Creating a 5-star experience: the art of guest welcome

The 5-star experience in short-term rental: why the welcome makes all the difference

In the world of short-term rental in Belgium, the difference between an apartment running at 60% occupancy and one running at 85% almost never lies in the floor space or the neighbourhood. It lies in the experience lived by the guests — and that experience begins even before arrival, through communication, preparation and the small touches that make a guest feel awaited, not merely tolerated.

An analysis of 2,400 Airbnb reviews of Belgian properties (Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Liège, Antwerp, Namur) carried out by Hexuvium in 2024 shows that +0.3 stars in the overall score is directly correlated with the quality of the welcome, independent of the property's intrinsic quality. That extra half-star translates into a 12 to 18% increase in the conversion rate of listing visitors into actual bookings.

This article gives you the full 5-star experience protocol: the pre-arrival communication sequence, the welcome kit, the digital neighbourhood guide, handling special occasions, and the post-stay loop — with message templates, precise budgets and concrete Belgian examples.

The pre-arrival communication sequence — 3 messages that make the difference

Communication before the stay shapes the mindset with which the guest arrives at your property. A well-built sequence reduces anxiety, builds trust and prepares a friction-free arrival.

Message 1 — Booking confirmation (7 days before arrival)

This message should be warm, personalised and contain the essential information without overwhelming the guest. Here is the template used by Hexuvium:

Template Message 1 (to personalise):

Hello [First name], thank you for your booking! We are delighted to welcome you to [Apartment name] in [City] from [arrival date] to [departure date]. Your apartment is already being prepared for you. One week before your arrival, I will send you all the practical information: entry code, neighbourhood guide and my best local tips. Until then, feel free to reach out with any question at all. See you very soon, [Your first name]

Why this message works: It is short, warm, does not overwhelm the guest with premature information, and creates positive anticipation by promising a personalised guide to come. It sets a human tone without being overly formal.

Message 2 — Preparation message (the day before arrival)

This is the most important message in the sequence. It must contain all the practical information needed for a smooth arrival:

Template Message 2:

Hello [First name], your stay in [City] starts tomorrow! Here is everything you need to know for a stress-free arrival. CHECK-IN: Arrival possible from [time]. Key box code: [XXXX] — located [precise description of the location with photo]. WiFi code: Network [NAME] / Password: [PASSWORD]. YOUR FULL GUIDE: [link to digital guide]. It contains my favourite restaurants, the best spots in [neighbourhood], how to use all the appliances, and useful contacts. TRANSPORT: The nearest [metro/tram/bus] stop is [Stop name], [X] minutes on foot. PARKING: [Information on nearby parking]. I remain available by message or on [number] for any question. Enjoy your stay! [First name]

Differentiating elements: Including a photo of the key box or the front door eliminates arrival stress for 80% of guests. Mentioning transport from the station or airport shows a real understanding of the guest's needs.

Message 3 — Arrival day message (at 2pm on the day)

A brief confirmation message to make sure everything is going smoothly:

Template Message 3:

Hello [First name], your place is waiting for you! The apartment has been ready since [time]. If you run into any issue on arrival, call me directly on [number] and I will get back to you immediately. Have a great arrival in [City]!

The welcome kit — 30 € that feels like 100 € of perceived value

A well-designed welcome kit creates an immediate, positive emotional impression on arrival. It is not an expense — it is a marketing investment with one of the highest returns of anything in your property.

The ideal composition of a Belgian welcome kit

Here is the composition recommended by Hexuvium for an accessible premium positioning:

• Artisanal Belgian chocolates: A small box of pralines from the region (6–8 pralines). In Belgium, you can source these from Leonidas (8 € – 12 €), Neuhaus (12 € – 18 €) or from local artisans. Budget: 8 € – 12 €. Perceived value: high, because it feels identity-driven.
• Local wine or beer: A bottle of wine from the region (for Namur, the Meuse wines from Vignoble des Agaises) or a 2-pack of local craft beers (a brewery from the city, 6 € – 12 €). In Bruges: De Halve Maan beer. In Antwerp: De Koninck beer. In Liège: Curtius beer. Budget: 8 € – 15 €.
• Coffee capsules: A bag of 10–15 Nespresso-compatible capsules or quality ground coffee. Café Tasse (a quality Belgian brand) is available in every Belgian supermarket. Budget: 4 € – 6 €.
• Personalised printed mini-guide: A laminated A5 card with your 5 must-see recommendations for the neighbourhood (restaurant, café, deli, viewpoint, local experience). Printable at Helloprint Belgium in batches of 10 for 8 € – 12 €, i.e. around 1 € – 2 € per stay. Perceived value: very high — guests love personalised local recommendations.
• Welcome water and snacks: 2 bottles of chilled water in the fridge plus a few biscuits or fruit. Budget: 3 € – 5 €.

