A thoughtful welcome pack turns first-time visitors into repeat guests. Here's exactly what to include and how to present it for maximum impact.
Most guests decide how they feel about a property within the first fifteen minutes of arrival. They're tired from travelling, possibly frustrated by traffic or delayed trains, and they walk through your door with expectations they may not even be able to articulate. What they find on that first sweep — the smell of the place, the temperature, whether the lights are on, and yes, what's waiting on the kitchen counter — sets the tone for their entire stay.
A thoughtfully assembled welcome pack does something no online listing ever can: it makes a guest feel genuinely looked after. Not processed. Not managed. Actually cared for.
In this guide, we'll walk through exactly what should go into a holiday rental welcome pack, how to present it, and the small details that separate a five-star experience from a forgettable one.
A welcome pack is the collection of information, practical items, and personal touches you leave for guests on arrival. It serves three purposes:
Done well, a welcome pack reduces the volume of "where is the WiFi password?" messages, prevents avoidable damage to the property, and almost always results in better reviews.
Handwritten is ideal. Printed is fine. Typed and left on a laptop screen is not a welcome note — it's a notification.
Keep it short: two or three sentences. Use the guest's first name. Mention something specific — "I hope you enjoy the coastal walk from the garden gate" or "The bakery at the end of the lane opens at 7am and the almond croissants are worth queuing for."
This note costs nothing and is almost always mentioned in reviews.
Guests should not have to call you to find out where the fuse box is. Create a clear, concise property guide that covers:
Keep this guide to four to six pages maximum. Guests won't read a thirty-page manual. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings. Laminate it or put it in a folder that can be wiped clean.
Put these in the welcome pack, not just in a final-night message. Guests appreciate knowing the expectations upfront so they're not anxious about it on their last morning. Cover:
Clear, friendly, non-accusatory language. "No need to deep clean — just leave things roughly as you found them" goes a long way.
This is where a great welcome pack earns its money. Any guest can search TripAdvisor, but they can't search your experience.
Include:
This section is worth updating seasonally. A summer recommendation for an outdoor cinema or Christmas market in December adds a layer of personalisation that guests notice.
You don't need to stock the fridge. A small, considered gesture is worth more than a large impersonal one.
The most appreciated welcome refreshments:
If you know something about the guests in advance — they've mentioned a birthday, or they're travelling with a baby — tailor your offering. A few babygros and a note saying "we spotted you had a little one coming" is the kind of detail people talk about for years.
Often overlooked in the pursuit of making things feel homely rather than clinical, but legally and practically important:
This doesn't need to be a terrifying health-and-safety document. Keep it on one page, easy to find, and matter-of-fact.
A crumpled printout in a plastic wallet from 2019 sends a message about how much you care. So does a beautifully designed, lightly branded folder with a ribbon closure.
You don't need to spend a fortune. Options that work well:
If your property has a name, use it consistently. "Welcome to Hazel Cottage" carries more warmth than "Welcome to the property."
There's a strong case for maintaining both.
Physical packs are discovered on arrival and create an immediate emotional response. They don't require the guest to open an app or follow a link.
Digital guides (sent before arrival) help guests prepare for their trip and reference information on their phone when they're out. They're also searchable, which is genuinely useful for finding the WiFi password at 11pm.
The best approach: send a digital guide to guests 48 hours before arrival with key logistics and local recommendations, and have a physical pack waiting at the property with the essentials.
Guests will not read a 40-page PDF. Prioritise ruthlessly. If something isn't likely to come up during a typical stay, leave it out.
"The lessee is required to vacate the premises by 10:00" is not how you'd talk to a guest face-to-face. Write as you speak.
Restaurant recommendations that have closed, local transport information that's changed, phone numbers that have been disconnected — these undermine trust. Review your guide at least twice a year.
Guests notice when the milk has a use-by date of yesterday. They notice when the wine glasses are cloudy. They notice when the welcome note is addressed to "Dear Guest" when you had their name all along.
Your welcome pack is not primarily a legal document. The check-out instructions, the damage deposit reminder, the noise curfew — these have a place, but they shouldn't dominate the experience. Lead with warmth.
This structure works for a two-night city break and a two-week coastal villa equally well. Adjust the depth of each section based on the complexity of your property and the typical length of stay.
A welcome pack that never changes starts to feel stale — even to repeat guests, and even to you when you're assembling it for the tenth time.
Seasonal additions that work well:
These touches cost nothing and communicate a level of care that guests genuinely appreciate.
LetPilot's built-in check-in guide builder lets you create, update, and share your welcome pack digitally from the same platform you use to manage bookings, pricing, and guest communications — so everything stays in sync without extra admin. Try LetPilot free at letpilot.co — no credit card required.