Multilingual Hosting: A Simple System for Global Guests

• Be My Guest Team
multilingual international-guests guest-communication airbnb-messages digital-guide

International guests can be amazing: respectful, excited, and often planning months ahead.

But language barriers hit at the worst times:

  • standing at the door (check‑in)
  • trying to connect to WiFi
  • reading house rules
  • figuring out checkout

The fix isn’t “be fluent in 10 languages.” It’s building a multilingual hosting system so guests can read the essentials in their language and you can handle the exceptions without stress.

A guest reading house rules in their language on a phone

Why multilingual communication pays off

People overwhelmingly prefer information in a language they’re comfortable with. CSA Research’s “Can’t Read, Won’t Buy – B2C” findings show that:

  • 66% of respondents prefer products/services with information in their language.
  • 75% say they’re more likely to buy again if customer care is in their language.

Hosting isn’t e‑commerce, but the human behavior is the same: when guests can read your instructions confidently, the stay feels easier, safer, and more professional.

The 3-layer multilingual hosting system

The easiest way to host in multiple languages is to separate what needs translation into three layers.

Layer 1: A multilingual guest guide (your “source of truth”)

This is where your repeat information lives:

  • check‑in steps
  • WiFi details
  • parking
  • house rules
  • trash/recycling
  • checkout checklist

If you do nothing else, translate this.

Layer 2: Message delivery (send the right info at the right time)

A perfect guide doesn’t help if guests can’t find it.

Airbnb supports quick replies and scheduled quick replies, and notes that messages are auto‑translated to your guest’s language when they view them.

That means you can:

  • keep your messages short
  • link to the guide for details
  • avoid re‑typing the same explanations

Layer 3: On-the-fly translation (for edge cases)

Sometimes you’ll still get a message in a language you don’t speak.

Airbnb lets you set a preferred language so you can receive communications (including messages) in your chosen language. This makes day‑to‑day messaging much less stressful when you host internationally.

What to translate (and what you can leave in English)

If you’re overwhelmed, start here.

Must translate (high impact)

  • Check‑in instructions (including photos and “confidence cues”)
  • WiFi name + password
  • Parking instructions
  • House rules that affect safety/noise
  • Checkout steps (trash, dishes, keys)
  • Emergency info (local emergency number, property address, shutoffs)

Nice to translate (medium impact)

  • Local recommendations
  • Appliance tips
  • Thermostat instructions
  • Streaming / TV instructions

Optional (low impact)

  • Long “about the space” descriptions
  • Stories, branding, and non-essential welcome text

How to write content that translates well

Machine translation is much more accurate when your original text is clean.

Use these rules:

  • Write short sentences.
  • Avoid idioms (“give it a whirl”).
  • Use numbers + labels (“Door code: 4821”).
  • Use bullets instead of paragraphs.
  • Add photos with labels (“Lockbox is behind this planter”).

This also makes your guide more mobile‑friendly.

The easiest multilingual messaging workflow

Here’s a workflow that keeps your hosting personal and scalable:

  1. Pre‑arrival (48–72 hours): one message with a link to the guide + a one‑line personal note.
  2. Check‑in day: repeat the link + top 3 steps (where to go, code, parking).
  3. First night: one human check‑in message (no template).
  4. Day before checkout: checklist + link.

If you want a structure you can copy, read: Automation Without Losing the Personal Touch: A How‑To Guide.

Where Be My Guest fits (and why this is easier than it sounds)

If you’re product‑aware, here’s the practical advantage of a dedicated guest guide platform:

  • One guide that guests can open on any phone
  • A single link you can reuse in every message
  • Updates happen once (so every language stays current)

Be My Guest is built around that “one source of truth” approach, and supports multilingual guest communication so you don’t have to maintain separate PDFs or reprint binders.

Want the multilingual guide template?

We built a Multilingual Guest Guide Template that includes the exact sections to translate first (check‑in, WiFi, rules, checkout), plus a checklist for safety‑critical wording.

Conclusion: multilingual hosting without the chaos

The goal of multilingual hosting isn’t perfection. It’s confidence.

If you want international guests to have a smooth stay (and fewer “urgent” messages), do these five things:

  • Translate the essentials first: check-in, WiFi, parking, rules, checkout, emergencies.
  • Keep one source of truth so updates propagate to every language version.
  • Use timed messages to deliver the right info before guests need to ask.
  • Write in short, clear sentences so translation stays accurate.
  • Keep a human fallback for edge cases and sensitive situations.

If you want a simple starting point, use the template above and translate the “Quick Start” section first.

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