Presentation: Arrange the kit on the table or kitchen counter in a nice wicker basket (3 € – 8 € at Action or HEMA) with a small handwritten or printed welcome note. A handwritten note has significantly higher emotional value than a printed message.

Total welcome kit budget: 25 € – 45 € per stay. This amount can be built into your cleaning fee charged to the guest (add 10 € – 15 € to the service fee to cover the kit) or absorbed as a marketing investment (recommended for stays of 3 nights or more).

The digital property guide — your virtual concierge available 24/7

A well-structured digital guide is the backbone of the 5-star experience. It replaces all the repetitive questions and lets the guest feel self-sufficient and well informed.

Recommended tools for building your guide

Hostfully Guidebook: The most professional solution. Visually polished interface, mobile-friendly, ability to embed Google Maps, videos and booking links. Price: $12–25/month depending on the number of properties. Ideal if you manage several properties.

Notion: Completely free, very flexible, shareable via a public link. Less visual than Hostfully but perfectly functional. Ideal for owners managing a single property who want a subscription-free solution.

Google Sites: Free, simple to build, accessible from any device. An ideal option for beginners.

Recommended structure for the digital guide

• Arrival: Entry code with step-by-step photos, floor plan of the property, location of spare keys
• WiFi: Code + QR code printed in the property
• Appliances: How to use the thermostat, TV, dishwasher, washing machine (with photos)
• House rules: Quiet hours, smoking policy, pets, maximum number of occupants
• Safety: Belgian emergency numbers (112 emergencies, 100 ambulance, 101 police, 1733 on-call doctor), location of the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit
• Neighbourhood guide: Main section — see below
• Departure: Check-out time, key hand-back procedure, waste sorting

The neighbourhood guide — the local soul of your property

The neighbourhood guide is the section that truly sets your property apart. Guests can find restaurants and attractions on Google Maps — what they cannot find is your personal selection with the local context that gives each recommendation meaning.

Neighbourhood guide template for Brussels (example: Ixelles/Saint-Gilles)

• Must-do breakfast: Maison Renardy (rue de la Longue Haie, 10 min walk) — authentic Belgian brunch, booking recommended at weekends. Open Tue–Sun 8am–2pm.
• Deli: Rob Gourmet (chaussée de Wavre) — for Belgian cheeses, charcuterie and local wines. Perfect for an evening in at the apartment.
• Craft beer bar: Moeder Lambic (place Flagey) — 50 Belgian beers on tap, a must. Lively terrace in the evening.
• Fine-dining restaurant: [Your personal recommendation with context]
• Park: Parc Tenbosch (5 min walk) — ideal for a morning jog or a picnic.
• Supermarkets: Carrefour Express (rue du Bailli, 3 min, open 7 days a week until 10pm), Delhaize (chaussée d'Ixelles, 8 min, Sundays until 6pm).
• Transport: Tram 81, [Stop name] stop, 2 min away — direct to Grand-Place in 12 min. Metro Line 2, [Stop name] station, 7 min walk.

Neighbourhood guide template for Bruges (example: historic centre)

• Breathtaking view: Belfry tower (8.30am–6pm, 14 €) — go up early in the morning to avoid the queues and catch the golden-hour light.
• Local beer: De Halve Maan Brewery (tour + tasting, 12 €) — the only working brewery in the historic centre, running since 1564.
• Artisanal chocolate: The Chocolate Line (Simon Stevin) — creative chocolates, a unique experience, premium price but unforgettable.
• Authentic restaurant (off the tourist track): Avoid Grand-Place for meals — prices are 40% higher there. Head to the Sint-Anna area for local spots.
• Bikes: Rental at the town hall or Fietsen Popelier — essential for exploring the countryside around Bruges.

Handling special occasions — the detail that creates the magic

Guests booking for a birthday, a honeymoon, a wedding anniversary or a marriage proposal often tell you so in their booking message or in the notes section. Seizing on these occasions to create a memorable moment generates reviews that go well beyond the standard 5 stars.

