Trip booked: check. Bags packed: check. Arrival to your destination: check. Checking into your listing: hmmmmm.
Easy check-ins are crucial to five-star trips. With Airbnb, guests and hosts communicate directly with each other about checking in, exchanging keys, and checking out. While we do direct guests to check-in instructions left by hosts on their listing page, we haven’t yet provided a comprehensive in-app or online check-in or checkout process. As a result, it’s not uncommon for hosts to share PDF documents (with photos and arrows to help guests locate keys and doorways) or message right on the Airbnb platform about the best way to get into a listing.
In fact, when we first introduced the ability to share photos in Airbnb messages, the majority of images shared were photos illustrating how to check-in.
Taking a note out of our hospitable hosts’ playbooks, we’re rolling out a new check-in instructions tool to streamline and improve guest arrivals. Now, guests of hosts who opt in to the new tool will receive clear, visual, in-app step-by-step guides on what to look for and expect when they arrive — like what door to enter through, where the lockbox is located, and what the code is. Guests can access this information right in the Airbnb app whenever they need it, even if without internet access.
Hosts can create one set of instructions that will be automatically shared with guests. This will cut down on the number of messages to respond to, copy-pasting or rewriting instructions for every guest. Hosts can answer commonly asked questions once, then rest assured guests’ path to entry will be an easy one.
We’ll begin rolling out the new check-in instruction tools to hosts and guests across the globe this month, so stay on the lookout for easier and more efficient check-ins.