The automated guest journey

1. 1Request received — the guest gets an instant acknowledgment with a what-happens-next timeline, and a reminder that no payment is taken until you confirm.
2. 2Quote & reminder — a sent quote links to a private page with the locked-in price and cancellation milestones; one reminder goes out before it expires.
3. 3Confirmation — on your yes, the guest receives the confirmation with the exact address (revealed only now), dated refund milestones and their arrival-guide link.
4. 4House rules — sent on schedule before the stay, so rules arrive when they're relevant, not buried in the booking rush.
5. 5Pre-arrival guide — directions, parking, local tips, and a sensitive block (door code, wifi password, exact address) that reveals itself the day before check-in.
6. 6Payment link — when a balance is due, the guest gets their never-expiring payment page; with auto-charge on, the saved card is charged on the due date instead.
7. 7Request expiry — requests you can't honor expire cleanly: the guest is told, and the dates free themselves.
8. 8Review request — after checkout, every guest is asked how it went; happy guests can be routed to your Google review link.

Each property carries a step-by-step arrival guide you write once: getting there, getting in, parking, house quirks, local tips and an emergency contact. Guests open it from any of their emails on a private link — no login, works on the phone in the driveway.

Every automated email logs into the reservation's message thread alongside your own messages, so you always know exactly what the guest has been told. Timing (quote expiry, house-rules lead time, balance due dates) is configurable per property or business. See also: guest messaging and payments.