The 10 questions every short-term rental host gets (and how to automate the answers)
- May 9
- 7 min read
If you've been hosting for more than a few weeks, you already know the feeling. A booking comes in, and straightaway the messages start. "What time can I check in?" "Is there parking?" "Where's the nearest supermarket?"
The questions are almost always the same. And if you're managing more than one property, answering them manually – over and over, across multiple platforms, at all hours – becomes one of the biggest time drains in your business.
The good news: every single one of these questions can be automated. Not with cold, robotic replies, but with warm, personalised messages that go out at exactly the right moment in the guest journey.
Here are the 10 questions every short-term rental host gets asked, why guests ask them, and precisely how to automate the answer.
1. "What's the Wi-Fi password?"
Why they ask it: It's the first thing most guests want the moment they walk through the door – often before they've even put their bags down.
How to automate it: Include the Wi-Fi network name and password in your pre-arrival message, which should send automatically 24–48 hours before check-in. Don't bury it in a long paragraph. Format it clearly:
📶 WiFi: HomeName_5G 🔑 Password: sunflower2024
If you use a digital guidebook tool (e.g. Hostfully – get 30% off for life with Host Planet), the password lives there permanently and guests can access it any time without messaging you.
Automation tool: Pre-arrival message via your PMS. Trigger: 48 hours before check-in.
2. "What time can I check in / check out?"
Why they ask it: Check-in times aren't always prominently displayed after booking, and guests either forget or want to negotiate flexibility.
How to automate it: Your booking confirmation message should state check-in and check-out times clearly and unambiguously. Then repeat them in your pre-arrival message. If you offer early check-in or late check-out as a paid add-on, your automated message can include a direct link to purchase it.
Pro tip: Phrase it proactively – "Your check-in window is 3pm–8pm. If you need anything different, let us know and we'll do our best" – rather than waiting for the guest to chase.
Automation tool: Booking confirmation template + pre-arrival message in your PMS.
3. "How do I get in? / Where's the key?"
Why they ask it: Even with detailed instructions in the listing, guests often don't read them until the day of arrival – and then panic when they can't remember what to do.
How to automate it: Your check-in instructions message (sent on the morning of arrival, or when the previous guests check out) should include:
The exact address with a Google Maps link.
Step-by-step access instructions.
The door code or smart lock instructions, with a photo and video if possible.
A backup number to call if anything goes wrong.
If you use a smart lock, many PMS platforms will automatically generate a unique access code per reservation and include it in the message.
Automation tool: Check-in day message via PMS, integrated with smart lock if applicable.
4. "Is there parking?"
Why they ask it: Guests often don't research this until they're in the car on the way. It's also a high-anxiety question – nobody wants to arrive and find there's nowhere to park.
How to automate it: This belongs in three places: your listing description (where it's always visible), your pre-arrival message, and your digital guidebook. Be specific:
🚗 Parking: Free on-street parking on Maple Road directly outside the property. No permit required.
Or:
🅿️ Private driveway, space for one vehicle. Additional street parking available within 2 minutes' walk.
Ambiguity here causes anxiety. Specificity builds confidence.
Automation tool: Static content in listing + pre-arrival message template.
5. "Can I check in early / check out late?"
Why they ask it: Guests frequently ask this hoping for a freebie, or because their travel plans make the standard window inconvenient.
How to automate it: Set a clear policy in your listing and repeat it in your booking confirmation. If you offer flexible check-in/out as a paid upsell, automate a message that goes out 3–5 days before arrival offering it:
"Fancy arriving a little earlier? We offer early check-in from 12pm for £25, subject to availability. [Click here to add it to your booking.]
This turns a cost-saving ask into a revenue opportunity.
Automation tool: Upsell message template (Hospitable, Duve, Enso Connect). Trigger: 3–5 days before check-in.
6. "Where's a good place to eat nearby?"
Why they ask it: Guests trust host recommendations far more than TripAdvisor. A good local tip feels like insider knowledge – and it enhances the overall stay experience.
How to automate it: This is exactly what a digital guidebook is built for. Create a curated "Local Eats" section in your digital guidebook and share the link in your check-in message. You can include:
Your 3–5 genuinely recommended restaurants with a short personal note on each.
Cuisine type, price range, and whether booking is needed.
A direct link to their website or Google Maps entry.
