader friendly' as it is just all text, we cannot add image or layout setting into our directions and house manuals. Also the title of email being 'reservation confirmation', a lot of guests don't even bother to read it - thinking the purpose of that email is simply to inform them the reservation is confirmed, not that it has information they have to read. Sometimes as it is sent by Airbnb, often it goes into their commercial/promotion inbox as well, which make it easier for them to completely unaware of that email.

Also the reminder email before their check in, last time I checked, it only had the house manuals in the email - not the direction. I think the direction is the most important thing to read in order to get to my place to check in, so I don't get this part....

I was expecting Airbnb to come up with a little better solution than current one, but I don't know if it will happen anytime soon - I am researching about other tools to help me deliver right and important information to my guests.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Kelly3@Ron4

For directions I have made a separate document with photos that I send to my guests using the encrypted link to their private e-mail.

[Juelis0]

Can you share it. I would like to create something myself but need guidance. 

[Andrew90]

@Juelis0 I just posted an article with some examples 

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Hosts/Email-Templates/m-p/254070#M60770

[Shlomi-and-Batel0]

Thanks!

[Peter0]

I'm holding a host meeting in London tonight to discuss that and we will then share our best drafting.  I think we need to help Airbnb into improving its service in this area.  

Saygilarimla

[Kelly3]

@Peter0

I agree. I guess Airbnb didn't have formats cause they wanted hosts to be creative and personal - though at this point they really should come up with a better way to deliver critical informations to guests.

[Maria-Lurdes0]

I also list on VRBO and I also like the auto templates.  In fact, I've cut and paste my automatic "available" template into a file and I copy that into the airbnb inquiry and it works great.  I'd love to see them  have some auto replies, but for now it's cut/paste or macros, both of which are ok, but not as convenient as having various canned replies which can then be personalized depending on the type of inquiry.

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

Thanks @Ron4 for starting this discussion. It is great to hear your feelings on this.

@Peter0, great to hear you were discussing this at your MeetUp. It would be fantastic if you could provide an overview in the Community Center. 

Is the option of having templates something you think you would find useful and would make communicating with your guests easier? 

[Peter0]

Here is a template to help. It is based on a number of contributions at a meeting in London on Jan 18 2016 where various hosts offered some ideas.  You might want to include photos or maps and I am sure this can be improved.  I suggest people look at this and offer some suggestions and we might make up an even better one.  This is written for guests in central London.  Everyone needs to write their own directions for public transportation, airport shuttles and so on.  

Sample Note to welcome a new guest – please tailor to your own listing

Thank you very much for your booking to stay at [xxxxxxxxxxxxx].  This note is sent to offer you some help on arrival and things to do when you are visiting should this be of any help.

[I also attach my house notes.  You do not need to read them now and a copy is left in your room but they are here in case you want to look at them.  ]

Contact Details

You can contact me using the following

Email xxxxxxxxxxxx

Cellphone xxxxxxxxxxx (send a text if you are just giving me information)

I am happy with using WhatsApp (you use the cellphone number) or Viber or Skype (xxxxxxx) or Facebook or Messenger but say who you are if your online name is different.

My twitter account is @xxxxxxxxxx and I use hashtag #xxxxxxxxxxxx

The full property address is xxxxxxxxxxxx.  There is one double bed in the room you have booked.  Please make sure that you have confirmed with me if you request any different bedding arrangement.

Could you let me know what time you expect to arrive and if you are coming by air, please help me by giving me your flight number and arrival time if you can so that if necessary I can look online to check on arrival. If you are arriving by train, just let me know the arrival time as it is only a couple of minutes’ walk upstairs to get to the apartment.

Can you let me know your email address and confirm the best number or format for contacting you (which might not be the phone number you used as an Airbnb registration).  However, it is a good idea to confirm details of your arrival and plans using the Airbnb messaging system so it is all easy for us to check.  Having your other details will help in the event we have any communication difficulties. 

Journey from the airports [tailor to your listing]

I do not recommend taxis unless you are so overloaded with luggage that it is going to be unpleasant using public transport.  Unbooked black cabs are VERY expensive (over 100 pounds into town).  Going back to airports by car the best thing to do is to book a minicab (roughly 45 pounds – more for Luton or Stansted) but it’s harder to sort out minicabs to pick you up at the airport. 

Heathrow

The easiest and cheapest way to get here from Heathrow is to head to the Underground station at the airport and buy a Visitor Oyster card which you can use throughout your stay. The card costs £3 (non-refundable) and you add money to it at machines at stations. Then take the Piccadilly Line 26 stops to a station called Kings Cross St Pancras. The journey will take you about 1 hour from the airport.

Gatwick

Take the train from Gatwick Airport Station to St Pancras International.  Be warned - there is no other intelligent way of travelling from Gatwick to St Pancras.  The journey will take about 1 hour door to door. 

Stansted

Do not be tempted by the bus option.  It can take over 2 ½ hours in the morning.  It is a terrible way to get to London and will make your holiday shorter.  Take the railway service for London Liverpool Street but do NOT go to Liverpool Street.  Get out at Tottenham Hale which is about 35 minutes from Stansted.  Then go to the Underground station there to take the Victoria Line to Kings Cross St Pancras.  You need a ticket from Stansted through to Kings Cross St Pancras underground (and return). 

Luton

Luton is an airport in the middle of nowhere but takes cheap flights from discount airlines.  The service to London is actually very good.  You buy a ticket for London before you leave the airport and board a shuttle bus for the 5 minute journey to the local Luton Airport Parkway station where you take a train probably bound for Gatwick and Brighton and alight at St Pancras International. 

Arrival

The apartment is [xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]  [Describe arrival situation]

Parking

[xxxxxxxxxxxx] I really do recommend that visitors who are renting a car in the UK dispose of it during their days in London.  Uber is plentifully available in London like other major cities.  Public transport is very good.

Local Facilities

Here is a link to a website which will give you some examples of my favorite restaurants and local sights.  I am happy to discuss more with you but this may help if you are planning on where to go.

On the Premises

I supply towels, bedlinen, soap, tea, coffee, milk.  There's a hair dryer that you can use.  There are various power adaptors for foreign power cables that will meet most international needs (US, European).  If you arrive without having used London public transport, I have some Oyster cards you can borrow.  Please don't forget your phone charger.  I have some but not necessarily all on the premises.

Let me know if you have any questions or need any other information or directions.  Please reply either to this email or through the Airbnb messaging service to let me know you have received this information 

[Lizzie]

Thanks so much @Peter0 for sharing this. 

[Cindy46]

What I am looking for from Airbnb is a feature similar to what I have available in HomeAway, where I can create and store various email templates to send to guests prior to check-in, to request a review, etc.  In HomeAway, there's a dropdown in the email program that allows me to send a templated email with autopopulated fields such as [guest first name] and [arrival date] that save me time replying to each reservation. 

At the moment, I'm cutting and pasting from the HomeAway site and sending emails from Airbnb with my HomeAway templates, but I'd much prefer to be able to do this within the Airbnb platform.  

Thanks. 

[Andrew90]

AirBNB now offers saved messages that while not perfect (no tags for Stay dates or guest name). However only seems to work from browser I have not seen it yet on my iphone.

Since I list of mutiple platforms is use a different service with much more robust templates and other tools. VRconnection.com. Once I finalize on on AirBNB I enter guest info and then manage from there.