A house manual template for vacation rental hosts

Everything a complete house manual should cover, section by section — with a shortcut partway down for the part hosts dread writing most.

What belongs in a complete house manual

Check-in instructions

Step-by-step arrival steps — lockbox or door code, parking, where to find the key.

WiFi

Network name and password, ideally shown clearly rather than buried on page 6.

House rules

Pets, smoking, parties, quiet hours, max guests, and check-out time — the section the tool below writes for you.

Appliances

How to use the TV, thermostat, washer/dryer, and anything guests are likely to get stuck on.

Emergency contacts

Fire, police, your own number, and the nearest hospital or urgent care.

Local recommendations

Optional, but often the most-read section — coffee, food, and a couple of hidden gems.

Skip straight to the house rules section

The rest of a house manual is mostly filling in your own details — house rules is the part that takes actual writing. This does it for you.

Generate your house rules in 30 seconds

Free, no signup required. Powered by the same AI that writes full guestbooks in HostDesk.

Fill in the details on the left and your house rules will appear here.

Printed manual vs. digital guestbook

Printed binder or PDF

Easy to lose, easy to skip, and can't be updated once it's printed or attached to a booking confirmation email that's long since been buried.

Digital guestbook

One link or QR code, always up to date, with an AI concierge chat that answers guest questions automatically — HostDesk generates a complete one from your listing details.

Frequently asked questions

Turn your house manual into a full guest guide

HostDesk generates check-in instructions, WiFi, house rules, and local tips in one AI-generated guestbook — free to start.