Guests love this. It generates 5-star reviews. And you only write it once.
Automation tool: Digital guidebook. Link shared in check-in message.
7. "How do I use the [appliance/heating/TV]?"
Why they ask it: Every property has its quirks. A boiler that needs a specific sequence. A TV remote that controls two devices. A washing machine with a temperamental door seal. Guests won't read the manual – but they will message you.
How to automate it: Photograph or video every appliance with a brief walkthrough and load them into your guidebook. For particularly tricky items, a short Loom or YouTube video embedded in the guidebook is genuinely transformative.
For the most common appliance questions, you can also set up keyword-triggered auto-replies in tools like Hospitable – so if a guest messages "how do I use the washing machine?", the answer goes back instantly.
Another tip – try adding QR codes next to appliances which are tricky to use. This way, the guest can quickly scan the code with their phone to view instructions or a short video which will answer any questions.
Automation tool: Digital guidebook + keyword-triggered auto-replies in PMS.
8. "Is the property suitable for [child/dog/disabled guest]?"
Why they ask it: Guests with specific needs want reassurance that the listing description is accurate and complete. They've been burned before.
How to automate it: Your listing description does the heavy lifting here – be explicit about stairs, step-free access, cot availability, dog-friendliness, fencing, and so on. In your booking confirmation, include a short line: "If you have any specific accessibility needs or are bringing a furry guest, just let us know and we'll make sure everything's ready."
For pet-friendly properties, consider a specific automated message that goes to guests who've booked with a pet, covering your pet policy, any additional deposit, and local dog-friendly walks or vets.
Automation tool: Conditional message template in PMS triggered by booking tag/pet flag.
9. "What are the house rules?"
Why they ask it: Guests often don't read the house rules before booking. They ask because they want to clarify something specific – noise, guests, smoking, parties – often because they're planning something they're not sure you'll allow.
How to automate it: Your house rules should be:
Clearly listed in your OTA profile and direct booking website.
Summarised in your booking confirmation message.
Available in full in your digital guidebook.
In your confirmation message, a short, friendly summary works better than a legal document:
"Just a few things to keep in mind: no smoking anywhere on the property, no parties or events, and please keep noise to a minimum after 10pm. Full house rules are in your welcome guide [link]."
Covering this upfront, proactively and warmly, prevents issues – and protects you if things go wrong.
Automation tool: Booking confirmation template.
10. "What do I do if something goes wrong?"
Why they ask it: Occasionally guests ask this upfront out of anxiety. More often, they ask it in the moment – when the boiler stops working at 9pm or the key fob won't unlock the gate.
How to automate it: Your check-in message should include a clear, simple emergency/issue protocol:
"If anything isn't working as expected, please message us here first and we'll sort it straight away. For urgent maintenance issues out of hours, you can also reach us on [number]."
For common issues you can anticipate (boiler reset, slow hot water, Wi-Fi drop), include troubleshooting details in your guidebook. Many hosts find that 80% of issues guests report can be self-resolved if the instructions are clear and easy to find.
Automation tool: Check-in message + guidebook troubleshooting section. For larger portfolios, a guest-facing AI chatbot.
The automation stack that handles all 10 for short-term rental hosts
You don't need a dozen different tools. A lean, well-configured setup covers everything:
Layer | What It Does | Tool Examples |
PMS / Channel Manager | Sends timed automated messages across all platforms | |
Digital Guidebook | Answers local, practical, and appliance questions 24/7 | |
Smart Lock | Auto-generates unique access codes per booking | Yale, Nuki, Schlage |
Upsell Tool | Converts flexible check-in requests into revenue | |
AI Auto-Reply | Handles keyword-triggered guest messages instantly | Besty AI, Yada AI, HostBuddy |
Start with a PMS and a guidebook. That combination alone will eliminate the majority of repetitive guest messages and free up hours every week.
Final word: Automate the predictable, be present for the personal
The goal of automation isn't to remove yourself from the guest relationship. It's to free you up so that when a guest genuinely needs you – when something unexpected happens, when they have a specific question your guidebook doesn't cover – you're available, responsive, and present.
Every question on this list is predictable. If it's predictable, it can be automated. And once it's automated, you can focus on the part of hosting that actually builds loyalty, repeat bookings, and five-star reviews: the human moments that no tool can replicate.
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