Most welcome books are a missed opportunity. They contain the Wi-Fi password, a few takeaway menus, and some generic tourist information that guests could find faster on Google. They sit on the coffee table gathering dust, occasionally opened for the heating instructions, then ignored.
But the best welcome books I see when photographing holiday lets do something different. They actively generate revenue, reduce guest questions, prevent bad reviews, and encourage repeat bookings. They're a marketing tool disguised as a helpful guide.
I photograph over 100 holiday lets a year, and I always flip through the welcome book during a shoot. The properties with thoughtful, well-designed guides consistently earn better reviews, get more repeat bookings, and generate additional income through upsells and partnerships. This guide shows you how to create one that does the same.
01Why Your Welcome Book Matters
Your welcome book is the first thing guests interact with after they arrive. It sets the tone for their entire stay. A tatty ring binder with faded printouts says "budget accommodation." A beautifully designed book with curated recommendations says "premium experience."
Beyond first impressions, a good welcome book: - Reduces messages by answering questions before they're asked - Prevents bad reviews by managing expectations and explaining quirks - Generates revenue through partnerships and upsells - Encourages longer stays and return visits by showcasing what's nearby - Provides a natural place to mention your direct booking option
02The Structure That Works
After reviewing dozens of welcome books across the properties I photograph, here's the structure that works best:
Section 1: Welcome and Essentials (2-3 pages)
Start with a warm, personal welcome. Not corporate, not generic. Write it as if you're greeting a friend who's staying at your place.
Include immediately: - Wi-Fi network name and password (large, clear font) - Emergency contacts (you, a local backup person, emergency services) - Address and postcode (guests need this for deliveries and taxis) - Check-out time and process - Bins and recycling (which day, where they go)
This section answers the questions guests ask within 10 minutes of arrival. Put it first so they find it immediately.
Section 2: The Property Guide (4-6 pages)
Room-by-room instructions for anything that isn't immediately obvious: - Heating: how to adjust the thermostat, how the log burner works, where to find extra blankets - Kitchen: how to use the coffee machine, where the dishwasher tablets are, oven quirks - Entertainment: how to use the TV/streaming services, Bluetooth speaker instructions - Bathroom: how the shower works (especially if it has a non-obvious control), where spare towels are - Garden: how to use the BBQ, hot tub instructions if applicable - Parking: exactly where to park, any restrictions
Write this section assuming the guest has never seen your type of property before. What's obvious to you isn't obvious to someone who's just driven three hours and is tired.
Section 3: Local Recommendations (6-10 pages)
This is where most welcome books fail. They list every restaurant, pub, and attraction within 20 miles without any curation. Guests don't want a directory. They want your personal picks.
Structure your recommendations like this:
Restaurants (your top 5-8): For each one: name, what it's good for (romantic dinner, family lunch, quick bite), price range (£/££/£££), whether booking is needed, and one sentence about why you recommend it. "The best Sunday roast in the village. Book for weekends."
Pubs (your top 3-5): Same format. Mention if they do food, if they're dog-friendly, if they have a garden.
Cafes and breakfast spots (3-4): Where to get good coffee and a proper breakfast.
Walks (3-5, graded by difficulty): A short easy one (30 minutes, flat, good for families), a medium one (1-2 hours, some hills), and a longer one (half day, proper walking gear needed). Include starting points and rough directions or links to routes.
Rainy day activities: What to do when the weather is terrible. This is crucial for UK holiday lets. Include indoor attractions, cinemas, shopping, spa options.
Family activities (if your property suits families): Farms, adventure parks, beaches, playgrounds.
Seasonal highlights: What's special about visiting in each season. This encourages guests to return at different times of year.
Section 4: Revenue-Generating Pages
This is the section most hosts miss entirely. Here's how to turn your welcome book into a revenue stream:
Partner businesses: Approach local businesses about featuring them in your welcome book in exchange for a commission or guest discount. Businesses that work well: - Restaurant offering 10% off for your guests (you get referral credit or they pay for the listing) - Local experience providers (kayaking, horse riding, cooking classes) offering a guest discount - Spa or wellness centre with a preferential rate - Grocery delivery service that pre-stocks the fridge before arrival - Private chef who cooks in the property
For each partner, include a brief description, what the guest discount is, and how to book (usually a code or mention of your property name).
Your own upsells: - Early check-in (£30-50 for 2 hours early) - Late checkout (£30-50 for 2 hours late) - Welcome hamper upgrade (£25-50 for a premium local produce hamper) - Celebration packages (£40-80 for champagne, flowers, and decorations) - Extra cleaning mid-stay (for longer bookings) - Firewood delivery (£15-20 per basket for log burner properties) - Hot tub preparation (if not included as standard)
Present these as helpful additions, not hard sells. "Celebrating something special? I can arrange champagne, flowers, and a handwritten card to be waiting when you arrive. Just message me 48 hours before your stay."
Affiliate recommendations: If you recommend specific products (the coffee brand in your kitchen, the toiletries you use, local artisan products), include where to buy them. Some brands offer affiliate programmes, but even without commission, recommending products guests can buy extends the positive association with your property.