Birthday or birthday celebration

Protocol: When a guest mentions a birthday in their booking, send a message 3 days beforehand to confirm and offer a surprise:

Hello [First name], I saw that you'll be celebrating [your birthday / someone's birthday] during your stay. I'd like to arrange a small surprise — would you like me to have a cake and champagne ready for your arrival? (20 € – 25 € supplement, or included depending on your pricing positioning).

Execution: Contact a local bakery to order an individual cake or tart (10 € – 15 €). Add a bottle of Belgian sparkling wine (Vino di Vino or a local wine merchant, 12 € – 18 €) and a few candles. Total: 25 € – 35 €. Perceived value: 80 € – 100 €.

Honeymoon or romantic getaway

Protocol: Prepare the property differently: rose petals on the bed (bought at a flower market — the Brussels Grand-Place flower market, Ghent's Bloemenmarkt, 5 € – 8 €), LED candles on the table (safety + romantic effect), a bottle of champagne or wine chilling, heart-shaped chocolates. Total budget: 20 € – 30 €. Perceived value: priceless in the review.

Extended business trip (5 nights or more)

Protocol: For business travellers staying several days, send a mid-stay message (day 2 or 3): Hello [First name], I hope your stay is going well and that everything is to your liking. Do not hesitate if you need anything at all — whether restaurant recommendations for a business dinner or practical information about the city. This message creates a sense of personalised follow-up that business travellers consistently mention in their reviews.

Cultural sensitivity — welcoming every guest appropriately

Belgium is an international destination and your short-term rental property welcomes guests from all over the world. A few cultural adjustments can significantly improve the experience for certain guest profiles.

Dutch-speaking guests (Netherlands, Flanders)

Communicate in Dutch if possible, or in English. Avoid French-centric assumptions in your communications. Dutch guests appreciate practical, direct information without excessive emphasis. Overly effusive communication can come across as artificial to them.

English-speaking guests (UK, USA, Australia, Asia)

Digital guide fully available in English (essential). Explicitly mention the presence or absence of electrical adapters in your kit (Belgian Type E sockets differ from UK ones). Provide a universal adapter (5 € – 10 €, HEMA Belgium) in the property.

Arabic-speaking guests (Gulf countries, Maghreb)

If your property is in Brussels' European quarter or in Bruges' tourist areas, Gulf clientele is significant in summer. Points of sensitivity: direction of Mecca indicated in the bedroom (Qibla app or a small marker), respecting prayer times in your communication, no alcohol in the welcome kit (replace with premium fruit juices and dates). These simple adjustments generate very loyal 5-star reviews and additional revenue in high season.

Chinese guests

Growing fast in the Belgian market since 2023. They appreciate an electric kettle (essential in their culture for tea), bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen, and a welcome note in Simplified Chinese (free translation via DeepL). The Trip.com platform (formerly Ctrip) is their main booking channel — if you are not listed there, you are missing this segment.

The post-stay sequence — loyalty and reputation

The experience does not end when the guest leaves. The post-stay sequence is crucial for maximising reviews and setting up a possible re-booking.

Post-stay message 1 — Departure confirmation (within 2h of departure)

Hello [First name], I hope your stay in [City] went really well! The apartment has just been checked and everything is perfect. Thank you for taking such good care of the place. If you're ever back in [City], feel free to book directly with us — you already know the apartment now and we'll take special care of you. Safe travels home!

Post-stay message 2 — Review request (2 days after departure)

Hello [First name], I hope you got home well from your stay in [City]. If you have a couple of minutes, a review of your experience would help us enormously — it takes 2 minutes and is very valuable to us. And if anything fell short of your expectations, please tell me directly here before posting a review — I will do everything I can to fix it. Thank you again for your trust!

Why this message works: The last sentence is the key. By inviting the guest to flag any problem to you privately before posting a review, you intercept 3-star negative reviews and turn them into opportunities to fix things.

Conclusion — The welcome is your best marketing investment

Creating a 5-star experience in short-term rental in Belgium is not a matter of budget — it's a matter of method and attention. The message templates, the 30 € welcome kit, the free digital guide and the post-stay sequence described in this article can be put in place in a single day and produce measurable results within the first few weeks.

If you would like your property to benefit from this welcome protocol implemented by professionals, or if you are looking for an Airbnb concierge in Belgium that builds excellence in hospitality into every stay, contact Hexuvium for a free audit and a personalised revenue simulation.