Talking to guests: message templates that save time and raise ratings

You can have a perfectly cleaned apartment, great photos and a competitive price, and still collect middling ratings. The reason is usually the same: the guest felt lost. They did not know where to park, how to get in, what time checkout is or who to call when the heating stops working. The good news is that communication is the one part of hosting you can prepare completely once and then simply reuse.

This article walks through the whole cycle of messages, from booking confirmation to the review request, with templates you only need to adapt to your property.

Why communication decides the rating

A guest is not really rating the apartment, they are rating the whole experience. And the experience starts at the moment of booking, long before anyone crosses the threshold. Silence after a deposit is paid breeds anxiety: "do I definitely have somewhere to sleep?" No entry instructions at 22:00 outside a locked door is a guaranteed one star, however beautiful the interior.

An owner who replies quickly and answers questions before they are asked, on the other hand, builds a sense of safety. And a guest who feels safe and looked after leaves a higher rating and comes back more readily.

Five messages every guest should get

1. Booking confirmation (right after booking)

The first message is there to reassure and to thank. Do not put the entry instructions here yet, because the guest will not remember them now.

Hello, thank you for your booking! We are glad you chose our apartment. Everything is confirmed for [dates]. A few days before you arrive I will send detailed directions and entry instructions. If you have any questions, I am available on this number.

2. Instructions before arrival (1 to 2 days ahead)

This is the most important message in the whole cycle. It should contain the exact address, how to park, the door code or where to collect the keys, the check-in time and an emergency number. The more specific it is, the fewer phone calls you take.

Hello, we are expecting you tomorrow! Address: [street, number]. Parking: [where, and whether it is paid]. Check-in from [time]. Entry: [code / key box / key collection]. Once inside you will find instructions for the appliances on the table. If anything is unclear, please call at any hour.

3. A message on arrival day

A short signal that everything is fine and someone is paying attention. Sent a few hours after check-in, it shows care and gives the guest a chance to mention a small thing before it grows into a problem.

Did you manage to get in without trouble, and is everything all right? If anything is missing or not working, do let me know and I will gladly help.

4. A reminder before departure (the evening before checkout)

This is where you settle the most common friction: what time to leave, what to do with the keys, whether the dishes need washing. Clear rules mean no misunderstandings when the deposit is settled.

A reminder that checkout is by [time]. Please leave the keys [where]. There is no need to wash up, just leave the dishes in the sink. Thank you for taking care of the flat!

5. Thanks and a review request (1 to 2 days after departure)

Reviews rarely appear on their own, you have to ask. The best moment is while the good memories are still fresh.

Thank you for your stay and for leaving the flat in perfect condition! I would be very grateful if you could find a moment to leave a review, it is an enormous help to a small property. You are welcome back any time, and returning guests always get a better price with no commission.

The rule that rescues ratings: answer fast

Booking portals measure response time and it affects your listing's position. But the psychological effect matters more: a guest who gets an answer within fifteen minutes feels they are dealing with a professional. If you cannot respond immediately, at least set an automatic acknowledgement: "Thank you, I will get back to you within the hour."

Tone: warm, but specific

Warm and businesslike language works best. Avoid walls of text, because the guest is reading on a phone, often on the move. Bullet the key information and put the address and door code in bold. One piece of feeling (glad, thank you) plus one concrete instruction per message is the right recipe.

Automate what you do not need to type

The five messages above are the same skeleton at every booking, with only the dates and the name changing. That makes them an ideal candidate for automation. If you take bookings through your own page, the system can send the pre-arrival instructions and the review request automatically, at set times, without your involvement. You handle only the real questions, while the repetitive part happens in the background.

The result: fewer phone calls at midnight, fewer forgotten instructions, higher and more frequent ratings, and a clearer head, because you know every guest got the full set of information whether or not you were near your phone.

Communication is the cheapest quality lever in the whole of short-term rental. It needs no renovation and no new furniture, only five templates written once and then used consistently. Start with the most important one, the pre-arrival instructions, and you will see the difference in your ratings within a few stays.