Section 5: Before You Leave (1-2 pages)
- Checkout checklist (keep it simple and short)
- How to book direct for next time (your website URL, the discount code)
- Review request (gentle, with a QR code linking directly to your Airbnb review page)
- Social media handles (if you want guests to tag you in photos)
03Design and Presentation
The physical presentation of your welcome book matters as much as the content:
Professional printing: Use a service like Mixam or Printed.com to create a properly bound booklet. A5 or A4 size, with a quality cover. Cost: £5-15 per copy depending on page count and finish.
Photography: Use your professional property photos throughout the book. They reinforce the quality of the experience and make the book visually appealing. A welcome book with beautiful photos gets picked up and read. One with clip art doesn't.
Layout: Clean, uncluttered pages with plenty of white space. Use consistent fonts and colours that match your property's branding (if you have any). Each section should be clearly labelled and easy to find.
Digital version: Create a PDF version and send it to guests before arrival. Some guests prefer digital, and it gives them time to plan activities and restaurant bookings before they arrive. Include it in your pre-arrival message.
04The Revenue Maths
Let's calculate what a well-designed welcome book can generate:
Partner commissions: If 30% of guests use one partner recommendation at an average £50 spend, and you earn 10% commission, that's £5 per booking. Over 100 bookings a year: £500.
Upsells: If 20% of guests add one upsell at an average £40, that's £8 per booking. Over 100 bookings: £800.
Repeat bookings (from the direct booking mention): If 5% of guests rebook direct within a year at an average £500 booking value, saving you 15% in platform fees, that's £75 per rebooking. Over 100 guests: £375.
Total potential additional revenue: £1,675 per year from a welcome book that costs £200-300 to design and print.
That's before counting the indirect benefits: fewer messages (saving your time), better reviews (enabling higher rates), and longer average stays (from guests discovering more to do in the area).
05Digital vs. Physical: Which Is Better?
The answer is both. Here's why:
Physical book in the property: - Guests browse it when they arrive, when they're relaxing, when they're planning tomorrow - It's tangible and feels premium - It doesn't require Wi-Fi or a charged phone - It's visible and accessible throughout the stay
Digital version (PDF or web page): - Guests can access it before arrival for planning - You can update it without reprinting - It can include clickable links to restaurants, booking sites, and your partners - Guests can access it on their phone while out and about
The ideal setup: a beautiful physical book in the property, plus a digital version sent before arrival and accessible via a QR code in the physical book.
06Common Welcome Book Mistakes
Too long: If your welcome book is 40 pages, nobody will read it. Aim for 16-24 pages. Be ruthless about what earns its place.
Too generic: "There are many lovely restaurants nearby" helps nobody. Name specific places with specific recommendations.
Outdated information: A restaurant that closed six months ago, opening hours that have changed, a walk that's now inaccessible. Review and update your book every 6 months.
No personality: A welcome book written in corporate language feels cold. Write in your own voice. Include personal anecdotes. "I always order the fish pie at The Crown, it's been the same recipe for 20 years and it's never let me down."
Buried essentials: If guests have to flip through 10 pages of local history before finding the Wi-Fi password, they'll be frustrated before they've even unpacked. Essentials first, always.
No visual appeal: A welcome book with no photos, printed on cheap paper in a plastic folder, undermines the premium experience you're trying to create. Invest in design and printing.
07Getting Started: A Weekend Project
You can create a professional welcome book in a single weekend:
Saturday morning: Write the essentials and property guide sections. You know this information already, it just needs organising.
Saturday afternoon: Write your local recommendations. Pick your genuine favourites, not every option. Write one sentence about why you recommend each one.
Sunday morning: Approach 3-5 local businesses about partnerships. Most will say yes to a guest discount arrangement, it's free marketing for them.
Sunday afternoon: Design the layout. Use Canva (free) for a professional-looking template. Add your property photos. Export as PDF.
Following week: Send to a printer for the physical version. Order 10-20 copies (they're cheap in bulk).
Total cost: £100-300 for design and printing. Total time: one weekend. Potential annual return: £1,000+.
08FAQ
How often should I update my welcome book? Review it every 6 months for accuracy (closed businesses, changed hours, new recommendations). Do a full refresh annually with new photos and updated partner offers. Keep a few spare copies so you can replace worn ones.
Should I charge for upsells or include them in the nightly rate? Charge separately. Guests appreciate having the choice rather than paying a higher nightly rate that includes things they might not want. Frame upsells as optional extras that enhance the experience, not hidden costs.
What if I don't have professional photos for the book? Use the photos from your listing shoot. A professional property photographer (like me) will provide images that work beautifully in a welcome book. If you're planning a shoot, mention that you'd like some detail shots (coffee machine, log burner, garden) specifically for your welcome book.
How do I approach local businesses about partnerships? Keep it simple. Visit in person or email: "Hi, I run a holiday let nearby and I'd love to recommend you to my guests. Would you be open to offering a small discount (10%) for my guests in exchange for a featured recommendation in my welcome book? I get about [X] guests per year." Most businesses jump at this.
Physical book or tablet/iPad? Physical book, always. Tablets get broken, run out of battery, and feel impersonal. A beautifully printed book feels like a gift. You can supplement with a digital version, but the physical book should be the primary format.
*Related guides: Guest Messaging Templates for Airbnb Hosts · Getting 5-Star Reviews Consistently · Seasonal Pricing for UK Holiday Lets
*Back to The Host Academy for more free guides on running a successful holiday let.**
--- I photograph holiday lets and Airbnb properties across Bath. If you need professional photography for your rental, get in touch or call 07545 450543.
