Help with Greeting Letter sent after an Instant booking

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Hi Folks I have been sending out a greeting email/letter to people after they Instant Book. (Almost all my guests use IB). I have never had any complaints but wonder if it is worded well enough and clear enough. No, I do not do self check in, as is obvious from the letter so won’t change that but otherwise, any suggestions are welcome. Here is the letter:

Hello (Fill in the blank)

Thanks for selecting The Superman House for your stay.

NOTE: Please do confirm by reply email or message here today that you did read the whole listing and that you have read and agree to all the House Rules.

Check in: Is as stated in the House Rules and listing, strictly between 3pm - 9pm. I will be contacting you when your reservation approaches in order to confirm your arrival time so that I can meet you and show you the apartment.

Check out: Is strictly by 11 am on your day of departure.

I do all check-ins and issue keys personally. This is to make sure you know how everything works in the place and to note the special features. If you already know your ETA, just let me know that too in your reply and I will be sure to be here to let you in and show you the place.

Parking is along the side street next to the house (19th Street) as that is best for safety and security. (The house is on a corner) Please park there only, not across the street or in front or alongside of other houses…

I look forward to your stay and hope that your visit will be good and pleasant. If you’ve any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thanks,

Carl

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It is a good letter overall. I made some tweaks & shortened it below. I also changed it to keep your acknowledgement message on Airbnb. If something happens, they need it on the platform. Use what you wish…ignore the rest :grinning:

Hello (Fill in the blank)

Thank you for chosing The Superman House for your stay.

NOTE: TODAY Please reply via Airbnb message confirming you read the entire listing and House Rules. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Check in: Is strictly between 3pm - 9pm. I will contact you a few days before your reservation to confirm your arrival time. I’m looking forward to meeting you, giving you keys, and showing the apartment.

Check out: Is strictly by 11 am.

If you already know your Estimated Time of Arrival, please include it in your reply.

For your safety & security, please park on 19th Street next to the house (not across the street or in front or alongside of other houses). (The house is on a corner)

I’m looking forward to your stay. I think you will enjoy it here.

Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.

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Those are some good changes. I do send this through the Airbnb message system, which I failed to say in my original post so thanks for the more emphasis on staying in the system.

I have adapted your changes in my saved file. Much appreciated!

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For insisting on personal check-in your email is …uhmmm pretty impersonal.

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My first contact is very, very simple:

Thank you for booking, Please let me know if you’ve any questions about the apartment or the local area.

That’s it.

A lot of the time guests book well in advance (I’ve had guests book a full year in advance) so I don’t waste my time or theirs giving them a lot of detail that they’ve got time to mislay before their stay…

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Sounds a little authoritarian to me. I would consider canceling the booking if I received this response. Remember you are in the hospitality industry not a boarding school.

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It’s a work in progress, for sure. I’m going to try and friendly it up some over the next couple days.

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Thanks, that is nice. I live here above the unit and do not use key codes, but I like your wording here!

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I don’t book out much more than 2 months and almost all reservations made seem to be within a month to 6 weeks. That said I limit to 6 months out because I don’t know what I will be doing before that. Different places seem to have different patterns though.

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Hi …,

Thanks for choosing to stay at “…” for your …

Please download the Airbnb app so that you receive your check in code.

The front door has a keyless, electronic door pad. Your personal pin code (complete with photos to make the check in process easy) will be available in the “Check in instructions” section via the app about 48 hours before your stay.

I strive to offer a 5 star experience, therefore, please message me here so that I can assist immediately (rather than letting me know later in a review) if there is anything that makes your stay less than 5*.

For extra information about the villa choose the House Manual option. My online Guide Book (you will find it in your itinerary and at the bottom of the listing page just above the map) contains personal recommendations of wineries, restaurants and activities in our area.

Enjoy “…” and the complimentary bottle of sparking waiting for you in the fridge!

Wishing you a beautiful and relaxing stay.

Poppy

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My first message after someone instant books is short and sweet: Hi XXXX, thanks so much for booking with us! We’ll be in touch closer to your arrival date with check-in details. Let us know if you have any questions in the meantime.

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That’s mine almost exactly too. I don’t send any details until the day of check in unless specifically asked a question. The code I don’t give until late morning at earliest to prevent early check ins. I also avoid telling them things like “I won’t be here.”

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@LCL The message is confusing to me – are guests only able to check-in at 3:00, no later than 3:00? What do you mean that check-out is at 10 – does it mean your guests can’t check-out any earlier than 10? I suggest you tweak your message as it seems too rigid…