Best Digital Guidebooks for Short-Term Rentals

Repeated guest questions about Wi-Fi, parking, entry, appliances, or checkout may be what brought you here. Or perhaps you simply want to create a more professional guest experience, introduce upsells more naturally, and improve your property’s overall reputation. Digital guidebooks for rental properties were created to help with these needs. However…

You may have heard that guidebooks are becoming outdated or that guests simply do not read them anymore?

Fear not, modern and intelligent solutions are designed to avoid exactly that problem, with mobile-friendly layouts, QR-code access, AI assistance, personalized content, and easier delivery throughout the guest journey.

So, digital guidebooks have not disappeared – in fact, the number of available solutions is growing, with all new AI features, integrations, and overall approaches to simply life for both hosts and guests. And it is no longer just about Touch Stay.

For this article, we have selected some of the best digital guidebook solutions available today. Some have been around for years, while others are newer but still do the job well, often with more modern tools and more affordable pricing.

We wanted this guide to be genuinely useful, so we are covering the essentials for every guest manual solution on the list.

Your needs should come first:

• do you need a product that will handle the boring essentials, independently from the PMS, booking site, or whatever you use now? Choose standalone digital guidebooks (we’ll highlight them). Your BNBForms-powered booking page will work with many of these.

• do you need a complete guest experience platform (messaging, upsells, check-in tools, or other automation?) + guidebooks? Choose platforms and not guidebooks specifically (such fully dedicated platforms are also on the list).

Now, let’s finally jump to our list of the best digital guidebooks for vacation rental management!

#1 Hostfully Digital Guidebooks

Hostfully is a reliable brand founded in 2015. It developed both a vacation rental / property management platform and a separate digital guidebook product. Its guidebooks can be used independently, so you do not necessarily need to move your full operation to Hostfully PMS if you just need a guidebook. The commitment is rather low to using it.

Perfect for: Hosts and property managers wanting a proven guidebook with strong maps, recommendations and portfolio management.

Where it runs: Hostfully hosts the mobile guidebook. Guests use it in a browser.

How it is set up:

• Create a free or paid guidebook account.
• Use the Guidebook Wizard.
• Add property information and branding.
• Import local recommendations and maps from Google.
• Organize information into cards such as Arrival, House Manual and Departure.
• Add services or paid extras.
• Publish and share the guidebook.

Their wizard can build the structure very quickly, but you as a host need to write and verify property-specific instructions. One straightforward property is likely to require one to three hours for a polished first version.

Hostfully offers a free plan for one guidebook. Pro pricing has been approximately $11 per guidebook per month when billed annually or $12 monthly.

How guests receive it:

• URL.
• Message or email.
• QR code.
• Custom landing page.
• Links from booking communication.

Their popular digital guidebook solutions allows you to organize content cards, use map-based local recommendations and Google recommendation imports. There are also guidebook templates, bulk portfolio editing, videos and photographs, custom branding options and AI itinerary capabilities.

It’s a nice solution for hosts who value local recommendations, visual maps and structured guidebook cards. Some of the branding and automation benefits sit in paid tiers, and the per-guide pricing can become noticeable across a large portfolio.

#2 Haven Guest Guidebook

Unlike many STR software brands in this list, Haven is a newer Boston-based hospitality technology company founded by a team with engineering and hospitality experience.

Haven was created to help short-term rental operators address a familiar but growing challenge: build their own branded booking presence, maintain a direct relationship with guests, and minimize relying entirely on marketplaces.

Perfect for: Haven is not primarily a standalone guidebook solution or company, so it’s best for hosts and growing property managers who want a STR digital guidebook as part of a direct booking and guest experience platform. It’s a full enterprise guest-experience solution, so consider it if you are just starting out or switching from other platforms.

Haven’s digital guidebooks and local guides are part of a larger platform with top tools, such as:

• Direct booking website with many branded features like checkout and guest messaging. 
• Reservation management and rental agreements.
• Smart-lock connections and guest screening.
• Printable materials and repeat-booking tools.
• Paid advertising tools for promoting properties across major ad platforms.
• Guest CRM and remarketing tools.
• And many more.

