Guest communication is the most time-consuming aspect of running an Airbnb or serviced accommodation business. Enquiries arrive at midnight, guests ask the same questions repeatedly, and every check-in needs a personalised welcome message. Getting this right — quickly and consistently — is essential for strong review scores and OTA ranking. Here’s how to automate the routine parts while keeping the personal touch that guests expect.
Which Guest Messages Can Be Automated?
Not every guest message is the same. Some are routine and can be automated effectively; others require genuine human judgement. Understanding the distinction is key to building an effective communication system.
Messages that automate well:
- Booking confirmation with property details and check-in instructions
- Pre-arrival reminder (sent 24–48 hours before check-in)
- Day-of check-in message with door code and parking details
- Mid-stay check-in message asking if everything is okay
- Pre-checkout reminder with instructions
- Post-checkout thank you and review request
Messages that need a human:
- Initial booking enquiries where the guest asks specific questions
- Complaints or issues reported during a stay
- Special requests or unusual circumstances
- Negative review responses
- Direct booking conversion conversations
Setting Up Automated Messages on Airbnb
Airbnb has a built-in scheduled message feature that allows you to create templates triggered by booking events (booking confirmed, X days before check-in, etc.). This is the simplest starting point for any host. The main limitation is that these messages can only be sent via Airbnb — they don’t cover guests who book through Booking.com or your direct booking website.
Using Third-Party Automation Tools
For hosts managing multiple platforms, a dedicated guest communication tool is far more powerful than Airbnb’s native features. The best options for UK hosts include:
Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb)
Hospitable connects to Airbnb, Booking.com, VRBO, and your direct booking site to send automated messages across all channels. It also has a smart AI layer that can detect questions in guest messages and flag them for human response — meaning you get the efficiency of automation without missing genuine guest needs.
Guesty Messaging
If you’re already using Guesty as your channel manager, its unified inbox and automated messaging features are excellent. All guest messages from every platform appear in a single feed, and automation rules can be set up to handle routine communications across all your properties simultaneously.
Building Effective Message Templates
The quality of your automated messages matters enormously. Guests who receive generic, clearly templated messages feel less valued than those who receive warm, personalised communication — even if it’s automated. A few principles for great message templates:
- Use the guest’s first name — all good automation tools support dynamic variables
- Include property-specific details — not just generic information that applies to all your properties
- Keep it warm but concise — guests don’t read long messages; aim for 100–200 words maximum
- Anticipate their questions — include the information they’re most likely to need before they ask
- Have a clear call to action — make it easy for them to reach you if they have a problem
The Limits of Automation — Where a VA Beats a Bot
Automation handles the routine — but it struggles with everything else. When a guest messages at 2am saying their boiler has broken, no automated response is going to solve that problem or protect your review score. When a guest asks a nuanced question about whether your property is suitable for their elderly parent with mobility issues, a template message isn’t going to win the booking.
This is where a trained Airbnb virtual assistant fills the gap. At VAsforSAs, our VAs handle the 20% of guest communications that require genuine human judgement — complaints, special requests, complex enquiries, and situations that automation can’t anticipate. Combined with a good automation setup, this gives you the best of both worlds: the efficiency of technology and the quality of genuine human support.
Building Your Complete Guest Communication System
The ideal guest communication setup for most SA operators looks like this:
- Automation layer: Handles all routine pre-stay, in-stay, and post-stay messages across all platforms
- VA layer: Handles all genuinely personal interactions — enquiries, complaints, special requests, review responses
- You: Approving strategy, reviewing performance, focusing on growth
VAsforSAs can help you build and manage all three layers. Our pre-trained virtual assistants are experienced in working alongside automation tools and can set up your message templates, configure your automation rules, and handle all the communication that falls outside automated workflows — from just £4/hr.
Get in touch to find out more.