Guest Messaging Guide and FAQ

Guest Messaging brings every conversation with your guests into one unified space — across all your booking channels — and uses an AI Assistant to handle routine questions automatically. This guide explains how the feature works and answers the questions hosts ask most often.

What is Guest Messaging?

Guest Messaging is a comprehensive communication tool that centralizes all your guest conversations in one place. It includes three main components:

• Inbox — Messages from Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Holidu, and direct bookings all in one unified space
• AI Assistant — Automatically answers common guest questions 24/7, informed by your property's local context
• Scheduled Messages — Check-in details, access codes, and arrival information sent automatically for every booking

Where to Find Guest Messaging

To access Guest Messaging on Holidu:

1. Open the Holidu web app
2. In the left navigation menu, click Messages
3. Select Inbox to view all guest conversations

How to Use the Inbox

Accessing Your Conversations

The Inbox displays all your guest conversations in one centralized location. Each booking appears as a single conversation thread, regardless of which channel the booking came from — whether it's Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Holidu, or a direct booking.

Sending Messages to Guests

To send a message to a guest:

1. Locate the relevant conversation thread
2. Type your response in the message box at the bottom of the conversation
3. Click Send to deliver your message

Using Automatic Translation

Guest Messaging includes an automatic translation feature. Simply compose your message in your preferred language, and it will appear to your guest in their language where possible. This removes language barriers and helps you communicate with international guests effortlessly.

Viewing Scheduled Messages

Scheduled messages — such as check-in instructions and access codes — are sent automatically by the system for every booking. These automated messages also appear in the conversation thread, so you have full visibility of all communication with your guest.

Managing Message History

You can view messages for upcoming, current, and past bookings for a limited period after checkout. All channel-based messages are automatically synced into your Holidu inbox for easy reference.

AI Assistant: Automating Guest Responses

The AI Assistant is designed to handle routine guest questions automatically, saving you time while maintaining excellent service. It answers common inquiries 24/7, informed by the local context of your property.

What the AI Assistant Can Do

The AI Assistant is trained to handle eight specific topic areas. You control exactly which topics the AI handles and which ones you prefer to manage yourself:

• Property information questions
• Points of interest and local recommendations
• Guest arrival and check-in information
• Online check-in and guest registration
• Property issues and how-tos
• Special requests
• Check-out and departures
• Invoices, fees, deposits, and local taxes

Topics the AI Assistant Never Handles

Certain sensitive matters always require direct handling and cannot be managed by the AI Assistant. These include:

• Bookings, payments, and disputes
• Complaints
• Safety and legal matters
• Platform, account, and pre-booking questions

These topics are automatically routed to Holidu directly, ensuring sensitive matters are handled consistently and appropriately.

Configuring AI Assistant Settings

You have complete control over which topics the AI Assistant handles. To adjust your settings:

1. Go to your Messages section
2. Click the gear icon (⚙️) to open Manage Settings
3. For each of the eight topic areas, choose either AI Assistant or Host
4. Your preferences apply to all conversations — both existing and new — across all your properties

Quick tip: Use Set all to AI Assistant or Set all to Host to apply your choice to all topics at once.

Changing Settings via Chat

You can also adjust your AI Assistant settings by chatting directly with the AI. Simply tell it what you want — for example, "stop the AI from answering property issues" or "turn off the AI everywhere" — and it will update your settings and confirm the changes.

What Happens When the AI Can't Answer

If a guest asks a question on a topic you've assigned to the AI, but the AI doesn't have enough information to answer, it automatically hands the conversation over to you. This ensures no guest inquiry gets stuck or left unanswered.

Taking Over a Conversation

When you reply to a message yourself, the AI Assistant pauses for that particular reply, allowing you to take over. You maintain full control and can step in at any time to handle conversations personally.

Message Notifications

You receive a notification for every new message in your conversations — the same way you would receive a WhatsApp message — including messages the AI Assistant sends on your behalf. This ensures you always know what's being said in your name and can step in at any time if needed.