Where it runs: The guidebook runs inside Haven’s hosted, mobile-friendly guest portal. Guests can open it in their browser without downloading a conventional mobile app (meaning, guests may add it to their device if desired, but they do not need to visit an app store).

How it is set up:

1. Create a Haven account and subscribe to the needed plan.
2. Import properties from your PMS, Airbnb, or add them manually.
3. Customize the property brand and booking website.
4. Enter the practical information your guests typically need (check-in instructions, Wi-Fi details, parking, house rules, local recommendations, paid extras, rebooking links, etc.).
5. Arrange the information into clearly named guidebook sections.
6. Add, remove, rename or reorder the sections.
7. Connect the guide to the property and its reservations.
8. Optionally configure rental agreements, guest verification, door-code access, upsells and local recommendations.
9. Preview the private site and guest portal.
10. Subscribe when ready to publish it.

The digital guide by Haven is designed as a modern guest hub, where the latter can see reservation context, practical instructions, local information and communication in one cool interface. 

How guests receive it:

• Mobile web link after booking
• Reservation-related messages
• The Haven guest portal
• QR code inside the property
• Printed welcome book containing a QR code
• Printable cards, house signs and tent cards.

Haven’s paid plans include the same principal platform features, with the main difference being the number of included properties. Stripe processing charges still apply to direct payments, but Haven advertises a 0% platform booking commission.

Haven currently has native PMS synchronization with Hospitable and theHostCo, Airbnb connectivity, bidirectional calendar and reservation synchronization, and smart-lock integrations through Seam. They have also recently added integrations with OwnerRez, Guestly, and PriceLabs.

Haven combines several normally separate systems in one relatively affordable platform. A host can create a direct booking website, accept Stripe payments, manage the guest’s stay information, collect a signed agreement and deliver a digital guidebook within one service.

Its digital-and-print approach is also practical. The online guide can handle pre-arrival and frequently updated information, while QR cards and printed materials remain available inside the property.

However, Haven may be too excessive when your only goal is to create a simple digital welcome book or a basic QR-accessible house manual.

#3 GoGuidebook

GoGuidebook was launched in 2022 as a product of a Jacksonville, Florida-based web agency. Over time, they have developed a dedicated guidebook proposition for vacation rentals, hotels, campgrounds, and events. 

Perfect for: Small operator looking for a low-commitment straightforward traditional guidebook with QR-code and printable options. May also serve as digital guidebooks for Airbnb.

How it is set up:

1. Start with a prepared template.
2. The platform preloads categories, topics and some stock imagery.
3. Replace sample text with property details.
4. Add recommendations and map locations.
5. Customize branding like colors and fonts.
6. Enable translation if needed.
7. Publish the guide and print its QR code.

Templates and customizable digital guidebooks help you move faster because you don’t start with a blank page, which is a great thing for a busy host. In about two hours, you should be ready with a well-developed guide!

Currently, it looks like a cheaper option compared to other popular brands.

Where it runs: A hosted responsive guidebook website.

How guests receive it:

• Public or private link.
• Email or text invitation.
• Property QR code.
• Topic-specific QR codes.
• Automatically generated PDF.
• Printed flyer.

Among the features you’d expect, they offer QR code for every guide, automatic translations (a front-end dropdown allowing visitors to select their language of choice, a weather widget, Google Maps integrations, and more. Overall, very interactive digital guidebooks.

With their topic-specific QR code is especially practical. A host can put a QR sticker beside the coffee machine or hot tub and send the guest directly to the corresponding instruction rather than the guidebook homepage.

#4 SmoothStay

SmoothStay is a newer standalone digital guidebook tool built by active short-term rental hosts.

It combines the simplicity of a traditional guidebook with modern features such as AI Concierge that answers guest questions, automatic multilingual content, guest contact capture, privacy controls, time-based reservation links, custom layouts, and reusable content. It also recently launched a Hospitable integration, with webhook-based reservation and contact sync on the way, and some further integrations remain on the company’s roadmap. 

