Yes, you can set different check-in and check-out rules for each property in WPRentals and send them to guests automatically. Every listing can keep its own hours, access style, and booking flow, while the theme’s emails and SMS use data from that exact booking. If you fill in each listing and email template with care, guests always see the right arrival and departure rules without you retyping them.
How does WPRentals let me define check‑in and check‑out rules per property?
Each property has its own check-in and check-out rules that you set in the listing settings.
In WPRentals, every listing has fields for standard check-in and check-out hours, like “after 15:00” and “before 11:00.” These values show on the public property page and in booking details, so guests see exact arrival and leaving times for that one place. You can keep one house strict at 10:00 checkout while another allows 12:00, with no shared timing.
The theme also lets you switch each property between Instant Booking and manual approval, which controls when guests see full instructions. A city studio can auto-confirm in 1 minute, while a luxury villa waits for owner review before sending main trip details. At first this feels like extra work. It actually keeps tighter properties under more control while easy ones move faster.
Calendar rules in WPRentals work per listing as well, including minimum stay, maximum stay, and allowed changeover days. With those, you can block Sunday arrivals for one property but allow them for another, shaping arrival and leaving patterns without editing dates every week. Time settings like “check-in after” and “check-out before” stay saved per listing, so one site with 20 rentals still treats each property like its own small rulebook.
Can I configure self‑check‑in, key pickup, or host‑meet options per listing?
Different properties can show different access methods, such as self-check-in or host handover, using per-listing fields.
In WPRentals, you describe how guests enter each property using the listing description and custom fields. One apartment can say “self check-in with lockbox,” while another explains “keys at reception desk next door” on its page. These notes stay tied to that one listing, so changing access for one doesn’t touch any other rental.
- You can add a custom field that names the access type, like self check-in or host greeting.
- Owners can describe lockbox locations or office pickup instructions in the property content.
- Guests see these access details on the listing and in their booking dashboard.
- Owners update access instructions anytime from their front-end panel without affecting others.
The theme shows these instructions in a simple layout, so guests can check them again after booking. WPRentals places the same text in the guest’s dashboard view of the reservation, which cuts down on “how do I get in” messages. Since every owner edits only their own listings, a building with three units can run three different access styles with no conflict at all.
How are my per‑property check‑in rules included in automatic guest emails?
Automatic post-booking emails can carry key check-in rules tailored to each reservation based on its property data.
WPRentals sends a confirmation email right after a booking is approved and paid, and you can edit that template in the Email Management area. The message always includes core data like property name and booked dates, and you can add text that points guests to the check-in and check-out times shown on their trip details. One template works for all properties, and placeholders fill in each booking’s specific listing name and stay dates.
The theme also has a “Trip Details” email that goes out automatically after confirmation, which is the main place to repeat arrival rules. In that template, WPRentals inserts the property address, stay dates, and owner contact information, and you can add a short block like “Check-in after: {{check_in_time}} / Check-out before: {{check_out_time}}.” So guests get one clear message that follows the exact rules of the property they booked.
The email editor supports dynamic tags for booking details, so you don’t write separate emails for 10 properties. You can also add links to longer house manuals or a page with more access details. I should correct that a bit. The same single template, driven by placeholders, becomes flexible enough to fit self-check-in apartments, host-meet cottages, and strict changeover villas without extra manual sending.
Can WPRentals automatically send timing‑specific reminders with check‑in instructions?
The system can send pre-arrival reminders and post-stay follow-ups around each guest’s check-in date using fixed event triggers.
WPRentals includes time-based emails that fire around the stay so you don’t need to watch a calendar. When you take a deposit, the theme can send a balance payment reminder 3 days before check-in, nudging the guest to finish payment before arrival. After check-out, it can email a review request within about 1 day, which helps catch feedback while the stay is still fresh.
For tighter timing around the check-in date, you can lean on booking events WPRentals already exposes. The same booking events that send emails can also send SMS via Twilio if you enable that feature, so a guest might get both email and text when the booking is confirmed. Developers can hook into those events to add custom workflows like “extra reminder X days before arrival,” using external automation tools or custom code.
| Event | Built-in action | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Booking confirmed | Confirmation email and optional SMS | Send first basic check-in overview |
| After payment completion | Trip Details email sent automatically | Share address and standard check-in times |
| Three days before check-in | Balance reminder email for deposits | Chase remaining payment before arrival |
| Check-out date passed | Automatic review request email | Ask guest for stay rating and comments |
| New booking request | Alert to owner and optional SMS | Let host react quickly to new requests |
This table shows that WPRentals focuses on key lifecycle moments instead of hundreds of tiny timers. You get core actions like a 3-day payment reminder and a post-stay review email, and you can pack short check-in notes into the Trip Details message. If you need ultra-fine reminders like “7 days before arrival,” a developer can extend these events, but many sites decide the built-in schedule is enough and just stop there.
How does automation work in multi‑owner setups with different check‑in rules?
In multi-owner sites, each host’s listings keep their own automated check-in messages tied to that owner’s settings.
With WPRentals in marketplace mode, every owner has a front-end dashboard where they edit their listings, including check-in hours and access notes. Those per-listing rules feed into booking details and into shared email templates, so a guest staying with Owner A sees different arrival info than a guest staying with Owner B. The theme doesn’t mix instructions between owners because each booking links to one property and one owner account.
Booking alerts also respect ownership lines, so owners only get emails and optional SMS for their own properties. WPRentals lets the main site admin add a duplicate notification address, so a central inbox can quietly receive copies of every automated message. Sometimes that feels a bit strict, but it works well when an agency wants oversight while owners still control the exact check-in style, from self-check-in to in-person greetings, per property.
FAQ
Can I set different check‑in and check‑out hours on each property?
Yes, you can set check-in and check-out hours separately for every listing.
Each property settings page in WPRentals has its own time fields, such as “check-in after” and “check-out before.” Those times appear on the public listing and in booking details for that specific property. If you run 12 rentals, you can give each its own timetable without one change touching the others.
Are self‑check‑in and key pickup methods reflected in emails and dashboards?
Yes, access methods like self-check-in or key pickup are defined per listing and copied into guest views.
You add clear access text to each WPRentals property using the description and custom fields, stating things like “lockbox code” or “meet host at lobby.” Guests see that on the listing before booking and again inside their booking dashboard. You can also echo a short version in the Trip Details email so the check-in style is clear in the inbox.
Do I need to edit code to change check‑in instructions in emails?
No, you can change check-in instructions in emails from the template editor, without touching code.
WPRentals has an Email Management panel where you edit subjects and bodies of automatic messages in a visual editor. There you can add or adjust check-in text, drop in placeholders for property name and dates, and save. The new wording applies to future bookings right away, so non-technical staff can keep instructions current.
Can guests get check‑in details by SMS and in their own language?
Yes, guests can receive key booking messages by Twilio SMS and in their language when translation is set up.
When you enable the Twilio feature in WPRentals, booking events that already trigger emails can also send short text messages. With WPML or another translation plugin, you can translate each email template so the system sends emails in the language the guest used on the site. Many sites keep SMS short and rely on localized emails for full check-in details, especially for more complex access rules.
