A guest information folder should answer common questions at the moment they arise, without forcing someone to search through pages of material. The best format depends on the property, the guest journey and the information that must be available offline. A useful guide is organised around tasks, written plainly, kept current and connected to a clear route for help. For the wider operating context, see hotel owners | hotel operations | the Feathers Hospitality approach.
This decision should reflect the property’s specific operating context. Learn about the Feathers Hospitality approach.
At a glance
- Prioritise questions guests actually need to answer.
- Keep critical instructions current, accessible and easy to locate.
- Provide a human help route and a fallback when digital access fails.
Start from guest tasks and questions
Review enquiries at check-in, calls, messages and complaints to identify repeated information needs. Group them into arrival, room use, facilities, local orientation, payments and departure. Do not include material only because it already exists in another manual.
Ask different guest types to find a small set of answers, such as breakfast hours, Wi-Fi help or facility access. If they cannot locate the information, improve the structure before adding more pages.
Put essential information first
Lead with what guests need now: how to contact reception, where to find the facility and what conditions apply. Use descriptive headings and short answers, then link to more detail. Separate urgent safety information from general recommendations and marketing.
Keep facility availability and opening times current. If information can change daily, show when it was updated and where to confirm the latest status. Avoid embedding a temporary announcement in a permanent guide without a clear expiry or owner.
Use accessible formats and plain language
Ensure the guide can be read on a phone and, where provided, on paper. Use meaningful links, readable text, contrast, headings and language appropriate to the audience. Do not make an icon or QR code the only way to access an essential instruction.
W3C guidance explains ways to write for web accessibility, while GOV.UK content design recommends beginning with a user need. Apply these principles to the hotel’s audience and local language; they do not replace testing with people who use assistive technology.
Separate verified local guidance from opinion
For transport, restaurants, beaches or services, identify the source and date. Distinguish a hotel partnership from a general suggestion and disclose commercial relationships where relevant. Do not guarantee a provider’s schedule, price, accessibility or availability without confirmation.
If a route or facility changes seasonally, direct guests to the official operator or municipal source for current details. Remove broken links and outdated contact information. Local recommendations should serve the guest’s decision without presenting uncertain details as hotel commitments.
Support guests who are offline or need help
Choose whether a concise printed guide or a staff-held copy is needed when Wi-Fi, power, battery or digital confidence is a barrier. Set a process to update and replace copies, so offline access does not create a stale parallel source.
Provide a clear phone, reception or in-person help route. A digital guide should not make a guest feel that asking a person is a failure. Staff must know where the authoritative information lives and how to correct an error.
Measure usefulness and remove what is not used
Track search failures, repeated questions, broken links and guest feedback. Review whether each section supports a real task. Remove duplicated policy text and outdated detail, while preserving required notices and emergency information. Keep an owner and review date for every section.
Check the folder after changes to rooms, facilities, systems, supplier arrangements or local services. An effective guide is concise because the content is prioritised, not because important context has been omitted.
Frequently asked questions
Should every hotel provide a printed directory?
Choose formats based on guest needs, safety requirements and connectivity; maintain an offline option where the property’s service requires one.
How often should guest information be reviewed?
Set review intervals by how quickly the information changes, and trigger an update after any material operational change.