Vacation Home Welcome Letter Free Template

Vacation Rental Welcome Letter: What to Include (Free Template)

Looking for ways to increase your rating as a vacation rental host and encourage repeat stays?

A strategic welcome can set the stage for a memorable guest experience. And it all begins with a great vacation rental welcome letter—your opportunity to welcome, charm, and inform your guests, ensuring they feel at home from the moment they step into your rental.

A well-written welcome letter is an introduction to your space. It’s personal, like a friend extending an invite to enjoy staying at their home, while also being informative, like a concierge laying out the local haunts when checking into a five-star hotel.

Basically, a vacation rental welcome letter is a dossier of the details that mark the start of a great guest-host relationship and a short-term stay that’s worth a five-star review.

Unsure how to write your own? We’ve got some tips about what to include and a free template to share directly with your guests!


Don’t see the form to download the Welcome Letter Sample? Click here.

Why every host needs a vacation rental welcome letter

First impressions can make or break a short-term stay, and guests always remember anything wrong before anything that went well.

So, along with ensuring your home is spotless inside and out for every guest’s arrival, writing a welcome note for house guests will help show that you’re a thoughtful host who truly cares about hospitality.

When written and formatted correctly, a vacation rental welcome letter can help:

  • Connect with your guests and show them that you’re committed to delivering a 5-star experience
  • Make them feel welcomed, special, and like they can expect a comfortable stay
  • Highlight all the important information they need to know to avoid confusion or miscommunication.
  • Remind them of any house rules they need to follow.

Vacation rental welcome letter example

If you format it nicely with some professional letterhead, a vacation rental welcome letter can also act as a souvenir of their stay, which could serve as a reminder for them to rebook a stay in the years to come. 

Maybe they’ll even snap a picture of your kind greeting and post it to their Instagram! Who knows how much your welcome letter will help your business shine?

How do you write a welcome letter for a vacation rental?

You’re probably eager to help your guests have a great vacation, but you might not know where to start besides “hi,” “welcome,” and “thanks.”

You’re not alone. Many hosts struggle to create a vacation rental welcome letter for the first time. Even those in the hospitality business for years often find themselves stuck on writing a welcome note for house guests.

A well-written guest welcome letter should include the following information:

  • A personalized welcome note
  • Essential details about the property
  • Reminders about house rules
  • Mentions of your full welcome book and guest book
  • Important contact information and emergency numbers
  • Local tips
  • A final note about enjoying their stay!

Vacation Home Welcome Letter Free Template

We’ll explore each more in-depth below, but before we get there, here are three basic considerations for structuring and writing your vacation rental welcome letter. If you’re still at a loss for words (literally), refer to our guest welcome letter template for inspiration.

Think about your target audience

What type of guest are you hosting? What type of guest are you hosting? Is it a large family or a business traveler? Think about who you’re speaking to and what kinds of details they’d be interested in reading in the welcome letter.

If it’s a family, for example, consider highlighting family-friendly amenities and local attractions suitable for kids. On the other hand, business travelers might appreciate information about reliable Wi-Fi, quiet workspaces, or nearby restaurants for business lunches.

Tailoring your communication style to match your guests’ needs can create a more personalized and welcoming experience, setting the tone for a positive stay.

Provide essential information

While the goal is to give your guests a warm welcome, you don’t have to write an entire novel about how excited you are to host them.

Add a personal touch to ensure they feel comfortable, but also provide them with the essential information they need for a successful stay. Write this information in a clear, concise way that’s easy to identify if they need to quickly.

This includes information such as the Wi-Fi password, emergency contact numbers, and directions to nearby supermarkets or pharmacies. This ensures guests feel safe and well-informed.

Vacation rental welcome letter template

Use a vacation rental welcome letter example

Guests can tell when a “welcome to my house” sample is inauthentic or rushed. Using a vacation rental welcome letter example can be extremely helpful, especially if you’re new to hosting.

