Email is the most underrated channel in short-term rental marketing. The right sequence of messages — sent at the right moments — prevents bad reviews, lifts 5-star rates, builds a direct-booking list, and quietly doubles your repeat-guest rate. Most hosts either ignore email entirely or rely on whatever default message their property management software sent in 2019. This guide gives you the full five-email system we use at Hostyy for Airbnb hosts and STR property managers, plus copy-paste templates for each stage: booking confirmation, pre-arrival, welcome, post-checkout, and re-engagement. Every template is in plain, warm language — the kind real humans actually open.
Why Welcome Emails Move the Needle
Every email in a guest's stay is a chance to set expectations, prevent problems, and deepen the relationship. Guests who receive a warm, clear pre-arrival email rate their host 0.15–0.25 points higher on average — a gap that often separates a Superhost from a regular host. Post-checkout emails drive review completion rates (currently ~50% industry average) closer to 80% and lay the foundation for direct-booking rebooks at 10–25× lower cost than paid acquisition.
The catch is that Airbnb's own messaging system is limited, impersonal, and can't be used for post-stay direct marketing (per Airbnb policy). Smart hosts collect emails inside Airbnb messaging with a simple ask ('What's the best email to send the welcome book to?'), then run their own sequence on top. Done at scale, this is the single biggest lever in building a short-term rental business that isn't 100% dependent on Airbnb.
The 5 Emails Every Host Should Send
Email 1 — Booking confirmation
Sent immediately after booking. Short, warm, and reassuring. Confirms dates, thanks them by name, and promises more info closer to check-in. This email sets the emotional tone of the entire stay.
Email 2 — Pre-arrival (24 hours before check-in)
The single most important email you will ever send. Contains every logistical detail they need: address, parking, Wi-Fi, check-in code, nearest grocery store, and one local recommendation. This email prevents more bad reviews than any other host behavior.
Email 3 — Welcome (at check-in)
Sent as they arrive. One line: 'Welcome! Make yourself at home. Text me if you need anything.' That's it. It's a touchpoint, not a document dump.
Email 4 — Post-checkout follow-up
Sent within 6 hours of checkout. Thanks them by name, references something specific from their stay, asks for a review, and plants the seed of a return visit with a direct-booking discount code.
Email 5 — Quarterly re-engagement
Sent 90 days after stay. A light, useful message — seasonal events in your area, a local update, or a limited-time return offer. This is the email that turns one-time guests into repeat direct bookers.
Template: The Pre-Arrival Email
This is the template to steal. Copy it, adapt the bracketed fields to your property, and schedule it to send 24 hours before check-in. This alone will raise your review average measurably within 60 days.
- Subject: Everything you need for your stay at [Property Name]
- Hi [First Name],
- We're so excited to host you tomorrow! Here's everything you need for a smooth check-in.
- 📍 Address: [Street Address]. Map link: [Link]
- 🔑 Check-in is from 4pm. Door code: [Code]. If the code doesn't work, text me directly at [Phone].
- 🚗 Parking: [Exact parking instructions — how many spots, where, any permits].
- 📶 Wi-Fi: Network [Name] · Password [Password] (also on the fridge).
- ☕ Local tip: For the best coffee within walking distance, [Name of café] opens at 7am and is a 4-minute walk.
- Your welcome book inside the home has the full house guide, trash day, and a dozen more local favorites.
- Have a safe trip — see you tomorrow!
- [Host first name]
Template: The Post-Checkout Follow-Up
The most important email for your business long-term. Every element has a purpose: the specific compliment builds goodwill, the review ask is frictionless, and the direct-booking code plants the seed of repeat business.
- Subject: Thanks for staying with us, [First Name]
- Hi [First Name],
- Thanks again for taking such great care of the space — [specific detail: the way you left the kitchen spotless / your kind note in the guest book / your note about the neighborhood]. It's the small things.
- If you've got 60 seconds, I'd be grateful for a 5-star Airbnb review — I've already left you one. Here's the link: [Airbnb review link].
- And if you're ever back in [City], you can save 10% on any future stay by booking direct at [Direct-booking site] with code [CODE]. No Airbnb fees, same great place.
- Safe travels!
- [Host first name]
Template: Quarterly Re-Engagement
Sent 90 days after checkout. Keeps the host top-of-mind without being pushy. The goal isn't an immediate rebook — it's to reactivate the relationship just before the next trip-planning cycle begins.
- Subject: [City] is beautiful this time of year
- Hi [First Name],
- It's been a few months since you stayed at [Property Name] — hope all is well with you.
- Thought you might enjoy this: [one seasonal detail — a local festival coming up, a restaurant that just opened, a seasonal view at your property].
- If you're thinking about another visit, your 10% direct-booking discount is still valid — just reply and I'll set you up on any dates you're considering.
- Either way, wishing you a great [season].
- [Host first name]
Tools and Automation
You don't need an email marketing specialist — you just need the right tool and two hours to set up the sequence. A starter stack that works for hosts with 1–10 properties:
- Property management platform with scheduled messaging: Hospitable, Hostaway, OwnerRez, or Guesty. All support dynamic variables.
- Email capture: add a single line to your pre-arrival message in Airbnb: 'What's the best email to send the welcome book to?' Expect 80–90% of guests to reply.
- List management: a free MailerLite or Beehiiv account is plenty for under 1,000 subscribers. Upgrade only when you outgrow it.
- Tracking: add UTM parameters to any direct-booking links in emails so you can see which email sequences convert.
Bottom line. The five-email sequence — booking confirmation, pre-arrival, welcome, post-checkout, and quarterly re-engagement — is the foundation of a resilient short-term rental business. Guests get clarity, reviews improve, and your direct-booking list grows automatically.