What Should You Put in a Holiday Rental Welcome Book?

When guests arrive at your holiday home after a long journey—navigating flights into Larnaca or Paphos, car hire queues, and unfamiliar roads—the last thing they want is a scavenger hunt for basic information.

A thoughtfully prepared welcome book does two crucial things: it gives guests instant peace of mind, and it dramatically cuts down on the repetitive, late-night messages you receive as a host.

However, a common mistake is overloading the guide with pages of dense text that no one reads, while missing the exact practical details travellers search for within their first hour. Below is a checklist of the essentials guests actually look for, structured by priority.

1. Arrival Essentials (The First Five Minutes)

Before exploring the decor or unpacking their suitcases, your guests need immediate, frictionless access to the basics. Place these right at the front:

• Wi-Fi Network & Password: Clearly stated with accurate capitalisation, or better yet, a scannable code. Avoid tiny labels tucked behind the router.
• Parking Instructions: Where to park, designated bay numbers, gate remote instructions, or street parking restrictions.
• Access & Key Retrieval: Clarify key handover, lockbox codes, smart lock operation, and what to do if they step out and lock the door behind them.
• Primary Contact Details: Name and phone number for the host or property manager, along with preferred contact methods (e.g. WhatsApp for non-urgent queries, phone call for urgent issues).

2. Navigating the Home’s Quirks

Every property has specific quirks that seem intuitive to the owner but confusing to a visitor. In Cyprus, the climate and building conventions often require a bit of explanation:

• Air Conditioning & Heating: Explain how the remotes work, recommended temperatures, and any auto-timer settings. Politely explain why keeping doors and windows closed while running the AC is essential for the system to work effectively.
• Hot Water Systems: Most Mediterranean properties rely on solar water heaters during sunny days and an immersion switch (boost) during overcast winter periods. Explain where the boost switch is and how long to leave it on.
• Kitchen Appliances: Brief, simple instructions for the cooker, coffee machine, oven, and dishwasher. If an induction hob needs a specific button sequence to unlock, note it.
• Rubbish & Recycling: Where to take household waste, which bins are for PMD (plastic, metal, drink cartons), paper recycling points, and municipal collection days.
• Pool & Garden Care: Pool pump schedules, maintenance visit days, and outdoor shower etiquette before swimming.

3. Safety and Emergency Information

Nobody likes to think about emergencies, but having clear health and safety guidance visible provides vital reassurance.

• Emergency Numbers: General emergency services (112 in Cyprus), local police station, and the nearest English-speaking medical clinic or hospital.
• 24/7 Pharmacy Info: How to find the on-duty night pharmacy (the rota changes daily in Cyprus towns).
• Property Safety Hardware: Locations of the first aid kit, fire extinguisher, fire blanket, and main water stopcock / electrical fuse board.
• Address in Local Script: Provide the exact property address in both Latin and Greek script, along with a pin link, in case guests need to direct an ambulance or taxi.

4. Curated Local Recommendations

Guests can search TripAdvisor on their own; what they truly value from you is genuine insider knowledge. Tailor your recommendations to your specific area—whether you host near the harbour in Paphos, along the Limassol coastline, in the Larnaca old quarter, or up in a Troodos village.

• Morning Basics: The nearest bakery for fresh bread and koulouri, the best local coffee spot, and the closest supermarket with its opening hours (especially Sunday hours).
• Where to Eat Like a Local: Recommend your favourite authentic tavernas, seaside fish restaurants, and casual lunch spots. Mention specific signature dishes worth ordering, such as seasonal meze or slow-cooked kleftiko.
• Beaches and Nature: Which beaches are ideal for families, where to find quiet coves, or which hiking trails offer the best viewpoints away from large tour buses.
• Getting Around: Reliable local taxi numbers, bus route summaries, and nearest car or e-bike rental points.

5. House Courtesies & Check-Out Checklist

Frame your house rules as courtesies that help preserve the space and respect the neighbourhood.

• Quiet Hours: Outline standard quiet hours (including the traditional afternoon rest hours between 15:00 and 17:30, as well as night-time regulations).
• Smoking & Pet Policies: Clear designations of where smoking is strictly prohibited or allowed (e.g. outside on the balcony with ashtrays provided).
• Check-Out Procedure: Keep check-out tasks light and reasonable. State the departure time clearly, along with basic requests like turning off the AC, leaving used towels in the bathroom, taking out the final bag of rubbish, and where to leave the keys.

Choosing the Right Format

Traditionally, welcome guides were kept in plastic ring binders on a coffee table. While functional, physical binders quickly become dog-eared, difficult to sanitise, and challenging to update whenever a local restaurant closes or a Wi-Fi password changes. Furthermore, guests cannot access a paper binder while they are out exploring.

Many modern hosts now use digital guest hubs alongside discreet physical touchpoints. A custom digital platform—like the solutions created by QR Studio CY, paired with subtle tabletop displays—allows guests to browse house guides, tap directly to open Google Maps directions, and call recommended spots straight from their smartphones.

Keeping It Fresh

A great welcome book is never truly finished. Review your guide at the start of each season to verify phone numbers, update seasonal restaurant openings, and incorporate answers to any new questions recent guests have asked. When your guide is accurate and straightforward, your guests spend less time troubleshooting and more time enjoying their holiday.