A well-written and nicely structured vacation rental welcome letter template gives you a structure to follow, ensuring you don’t miss any details.

You can find numerous templates online that cover all the basics—from a warm greeting to essential information about the property. You can view our example welcome letter for guests here. However, customize it to reflect your property’s unique charm and hosting style.

Vacation Rental Welcome Letter Example

What to include in your vacation rental welcome letter

Now that we’ve covered the “how” of writing a vacation rental welcome letter, let’s move on to the “what”—the content.

Here are eight things any host should include in their vacation rental welcome letter. Use this section as a checklist as you write your own welcome letter for guests or customize our vacation rental welcome letter example.

1. Add your personal touch

Adding a personal touch to your welcome letter for a rental property can make your guests feel extra special.

Share a bit about why you love hosting or what makes your vacation rental unique. Maybe there’s an interesting story behind the artwork in the house, or perhaps you have a special tradition in the local area.

Expressing your genuine excitement for their stay will make them feel welcomed and foster a connection that could lead to positive reviews and repeat bookings. This is your chance to show guests they’re not just customers—they’re valued visitors to your home.

2. Include a personalized welcome message

We’re not necessarily suggesting you write a unique letter for each guest. During the high season, that could be quite a feat! But you should always personalize your template, especially if you download a sample letter online.

What is an example of a welcome note to guests in this context?

  • Example #1: Hey <name>, we’re thrilled to welcome you to our vacation rental! Your comfort and enjoyment are our top priorities. We hope your stay with us will be filled with memorable moments, and we’re here if you need anything.
  • Example #2: Welcome, <name>! We are delighted that you’ve chosen our property for your birthday getaway. We’ve done our utmost to ensure you’ll have an extraordinary stay. Enjoy the celebration!

These quick notes at the beginning of your letter don’t have to be super complex. Personalization could be as simple as wishing them a great family reunion or a happy birthday for their guest of honor. This will help them feel special and show you pay attention to your booking message and details.

As a tip, you might want to create a couple of different templates so you can quickly swap out the personalization details for each reservation.

writing a vacation rental welcome letter

3. Details about the property

Don’t get too lost in the details that you forget to provide the most important details of all—your property’s exact address and any other important information needed during their stay!

Remember, the guests might be traveling from a different country with an entirely different address format, and it’s up to you to provide all the details about the property so guests feel comfortable navigating their way around town.

In this section of your vacation rental welcome letter, you should include practical information like how to operate appliances, the Wi-Fi password, and emergency contact numbers.

Also, share unique features of your home, such as a tip to enjoy the stunning view from the balcony during sunset. If there are any quirks they should know about, like a tricky lock or weird shower settings, include these, too.

4. Details about the welcome book and guest book

Most owners and hosts will leave a comprehensive welcome book alongside their welcome letter. This is where guests can find even more detailed information about your property, the area, and any special extras.

In the welcome book, provide detailed information about local attractions, your favorite restaurants (and the menus if you have them), nearby grocery stores, and emergency services. Think of your welcome book as a mini travel guide for your guests.

The vacation rental guest book is a place for guests to leave their thoughts, experiences, and recommendations for future visitors. Mention both in your welcome letter, encouraging guests to use them (and leave their own comments, too!).

5. Important house rules

Although you will probably leave your house rules in your welcome book (at least that’s what we suggest), you can use your vacation rental welcome letter to remind them of the most important rules.

Quiet hours after 11 pm? No pets allowed? Remind your guests that there are some rules to follow and that they can refer to your welcome book if they have questions.

However, only include the most important rules here! You don’t want to come across as overly controlling by pushing the rules too hard. Gently guide them to the welcome book for all the details and only mention the important stuff in the welcome letter.

6. Contact information

While you’ll already have all the local area emergency numbers in the welcome book, it’s wise to leave your (or your property manager’s) contact details in the welcome letter.

