Most guest problems in a short-term rental are information problems: the door code that arrives late, the bin rules nobody read, the check-out time no one confirmed. A short, scheduled message sequence and one well-built digital guidebook remove most of them, and the tools to do it are already inside Airbnb.
What Airbnb gives you: scheduled quick replies that send automatically on triggers such as a new reservation, check-in or check-out, which you can skip, send early or edit for one stay without touching the template.[1] Each quick reply is limited to 4,000 characters, so long instructions belong in a guidebook, not a message.[2]
Short answer: schedule seven short messages (booking confirmation, a week before, the day before arrival, arrival evening, day two, check-out morning and a review thank-you), keep access details in the day-before message only, and put everything else in a digital guidebook linked from it. Reply to anything unscheduled quickly: a 90% response rate is one of the four Superhost criteria.[1][3]
In this guide
What to automate, and what not to
Airbnb’s help centre describes scheduled quick replies that send on triggers such as a new reservation, check-in or check-out, and lets you modify or skip an upcoming message without changing the template.[1] A third-party channel-manager vendor, Hostaway, says Airbnb’s native scheduler offers only three trigger events (booking confirmed, check-in, check-out); that is a vendor claim and may be out of date, so check what your own account shows.[4] Automate what is identical for every guest: welcome, house rules, directions, check-out steps. Never automate answers to questions, complaints or anything about safety; a person should write those.
The seven-message sequence
| When | What it says |
|---|---|
| Booking confirmed | Thanks, confirmation of dates and guest count, arrival-time question, link to the guidebook. |
| About 7 days before | Getting to Montreux, parking or station route, and any ID or registration details the commune requires. |
| Day before arrival | Access instructions and door or lock code, Wi-Fi, who to call. The only message that carries the code. |
| Arrival evening | One line: is everything as expected? Opens the door to a fix before it becomes a review. |
| Day two | Local tips, restaurant and day-trip suggestions, waste and quiet-hours reminder. |
| Check-out morning | Time, keys or lock, bins, windows, heating, what to leave. |
| After check-out | Thanks and a polite request for a review once the guest has left. |
The exact timing is a judgement call, not a rule: Airbnb does not publish a benchmark for when messages work best, and we do not invent one. Start with these slots, read the replies you get, and move a message earlier or later if guests keep asking the same question.
What the digital guidebook must hold
A guidebook is the long-form half of the system. Keep it to one page that opens on a phone and covers:
- Arrival: station or parking route, building entrance, floor, lift, door or lock instructions (see self check-in and smart locks).
- The apartment: Wi-Fi, heating and hot water, appliances, any spa or balcony rules.
- House rules: quiet hours, smoking, guest numbers, bins and recycling. Clear rules here are what you cite if a neighbour complains; see neighbour complaints.
- Emergencies: your phone number and the Swiss emergency numbers: 112 general, 117 police, 118 fire, 144 ambulance.
- Check-out: time and the short list of things to do.
- Local picks: three restaurants, a supermarket, the train station, and links to your favourite guest guides.
Write it in English and French at least; German-speaking guests are common in Switzerland, so a short German version is worth adding when your bookings show it.
Privacy and what not to put in writing
Keep access codes out of early messages and out of the public listing, and do not ask guests for more personal data than you need. Swiss data-protection rules apply to what you collect and store; our guide to cameras, noise monitors and guest data explains the limits.
Response time and escalation
Scheduled messages do not replace answering. Responding to every new enquiry quickly is part of the Superhost criteria (90% response rate), which we cover in detail in our Superhost requirements guide.[3] Decide in advance who answers outside office hours and what counts as urgent: no heating, no hot water, a lock that will not open and any safety issue should reach a human within minutes. If you cannot cover that yourself, this is one of the clearest reasons to hand operations to a manager; see choosing a property management company.
Messages and reviews
A clear sequence mostly helps by preventing the surprises that generate bad reviews. Pair it with the habits in our reviews and reputation guide, and with the first 90 days plan if the listing is new.
Want guest communication handled for you?
RivieraHost runs guest messaging, check-in and 24/7 support for Montreux owners under a 20% flat commission.
Talk to usRelated reading: Self check-in and smart locks · Reviews and reputation · Cancellation policy and minimum stay
10+ years in hospitality. BBA Hospitality (Glion), MSc Tourism (FHGR), MSc Data Science (HSLU).
Frequently asked questions
Can Airbnb send guest messages automatically?
Yes. Airbnb’s scheduled quick replies send on triggers such as a new reservation, check-in or check-out, and you can skip, send early or edit an upcoming message for one stay without changing the template.[1]
How long can an Airbnb quick reply be?
Airbnb’s help centre gives a limit of 4,000 characters per quick reply, so longer instructions are better placed in a digital guidebook linked from the message.[2]
When should I send the door code?
In the day-before-arrival message only. Sending it at booking spreads the code across a long period and across anyone who can see the thread, so we keep it to the shortest window that still lets the guest plan their arrival.
What should a Montreux digital guidebook include?
Arrival route, building and door access, Wi-Fi, heating and appliances, house rules and quiet hours, bins and recycling, emergency numbers, check-out steps and a few local recommendations, in at least English and French.
Does faster messaging help me become a Superhost?
Responsiveness is one of the four Superhost criteria (90% response rate) alongside a 4.8 average rating, fewer than 1% cancellations and at least 10 stays; scheduled messages help with the experience, but you still need to answer enquiries promptly.[3]
Sources
- Airbnb Help Centre, “Use scheduled quick replies” — messages that send automatically on triggers such as a new reservation, check-in or check-out, and that can be skipped, sent early or modified before sending — airbnb.com/help/article/2897
- Airbnb Help Centre, “Create and send quick replies to guests” — 4,000-character limit per quick reply — airbnb.com/help/article/2898
- Airbnb Help Centre, Superhost requirements (4.8 overall rating, 90% response rate, under 1% cancellations, at least 10 stays) — see also our Superhost requirements guide — airbnb.com/help/article/829
- Hostaway, “Airbnb Scheduled Messages Help Automate Your Guest Communication” — vendor claim that Airbnb’s native scheduler has three trigger events (booking confirmed, check-in, check-out); may be out of date — hostaway.com/blog/airbnb-scheduled-messages