Scheduled Messages

Scheduled Messages automatically send important information to guests at the right time. To access and configure scheduled messages:

1. Go to the left menu in the Holidu host portal
2. Select Messages and then Scheduled Messages

From here, you can manage the automated messages sent for check-in instructions, access codes, and arrival information for every booking.

Collaboration and Sharing Access

How do I enable access for collaborators?

Collaborators are not included automatically. To give a collaborator access, go to the specific property in Holidu, go to "collaborators" to adjust that person's access, and enable access to guest conversations. This needs to be done separately for each individual property.

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

How do I access the Guest Messaging Inbox?
Go to the left menu in the Holidu host portal and select Messages > Inbox. All your guest conversations from every booking channel will appear here in one unified space.

Is Guest Messaging included in my account?
Yes — Guest Messaging is included for all hosts at no additional cost. You get access to the unified inbox, AI Assistant, and scheduled messaging features as part of your standard Holidu hosting account.

Inbox Features

Which channels are supported?
Guest Messaging supports conversations from Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Holidu, and direct bookings. All these conversations appear together in your unified inbox.

Can I view old messages?
Yes. You can view messages for upcoming, current, and past bookings for a limited period after checkout. This gives you access to your complete conversation history when you need it.

AI Assistant Features

What does the AI Assistant do?
The AI Assistant automatically answers common guest questions 24/7. It responds to inquiries about check-in information, local recommendations, property details, and other routine matters. The AI is informed by the local context of your specific property, making responses relevant and helpful.

Can I choose which questions the AI Assistant answers?
Yes. Open Manage Settings (the gear icon in your Messages header) to see all eight topic areas and set each one to either AI Assistant or Host. Your choice applies to all your conversations, both existing and new, so you only need to set it once. You can also use Set all to AI Assistant or Set all to Host to change everything in one click.

What if the AI can't answer a question on a topic I've assigned to it?
If the AI doesn't have enough information to answer a guest question on a topic you've assigned to it, the conversation automatically hands over to you. This ensures every guest question gets a response and nothing gets stuck.

Can I change my AI Assistant settings by chatting with the AI?
Yes. You can tell the AI Assistant what you want — for example, "stop the AI from answering property issues" or "turn off the AI everywhere" — and it will update your settings and confirm what changed.

Notifications

How will I know about new messages, including ones the AI Assistant sends?
You get a notification for every new message in your conversations — the same way you would receive a WhatsApp message. This includes messages the AI Assistant sends on your behalf. This ensures you always know what's been said in your name and can step in at any time.

Collaboration

Can multiple people use Guest Messaging?
Yes — you and your invited collaborators can access and respond to the same inbox. Collaboration features let hosts and assigned collaborators manage guest messages together.

Support

What if a message needs Customer Service support?
The Holidu Customer Happiness team can join the conversation when needed for further assistance. Click the support button at the bottom right corner to reach out. Our team is available 7 days a week, in your language, when a conversation needs human support.

Limitations

Can I message guests for manual calendar blocks?
No — messaging is only available for actual bookings. You cannot use Guest Messaging to contact guests about calendar blocks or non-booking periods.

Will every guest message appear in Holidu?
All channel-based messages from your booking platforms are automatically synced to your Holidu inbox. However, guests may still contact you outside the platform using email or phone. Only messages through booking channels appear in your Guest Messaging inbox.

Key Features at a Glance

• Unified inbox for all your booking channels in one place
• AI Assistant handles routine guest questions 24/7, with full control over which topics it manages
• Automatic translation helps you communicate with international guests
• Scheduled messaging sends check-in details, access codes, and arrival information automatically
• Hosts and collaborators can share access to the same inbox
• Notifications keep you informed of every message, including ones the AI sends
• Customer Happiness team available for conversations that need human support
• Complete message history for past and current bookings

Need More Help?

For further questions about Guest Messaging or any other Holidu features, contact Holidu support. Our Customer Happiness team is available 7 days a week to assist you.