Remind guests to report any issues or anything they find to be unsatisfactory within the first 24 hours of arrival so you can take measures to sort the problem ASAP.

It’s equally helpful to explain which numbers are for emergencies and which numbers they can call during daytime hours. It doesn’t hurt to reiterate this in the welcome letter so guests don’t have to search the entire welcome book if they need to contact you.

7. Local tips

Your welcome book is where you will give the full rundown on what to do, see, visit, and experience, but dropping a couple of tokens of townie knowledge in your welcome letter won’t hurt!

Share your favorite local spots that may not be on typical tourist routes, like the best coffee shop, a hidden beach, or a charming bookstore. Recommend activities based on the season or local events happening during their stay.

These insider tips can help your guests feel like locals and discover the unique charm of your area. Keep your insights brief, though. A quick note like “Don’t forget to stop by the bakery downstairs and tell them Dorothy sent you!” can work wonders.

local businesses

8. A final note about enjoying their vacation

It goes without saying that you want your guests to have a great stay at your vacation rental, but they won’t get annoyed at you for reminding them of that!

Sign off your thank you letter for renting your vacation home with a note about how much you hope they have a relaxing, enjoyable stay. Provide them with a number to contact should they need anything during their stay, including extra towels, tips on how to use the coffee machine, etc.

It’s not only the right thing to do — it’ll score you brownie points your guests are sure to remember when it’s time for them to review their stay.

OTA welcome letters

Customization is key regardless of where or how your guests book your vacation rental. This means that you’ll want to customize your vacation rental welcome letter depending on the type of accommodation you offer or even the platform that your guests booked through.

Vrbo welcome letter

Vrbo typically caters to travelers looking for a whole property. Because guests book villas or entire apartments, they often expect a certain standard from their Vrbo reservation.

Ensure your welcome letter aligns with your guests’ standards for Vrbo stays. Including Vrbo-specific information or rules in the welcome letter might be helpful. Guests might not be familiar with the platform or your vacation rental, so it’s important that you welcome them on both fronts.

Airbnb welcome letter

Airbnb is more well-known for its various types of accommodations, from treehouses to city lofts.

While you should still customize your welcome letter accordingly, we know it’s no small task to write a welcome letter specific to Airbnb, which is why we’ve created a whole guide for you, complete with a downloadable template to cover any concerns you may have.

Check out our full Airbnb welcome letter guide here.

Should you use a vacation rental welcome letter?

Absolutely. This is definitely not a step you want to skip as a vacation rental host.

While self-check-in is quite common these days (and because it’s pretty common), guests expect a warm welcome regardless of whether you’ll be at the doorstep upon their arrival or not. They’ve chosen to spend their money on your vacation rental, and what better way to show your gratitude than with a welcome letter?

With plenty of vacation rental welcome letter templates available to download and help you get started, you have no reason not to whip up a quick welcome letter for your guests, too.

Download our vacation rental welcome letter sample

If you’re looking for a vacation rental welcome letter template that you can adapt to your business, we’ve got a great welcome letter sample just for you.

Quickly fill in the gaps, customize it with your unique voice, print it out, and leave it on the kitchen table with your welcome book. Get started now by downloading our vacation rental welcome letter sample that you can personalize and use on any vacation rental platform:


Don’t see the form to download our Welcome Letter Sample? Click here.

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Show Comments (4)
  1. I can’t find a link to download your free welcome letter sample or any of the other free templates that you offer. Could you please help or email them to me? Thanks so much!

    1. Hi Treisa,
      We’re so sorry for the inconvenience – we’re looking into it to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
      We’ve just emailed you the template 🙂

  2. I like how you mentioned that it is important to have your customers feel welcomed. My sister mentioned to me last night she is planning to have a vacation in the holidays and asked if I have any idea what is the best option to do in choosing the best rental home for us. Thanks to this informative article and I’ll be sure to tell her that we can try to consult a well-known vacation rental.

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