The Message Sequence That Stops Arrival Questions Before They Start

Orientation before instruction. That is the order that works.

Arrival stress usually isn’t about missing details. It’s about timing.

You send the codes, the parking diagram, the rules. Everything technically correct. And the guest still messages you three times before they walk through the door.

When you send instructions before orientation, guests read the details without context. They scan it. They miss key steps. They fill the gaps with anxiety.

Here is the order that works:

Orientation first.
24 to 72 hours before arrival.
Answer: Am I set? What will arrival feel like? Is there anything unusual I should know?
No codes. No door details. Just reassurance that everything is ready and a high-level picture of what to expect.

Instruction second.
12 to 24 hours before arrival.
Now you send the codes, the parking, the entry steps. They make sense because the guest already knows what to expect.

Confirmation last.
Arrival day.
A short message that confirms they arrived smoothly and everything is on track.

Three messages. Three jobs. No combining.

When you combine orientation and instruction, guests skim.
When you skip confirmation, you get the “just checking” text.
When you lead with rules, you set the wrong tone before the stay even starts.

The structure is simple. Sticking to it is what most hosts don’t do.

I put together a one-page workflow you can print and keep next to your laptop. It shows exactly what belongs in each message and what doesn’t, plus the mistakes that trigger last-minute texts.