Perfect for: Small and midsized hosts who want a modern, visually polished guidebook with QR codes and an optional AI Concierge.

How it is set up:

Hosts can auto-generate a first draft from an existing Airbnb listing using the AI guidebook builder or listing description, then edit from there, or build it manually:

1. Create a guidebook for the property.
2. Add property information and branding.
3. Add articles covering arrival, Wi-Fi, appliances, rules, and checkout.
4. Uploads images, videos or slideshows.
5. Add local recommendations.
6. Configure public and restricted information.
7. Generate QR codes.
8. Publish the guide and share it with guests.

Looks like you can be set up in less than an hour! Maybe more if you want a detailed guide with rich media, translations, restricted sections, and shared multi-property content.

Where it runs: It opens on the guest’s phone online. It can replace a printed binder.

How guests receive it

• Web link
• Full-guide QR code
• QR code for a specific section
• Wi-Fi-page QR code
• Email or message
• Printed sign inside the property.

You may even generate separate QR codes for individual articles! A QR code beside a hot tub, heating control, or coffee machine can open the exact relevant instruction rather than the guidebook homepage.

One more advanced touch: an OTA compliance layer adjusts what the guidebook collects based on where the booking came from, so contact-capture fields stay off on Airbnb reservations, helping the host stay within Airbnb’s rules.

SmoothStay has a free forever plan for one property and basic features, and a 14-day trial on paid plans, plus pricing from $6.90/month for the first property and $2.90/month for each additional property. Choose it if you want something visually modern and fairly priced.

#5 Zugrow

Zugrow is an AI-powered digital guidebook that helps Airbnb and short-term rental hosts create a professional guest experience in minutes.

It automatically generates a personalised guest portal from your Airbnb listing, including check-in details, WiFi, house rules, local recommendations and more. Uniquely, Zugrow includes built-in upsells, an AI Guest Assistant, guest verification and direct booking links, all in one.

Zugrow imports information from an Airbnb listing and uses AI to create the first version of the guest portal. You can use the guidebook without adopting Zugrow’s wider channel management or optimization tools.

Perfect for: Self-managing Airbnb hosts and short-term rental operators who want an affordable AI-powered guidebook that reduces guest questions, improves the guest experience and creates additional revenue through built-in upsells. Plans start from just £2.95/month with a 2-week free trial.

How it is set up:

1. Enter your name, email address and Airbnb listing URL.
2. Information from the listing is extracted automatically.
3. AI creates a draft guidebook with property details, house rules, check-in information and local recommendations.
4. Open the host portal and review the generated content.
5. Add private information that is not available in the public listing.
6. Replace or add photographs and instructional videos.
7. Choose from a variety of eye-catching themes.
8. Add your own direct booking link.
9. Optionally connect Stripe to offer paid guest extras with secure online payments.
10. Share the guest link through Airbnb messages, email, SMS or a QR code.

Where it runs: The Zugrow guidebook runs as a hosted, mobile-friendly web portal. Each property receives its own unique guidebook link, allowing guests to access everything they need without downloading an app or creating an account.

How guests receive it:

• Direct web link
• Airbnb booking message
• Email or text message
• QR code inside the accommodation
• Link included in automated pre-arrival communication.

The guest portal provides one mobile destination for check-in, parking, Wi-Fi, house rules, safety information, local recommendations and optional paid extras. Guests can also use the built-in AI Guest Assistant to receive instant answers to common questions in multiple languages, helping reduce repetitive host messages while improving the overall guest experience. Every guidebook includes a 2-week free trial, with pricing starting from just £2.95/month.

#6 GuestIntro

GuestIntro is a newer entrant. They offer such essentials as a digital guest manual with a simple direct booking website (you can choose both or one).

It currently reports more than 100 active properties and more than 300 hosts, so it looks rather promising. It’s also very easy to get started. Overall, we consider it a good conceptual fit for a host who needs both a guidebook and a lightweight direct booking presence.

