Most guest questions are the same five questions. A good house manual and guidebook answer them before they're asked. Here's what Airbnb's two tools do, who can see each one, and a template you can copy for both.
House manual vs guidebook: they're not the same thing
Airbnb gives hosts two separate places for this information, and the difference matters:
- House manual explains your home: how the hot water heater works, where the extra blankets are. Airbnb's Help Center says only guests with a confirmed reservation can access it. That makes it the right place for practical details you don't want public.
- Guidebook is your local recommendations: restaurants, stores, parks, attractions. Airbnb says host guidebooks are public and everyone can access them, and you can share them outside Airbnb or print them. Guests find it on your listing, your profile and in their Trips tab.
Both live under Listing editor → Arrival guide in Airbnb. One more detail from Airbnb: guidebooks are connected to an individual hosting account, not a listing, and home co-hosts don't have access to new guidebooks.
House manual template
Copy the sections that apply, delete the rest. Keep each item to one or two lines.
Airbnb's checkout tasks and house rules have their own sections in the listing editor; keep the manual consistent with them so guests aren't told two different things. See our house rules template.
Guidebook template
Airbnb's own tips for guidebooks: keep it brief, make it personal (recommend only places you've enjoyed), hit the highlights (like a restaurant's outdoor patio), include a photo, and keep it updated. A simple structure:
Airbnb lets you set up a quick reply with your guidebook link, so when a guest asks "where should we eat?", you send it in one tap.
What makes a guidebook actually useful
- Specifics over lists. "Order the fish tacos, sit on the back patio" beats a list of 20 restaurant names.
- Distances and times. "6 minutes' drive" helps guests plan.
- Real opening hours. Check them each season. A recommended place that's closed is worse than no recommendation.
- Fewer, better picks. Five you'd personally send a friend to is plenty.
Digital guidebooks outside Airbnb
If you list on several platforms or want photos, videos and step-by-step instructions in one place, a standalone digital guidebook (a web page or app you send before arrival) can hold everything, with the private parts shared only with booked guests. Whatever tool you use, the same rule applies: public recommendations can be public; access details stay private.
Setting up a guidebook is part of our Listing Setup packages.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an Airbnb house manual and a guidebook?
The house manual explains how your home works (hot water, heating, extra blankets) and Airbnb says only guests with a confirmed reservation can see it. The guidebook holds local recommendations and is public: anyone can access it, and you can share or print it.
Where do I add a guidebook on Airbnb?
In the listing editor under Arrival guide, then Guidebooks. The house manual is in the same Arrival guide section. Airbnb notes guidebooks are tied to a hosting account rather than a single listing.
Should I put the Wi-Fi password in my guidebook?
No. Airbnb guidebooks are public. Put the Wi-Fi password, door codes and access details in the house manual or check-in instructions, which only confirmed guests can see.
How long should a guidebook be?
Short. Airbnb's own tip is to keep it brief and easy to scan. A handful of personal picks per category, each with one line on why, is more useful than a long list.
Related guides
- Airbnb House Rules Template: Clear Rules Guests Actually Follow
- Airbnb Listing Optimization: A Complete Checklist (2026)
- Airbnb Amenities Checklist: What Guests Search For (and Expect)
Sources
- Airbnb Help Center: Adding a house manual to your home listing
- Airbnb Help Center: Add a guidebook to your listing
- Airbnb Resource Center: Create a guidebook to share your local tips
- Airbnb Help Center: Add house rules and requests to your listing
Airbnb and Vrbo update their guidance from time to time. We read these pages in October 2026. GlowListing is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Airbnb or Vrbo.