How to Reduce Airbnb Guest Complaints with Better Communication and Digital Guidebooks

What do Airbnb guests complain about? It’s a good question, and one worth that's important to be focused on if you manage a holiday let.

Sometimes big things go wrong, but mostly it’s not anything too dramatic. It’s often simple things: difficulty finding the home, uncertainty around the heating, or confusion over parking. In our experience managing over 100 short-term rental homes across the Cotswolds and surrounding areas, we’ve learned that most of these small issues are easy to prevent. The key is giving guests the right information at the right time, in the right way.

At Red Kite, we use create digital guidebooks for every property we manage. These help guests find what they need quickly, reduce questions, and contribute to smoother, more enjoyable stays. Things worked well before, but with digital guidebooks, they now run even better.

Here’s how.

What do Airbnb guests commonly ask about?

Every home is different, but the most frequent questions tend to be practical ones. Guests want to feel confident and relaxed, and they don’t want to guess how things work or where to go.

Some of the most common topics include:

• “How do I find the right entrance?”
• “Where’s the parking, and how many cars can we bring?”
• “What’s the Wi-Fi code?”
• “How do we turn on the heating or hot water?”
• “Is there a high chair or a BBQ?”
• “What’s the best local pub or breakfast spot?”

Even if you’ve sent this info before, guests don’t always retain it, especially if it’s in a long message or sent months ahead of their stay. Having a single, clear source of truth they can access at any time makes all the difference.

Why we moved from printed to digital guidebooks

Most homes used to rely on printed guides — and for a long time, so did we. They’re still useful, especially for things like local walks or emergency numbers. But they also have their limits:

1. They can’t be accessed before arrival. Guests often want to plan their trip in advance — to check parking, restaurant options, or things to do. If they can only see that info after check-in, they’re more likely to message with questions beforehand.
2. They can become outdated quickly. Instructions change. A new TV gets installed. A recommended café closes. Reprinting a folder every time something changes isn’t realistic and providing outdated information isn’t a great experience for guests.

A digital guidebook solves both of those problems. It’s available at the time of booking, it can be updated instantly, and it’s searchable, so guests can find exactly what they need, when they need it.

How we use Guidey at Red Kite

We use Guidey for every home we manage, and it’s been excellent. It’s simple to set up, easy for guests to navigate, and gives us full control over the information we provide.

Here’s how it fits into our guest journey:

Before arrival

• We send each guest a link to their home’s digital guide at the time of booking, no matter how far in advance that is.
• We send it again the day before check-in with critical arrival details like the full address, access information, and parking info.

What’s included

Every Red Kite guidebook contains:

• Full address with a What3Words link for accurate directions
• Check-in and check-out information
• Parking guidance, including photos or maps if needed
• Wi-Fi network and password
• Clear instructions for heating, hot water, TVs, alarms, hot tubs, and more — often supported by videos or manuals
• House rules and answers to common questions, like whether dogs are allowed or how many guests can stay
• Links to our social media, newsletter, and direct booking options
• Over 200 curated local recommendations (so far), customised to the home or area

Some of these recommendations are assigned by town — so all Cheltenham homes, for example, share the best coffee spots in the area. Others are property-specific, like the nearest farm shop or walking route for that home.

Why it works

Instead of trying to cover everything in one long message, we now send just the essentials and let the digital guides do the rest.

Guests can search for what they need, when they need it. Whether it’s figuring out the thermostat or choosing where to go for lunch, the guide is right there on their phone, tablet, or laptop. It reduces repeat questions, avoids miscommunication, and makes guests feel supported without overwhelming them.

A small upfront effort, a big long-term benefit

Creating a guidebook takes a little time at the start. You need to gather the right instructions, take some photos, and make sure the details are accurate. But once it’s done, the payoff is huge.

We’re finding that more than 90% of guest queries can be answered by a well-prepared guidebook. And because it’s always up to date, we can keep improving the experience over time.

Want to offer a better guest experience?

Communication is key. With the right tools and a thoughtful setup, you can prevent most issues before they begin and ensure your guests feel informed, welcomed, and ready to enjoy their stay.

Do you want us to manage your holiday let? Get in touch.

We’ll take care of the setup, communication, and every detail that follows.

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