Free template · updated November 3, 2026

Front desk check-in instructions template

If your guests collect their keys from a reception desk, the questions are different: what time the desk is staffed, what name the booking is under, what to bring, and what happens if they arrive after it closes.

This template suits small inns, B&Bs, serviced suites and rentals inside a building with a staffed desk. It takes guests from the car to the desk, through check-in and up to the room, with a clear after-hours plan so nobody is left in a dark lobby.

The template

Replace anything in [brackets] with your own details.

Before you arrive

The front desk is open [Desk hours, e.g. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.].
Check-in is from [Check-in time].
Arriving after [Desk closing time]? Please tell us by [Deadline] so we can set up a late arrival.

1. Find us

The address is [Address]. The entrance is [Entrance description, e.g. under the blue awning on Main Street].

[Photo: the entrance from the street]

2. Park

[Parking details, e.g. guest parking is behind the building; take the lane beside the pharmacy]. [Parking pass details, if any].

[Photo: the guest parking sign]

3. Check in at the desk

The desk is [Desk location, e.g. straight ahead as you come in].
Give the name on the booking: [Booking name note, e.g. the name you booked with].
Please bring [What to bring, e.g. a photo ID matching the booking].
We'll give you [Key type, e.g. two key cards] and a quick rundown of the building.

4. Getting to your room

Your room is [Room number] on [Floor].
[Directions, e.g. take the elevator on the left, then turn right].

[Photo: the hallway to your room]

5. Arriving after the desk closes

[After-hours plan, e.g. your key will be in an envelope with your name in the lockbox by the entrance, code [Lockbox code]].
Or ring the night bell at [Night bell location] and [Staff name or role] will come down.

6. First things in your room

Wifi: [Network name] / [Wifi password]
Breakfast: [Breakfast times and place, if offered]
Heat or air conditioning: [Controls location]

7. Who to call

Front desk: [Desk phone]. After hours: [After-hours phone]. Emergency: [Local emergency number].

Tips

Put the desk hours in the first line; it's the detail guests most often miss.
Give late arrivals a set plan, not just "call us", since tired guests at midnight want clear steps.
Only ask for ID if you actually need it, and never ask guests to send a photo of it by text.
Show the guest entrance in a photo if it's different from the main door the public uses.
Tell guests where breakfast happens and when, if it's included.

Put it on one guest page instead of a binder

Keegix turns your welcome book into one link and a QR sign by the door. Upload the binder you already have and AI drafts the page in about a minute, or paste this template in. Free forever for one property.

Upload my binder, free See a sample guest page

Questions

What should guests bring to a front desk check-in?

Usually just the booking name and, if your place requires it, a photo ID. Tell guests ahead of time so nobody has to dig through a suitcase at the desk.

How do I handle guests arriving after the desk closes?

Set up a standard late arrival: a key in a lockbox, a coded door or a night bell. Ask guests to tell you by a set time if they'll be late so it's ready.

Should check-in instructions include the room number?

If the room is assigned ahead, yes; it helps after-hours guests find their way. If rooms are assigned at the desk, say so instead.

More free templates

All check-in instructions · Every free template

Free to use

Copy it, change it, print it, use it with any platform. Sharing it with a host group, on a blog or in a forum? A link back to this page helps other hosts find the latest version:

https://keegix.com/check-in-instructions/front-desk/