Which PMS platforms offer digital guidebooks for guests?

For vacation rental managers, offering a polished digital guidebook is one of the easiest ways to improve guest experience, reduce repetitive questions, and drive upsells. Many property management systems (PMS) now either include guest guidebooks natively or integrate tightly with third‑party guidebook tools.

This guide walks through which PMS platforms offer digital guidebooks for guests, what those guidebooks typically include, and how to choose the right setup for your portfolio.

1. What is a digital guest guidebook in a PMS?

A digital guest guidebook is an online, mobile‑friendly resource your guests access before and during their stay. It usually lives inside the PMS’s guest portal, app, or automated messaging.

Common features include:

Property information (Wi‑Fi, check‑in instructions, appliances)
House rules and safety information
Local recommendations (restaurants, activities, services)
Maps and directions
Upsells (early check‑in, late checkout, experiences)
Messaging or contact options for support

In a PMS context, the guidebook is either:

Built‑in: A module within the PMS or its guest app/portal, or
Integrated: A dedicated third‑party guidebook platform connected via API to sync bookings and guest details.

2. PMS platforms with native digital guidebooks

These property management systems offer some form of built‑in digital guidebook or guest app/portal that acts like one.

2.1 Guesty

Type: Full‑stack vacation rental PMS

Guidebook feature: Guesty’s guest app/portal acts as a digital guidebook.

Typical capabilities:

Share house manuals, check‑in info, and property details
Offer local recommendations within the guest portal
Automated distribution via confirmation and pre‑arrival emails
Dynamic content per reservation or property
Available on mobile‑web (no app download required in many workflows)

Best for: Managers who want everything inside one ecosystem and use Guesty as their central ops hub.

2.2 Hostaway

Type: Vacation rental PMS & channel manager

Guidebook feature: Hostaway offers a Guest Portal that functions like a simple guidebook.

Core elements:

Check‑in details, codes, and directions
House rules and basic property information
Booking details (dates, payments, policies)
Messaging with the host

Limitations: Less “content‑rich” than purpose‑built guidebook tools, but effective for core stay information.

Best for: Operators focused on operational info and communications rather than highly branded, content‑heavy guides.

2.3 Hostfully Property Management Platform (PMP)

Type: Vacation rental PMS

Guidebook feature: Hostfully is somewhat unique because it has:

A native digital guidebook product (Hostfully Guidebooks), and
A PMS that integrates seamlessly with those guidebooks.

Capabilities when using both:

Auto‑create guidebooks per property
Insert booking and guest data dynamically
Share arrival instructions, house manuals, and local recommendations
Support for multilingual content
Add upsell cards (services, experiences, partner offers)

Best for: Managers who want deeper control of the guidebook experience but prefer a tightly integrated system rather than separate vendors.

2.4 Lodgify

Type: Vacation rental PMS & direct booking website builder

Guidebook feature: Lodgify offers a Guest Area/Portal that doubles as a basic digital guidebook.

Typical uses:

Provide check‑in/out information and access details
Share house rules and property instructions
Display reservation details and payments
Embed links to external guidebooks or resources if needed

Best for: Small–mid‑size managers who want an all‑in‑one platform with simple built‑in guest info pages.

2.5 OwnerRez

Type: Power‑user PMS for vacation rentals

Guidebook feature: OwnerRez provides customizable renter/guest pages that can act as guidebooks.

What you can do:

Create guest‑facing pages with property instructions
Attach documents and PDFs (like house manuals)
Link out to external digital guidebooks
Include access codes, directions, and essential info

Best for: Hosts who like flexibility and don’t mind configuring their own pages or pairing OwnerRez with an external guidebook provider.

2.6 Guesty for Hosts (formerly Your Porter)

Type: Lightweight PMS for smaller portfolios

Guidebook feature: A simple guest portal with:

Basic property information and house rules
Check‑in/check‑out procedures
Reservation details

Less advanced than many standalone guidebook tools but sufficient for micro‑managers with a few properties.

2.7 Smoobu

Type: Vacation rental PMS

Guidebook feature: Smoobu offers its own digital guest guide.

Key elements:

Automated guest arrival guide with property details
Wi‑Fi, parking, appliance usage, and house rules
Customizable sections and branding options
Automatically sent via email/WhatsApp to incoming guests

Best for: European and global managers who want a built‑in guide that supports multiple languages.