Perfect for: Individual hosts and very small portfolios wanting a modern guidebook, multilingual support and optional direct-booking website in one product. Basically, this is a sign-up-and-publish tool for a casual host.

How it is set up:

1. Create a property page.
2. Add Wi-Fi, arrival, property and checkout information.
3. Add local recommendations and an interactive map.
4. Apply property images and branding.
5. Enable translations or AI chat.
6. Publish the guidebook.
7. Optionally add a direct booking website and Stripe payments.

A complete guide will still require approximately one to two hours of property-specific editing. Its website includes a free starting option.

Where it runs: A hosted mobile-first page; an optional direct booking website can live alongside it.

How guests receive it:

• Browser link
• Guest messages
• QR code
• Direct booking site
• Potentially the same branded domain used for the property.

It’s a nice solution with a simple mobile layout, multilingual guidebook, interactive maps, Wi-Fi QR functionality, AI guest chat and direct Stripe payments.

#7 Enso Connect Digital Guidebooks

Enso Connect is a big guest communication brand was founded in Toronto around 2019. It began with smart-home and hospitality automation concepts and developed into a full guest experience platform using PMS data, AI, smart locks, guest verification, communication and upsells.

Perfect for: It’s not merely a digital guest manual, so we recommend it to professional managers, boutique hospitality operators, and portfolios that need automation.

How it is set up:

1. Book a product demonstration.
2. Connect a compatible PMS.
3. Map property and reservation data.
4. Configure the branded guest Boarding Pass.
5. Build guidebook content.
6. Configure check-in and checkout flows.
7. Connect smart locks and guest-verification tools if applicable.
8. Define messaging automation and escalation rules.
9. Add paid services and personalized offers.
10. Test the complete journey before launching.

Customer setup can include automations, app customization, guidebooks, check-in flows, upsells and smart-home integrations – so, it’s a whole workflow if you need a powerful tool with great support. Don’t be surprised by the pricing, which is normally sales-led and not a simple one-guide subscription.

On the cons side, it’s too complex and expensive when the actual need is to give guests Wi-Fi and checkout instructions.

From our experience, a complex multi-property rollout can require several weeks of preparation, testing and staff training. That estimate is an inference based on the number of systems involved.

Where it runs: A branded mobile guest web app called the Boarding Pass, connected to the operator’s PMS and other systems.

How guests receive it:

• Personalized pre-arrival link.
• SMS, email, WhatsApp or OTA communication.
• Guest journey automation.
• Timed access according to reservation stage.

Since it’s a big system, you can enjoy tools like AI messaging, PMS data synchronization, guest verification, smart-lock access, targeted upsells and more.

#8 Guidey

Guidey is a dedicated digital guidebook for short-term rentals. It was previously known as Airguide and was renamed Guidey in 2026. Guidey still performs its key function – putting property instructions and local information into an easy-to-use web guide. It is not trying to become a full property management or direct booking platform.

Perfect for: Independent hosts and small property managers looking for a polished but straightforward digital guidebook with QR codes, photos, videos, PDFs, and branding.

How it is set up:

1. Creates an account and starts a 14-day trial.
2. Creates a guide for each property.
3. Adds a logo, brand colours, cover image, and property details.
4. Creates sections for check-in, Wi-Fi, appliances, house rules, checkout, and local recommendations.
5. Uploads photos, videos, links, or PDF files.
6. Publishes the guide.
7. Downloads the generated QR code and places it in the property.
8. Adds the guidebook URL to scheduled Airbnb, Vrbo, email, or PMS messages.

If you have your instructions written down somewhere in Google Docs, you could probably create a basic guide in one to two hours. A more complete version with photos, videos, appliance instructions, and local recommendations may take two to four hours.

Where it runs: Guidey hosts the guidebook as a mobile web app. You don’t need a separate website, web hosting, PMS integration, etc. Guests simply open the guide through a browser.

How guests receive it:

• Shareable guidebook link
• QR code displayed in the rental
• A link in an Airbnb or VRBO message
• An email or text message
• A link from the host’s own website.

You may also have multiple guidebooks under one account with tiered pricing for multiple properties. Overall, Guidey stays close to the original digital guidebook concept, without much complexity or modern technology stack. This is probably one of the best digital guidebooks for rental properties.

#9 Guest Manual

Guest Manual is a Seattle-based digital guidebook company focused on vacation rental business.

The product is built around two connected products: a mobile-friendly guest guide and an AI Concierge that answers questions using the information stored in that guide. According to the company’s statements, their service is used by thousands of hosts worldwide.

Perfect for: independent vacation rental hosts, Airbnb and Vrbo operators, and small property managers who want a standalone digital guidebook with AI-assisted creation, an integrated guest concierge, multimedia instructions, and simple sharing through a web link.

How it is set up:

1. Choose one of the ready-made guidebook templates.
2. Upload or enter an existing house manual, property listing description, and photographs so that the AI Guidebook Generator can create the first draft.
3. Review.
4. After publishing it, copy the unique guidebook URL into your Airbnb, Vrbo, a PMS, a booking email, or another guest message.

Where it runs: Guest Manual hosts the finished guide as a standalone mobile-friendly webpage.

How guests receive it:

• Direct web link
• Airbnb or Vrbo listing and booking messages
• Booking.com communication
• Direct booking confirmation emails
• PMS automated messages, SMS
• QR code created separately for the guide URL.

Even the Starter plan includes the AI Guidebook Generator, templates, predefined categories, photos and videos, dynamic recommendations, the Digital Concierge, Airbnb and Vrbo integration, analytics, and the companion mobile app.

#10 WonderGuest

WonderGuest is a French digital welcome book platform. This is a lightweight standalone digital guidebook with automatic Airbnb imports, multilingual delivery, and optional upsells. It gives you an easy launchpad for generating a guide quickly from your Airbnb listing, providing mobile and multilingual access through a QR code, and start with one property at no cost.

Perfect for: It is designed to work alongside your Airbnb, Booking.com, an existing PMS, or a direct booking website.

How it is set up:

1. Paste the URL of an existing Airbnb listing.
2. Let WonderGuest import the listing’s photographs, description, amenities, and other available property information.
3. Review, rearrange, remove, or supplement the generated content using their block-based editor.
4. Add private or operational information that is usually unavailable in a public Airbnb listing.
5. Generate a shareable link and QR code.

Where it runs: WonderGuest digital guidebooks for holiday home is a mobile-friendly web page. Guests open it through their phone’s browser, so they do not need an account, or app, or login. You can update the guide at any time. Unlike a printed book or static PDF, changes appear in the live version, no need to reprint anything.

How guests receive it:

• Printed QR code inside the accommodation
• Direct web link
• Airbnb or Booking.com message
• Pre-arrival email, SMS or WhatsApp message
• Link from the host’s direct booking website.

WonderGuest also offers separate free tools for generating a printable Wi-Fi QR code and an eight-page PDF welcome guide without creating an account.

The Pro plan includes branding controls, so that you can build guides that can easier match your own identity. Paid plans include visit statistics, allowing you to see whether guests are actually opening the guide.

Concluding: How to Choose the Best Digital Guidebook for Your Short-Term Rental?

These are all great guest manual options, but here’s what to consider when making up your mind with short term rentals digital guidebooks:

1. How quickly can you get this working? If you need it quick, pay attention to products that emphasize AI generation, Airbnb imports, templates, free first guidebooks, and “create your guide in minutes”. Worth checking if it does not add any ongoing work if you want to update anything later.
2. Next, consider the price for the number of properties you manage, and whether the cost is per property. Pay attention to whether the service is billed monthly or annually, as this will help you better predict your expenses.
3. Visual quality also matters. Check how the guidebook looks on mobile devices, how well it can be customized to match your brand, and whether you like the examples provided by the company.

Good luck with finding the best digital guidebook for your vacation rental!