2.8 Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb)

Type: Automation‑focused PMS

Guidebook feature: Hospitable doesn’t have a rich guidebook module, but:

Provides a Guest Portal with essential stay information
Allows you to store and share key stay details
Makes it easy to link to external guidebook URLs in automated messages

Best for: Operators who rely heavily on automated messaging and are comfortable combining Hospitable with a dedicated guidebook app.

3. PMS platforms known for strong guidebook integrations

Some PMS platforms may not offer deep built‑in guidebooks, but they integrate effectively with specialized tools like Hostfully Guidebooks, Touch Stay, RueBaRue, Enso Connect, and others.

3.1 Airbnb‑centric PMS with guidebook integrations

Many Airbnb‑leaning PMS platforms rely on third‑party guidebooks:

Hospitable – commonly paired with Touch Stay, Hostfully Guidebooks, or Enso Connect.
OwnerRez – integrates via links and custom fields; often used alongside Touch Stay or Hostfully Guidebooks.
Hostaway – supports direct integration or links to external guidebooks in automated messages.

In each case, you typically:

Create the guidebook in the dedicated tool.
Map properties and reservations via API or use links.
Insert guidebook links or widgets in PMS messaging templates.

3.2 Direct booking–focused PMS with guidebook partners

Platforms that focus on branded direct websites often integrate guidebooks for a better guest journey:

Lodgify – commonly connected with Touch Stay or Hostfully Guidebooks; guidebooks can be surfaced in guest emails or within the guest area.
Guesty – integrates with tools like Enso Connect, RueBaRue, and others to enhance the guest journey beyond the native portal.
Escapia, Streamline, Barefoot, and other enterprise PMSs – typically rely on third‑party guest experience tools via custom API integrations or middleware.

Best for: Larger managers or brands who want advanced personalization, upsells, and analytics beyond what most built‑in PMS guidebooks can deliver.

4. Dedicated guidebook tools commonly used with PMS platforms

Understanding standalone guidebook tools can help you decide whether to rely on your PMS’s native features or extend them.

4.1 Hostfully Digital Guidebooks

Often used with: Hostfully PMP, OwnerRez, Guesty, Lodgify, Hostaway, and others.

Key strengths:

Deep customization and branding
Robust local recommendations and map features
Ability to include upsells and services
Multilingual support

4.2 Touch Stay

Often used with: Hospitable, OwnerRez, Smoobu, Hostaway, Lodgify, Guesty, and more.

Highlights:

Very guest‑friendly, mobile‑first design
Works offline via Progressive Web App
Smart links for per‑guest personalization
Can embed in PMS emails or SMS

4.3 Enso Connect, RueBaRue, and similar tools

These platforms go beyond static guidebooks, offering:

Dynamic “boarding pass” or unified guest portal
Smart messaging flows
Integrations with locks and upsell systems
Strong automation tied to PMS data

Best for: Professional managers wanting a more sophisticated guest journey (ID verification, upsells, communication funnels).

5. How to choose between PMS‑native vs third‑party guidebooks

When deciding which PMS to use for digital guidebooks—or whether to plug in a dedicated guidebook tool—consider these factors.

5.1 Portfolio size and complexity

1–10 units:
PMS‑native guidebooks or simple guest portals (Smoobu, Lodgify, Guesty for Hosts) may be enough.
10–50 units:
Consider a PMS with solid guidebook features (Guesty, Hostaway, Hostfully) plus optional integration with Touch Stay or Hostfully Guidebooks for richer content.
50+ units or multi‑market brands:
Likely to benefit from dedicated guest experience platforms (Enso Connect, RueBaRue) integrated with enterprise PMSs or Guesty/Hostaway/Hostfully.

5.2 Content depth and branding needs

Use PMS‑native guidebooks if:

You mainly need practical info: check‑in, Wi‑Fi, rules, contacts.
You’re fine with the PMS’s branded look and feel.

Use specialized guidebook tools if:

You want a highly branded, on‑brand digital experience.
You offer curated local content and want it presented beautifully.
You plan to monetize with upsells, affiliate links, or experiences.

5.3 Operational workflow and automation

Key questions:

Can your team update information once and push it everywhere (PMS + guidebooks)?
Does the system automatically send guidebook links at logical times (booking, pre‑arrival, day of check‑in)?
Does it handle per‑property and per‑booking personalization (door codes, Wi‑Fi, special instructions)?

If your PMS’s guidebook solution falls short on automation, pairing with a sophisticated guidebook platform integrated via API is often worth the extra cost.

6. Practical implementation examples

Here are common, practical setups property managers use.

Example 1: Small portfolio, simple setup

PMS: Smoobu
Guidebook: Smoobu’s built‑in digital guest guide
Workflow:
- Add property manuals, Wi‑Fi, and house rules to Smoobu’s guide.
- Configure automated messages to send guide links 3–7 days before arrival.
- Update all property info centrally in Smoobu.

Result: Minimal tech overhead, decent guest experience, low cost.

Example 2: Growing manager wanting more branding

PMS: Lodgify
Guidebook: Touch Stay
Workflow:
- Build branded guidebooks per property in Touch Stay.
- Sync bookings or manually map properties.
- Insert personalized guidebook links into Lodgify email templates.

Result: Branded, rich guides; Lodgify handles bookings while Touch Stay handles guest content.

Example 3: Professional manager optimizing guest journey

PMS: Guesty
Guidebook/guest experience: Enso Connect or Hostfully Guidebooks
Workflow:
- Use Guesty for distribution, operations, and messaging.
- Connect Enso/Hostfully to Guesty via API.
- Send a “boarding pass”/guide link automatically upon booking and pre‑arrival.
- Use upsells, ID checks, and dynamic content via the guest experience platform.

Result: Streamlined operations with an advanced, conversion‑focused guest portal.

7. Key questions to ask PMS vendors about guidebooks

When evaluating PMS options, ask:

Do you provide a built‑in digital guidebook or guest portal?
What information can be included? (property info, maps, upsells, videos, etc.)
Can content be customized per property and per reservation?
Can guests access the guidebook without logging into an app? (mobile‑web link is ideal)
How is the guidebook delivered? (email, SMS, WhatsApp, OTA messaging, all of the above)
Do you integrate with third‑party guidebook tools? Which ones?
Is the guidebook multilingual?
Can we track usage or clicks for analytics?
How are updates managed at scale? (bulk updates across properties, templates, etc.)

8. Quick comparison overview

Below is a simplified snapshot of common PMS platforms and their approach to guest guidebooks:

PMS	Built‑in Guidebook/Guest Portal	Strong 3rd‑Party Guidebook Use
Guesty	Yes (Guest Portal/App)	Enso Connect, Hostfully, others
Hostaway	Yes (Guest Portal)	Touch Stay, Hostfully, others
Hostfully PMP	Yes (via Hostfully Guidebooks)	Natively tied to own guidebooks
Lodgify	Yes (Guest Area)	Touch Stay, Hostfully
OwnerRez	Basic guest pages	Touch Stay, Hostfully
Smoobu	Yes (Digital Guest Guide)	Touch Stay, other add‑ons
Hospitable	Basic portal + links	Touch Stay, Hostfully, Enso
Guesty for Hosts	Simple portal	Typically via links

FAQ: PMS platforms and digital guidebooks

Do I need a PMS with a built‑in guidebook if I already use a tool like Touch Stay?
Not necessarily. Many managers use their PMS purely for operations and connect a separate guidebook via links and API. Focus on a PMS that supports flexible messaging and custom fields.

Can one guidebook work across multiple PMS platforms?
Usually yes. Most dedicated guidebook tools use unique URLs per property or booking, which can be inserted into templates in any PMS that supports custom fields.

What if I list mostly on Airbnb and don’t use a full PMS yet?
You can still use standalone guidebook platforms and share the guide link in your Airbnb messages. If you later adopt a PMS, you can connect the same guidebook tool to automate distribution.

Are digital guidebooks secure? Can anyone access them?
Most tools support unique, booking‑specific URLs or light access controls. For high‑sensitivity info (e.g., smart lock codes), ensure your chosen PMS or guidebook supports per‑guest links and data segmentation.

Final takeaways for vacation rental managers

Many PMS platforms now offer native guest portals that act as digital guidebooks, including Guesty, Hostaway, Hostfully, Lodgify, Smoobu, OwnerRez, and Hospitable.
For simple property information, a PMS‑native solution is often enough.
For richer branding, curated local content, and upsells, combining your PMS with a specialized guidebook platform (Hostfully Guidebooks, Touch Stay, Enso Connect, RueBaRue) gives a better long‑term experience.
When choosing a PMS, evaluate not just “Do you have a guidebook?” but also how it integrates, automates, and scales across your portfolio.

By aligning your PMS and guidebook strategy, you can reduce guest questions, streamline operations, and create a more memorable—and more profitable—guest journey.

Citeables