Features · Guest guidebook
Digital guest guidebook for hostels
The moment a guest's online check-in completes, their guidebook opens — a no-install web app with their own live door codes, self check-in photos, WiFi, house rules, local recommendations and emergency contacts, all working offline once loaded. A departure checklist follows on checkout morning.
What is a digital guest guidebook, and how does it work at a hostel?
A digital guest guidebook is a mobile web app that replaces the printed folder in a hostel room — arrival instructions, WiFi, rules, local tips and contacts, kept current centrally instead of reprinted on paper. In EZ2Stay, the guidebook opens automatically once a guest's online check-in completes, at a tokenized link unique to their booking. It runs as a PWA with no install and works offline, showing the guest's own live access codes, self check-in instructions with photos, WiFi details, house rules, local recommendations, transport links, emergency contacts and an FAQ — plus a room-ready status section when the owner has that feature turned on.
| Capability | Limit | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Opens automatically at a tokenized link when check-in completes | guest interface is English today; more guest languages are on the roadmap | Live |
| Runs as a PWA — no app-store install, works offline | offline access covers content already loaded before going offline | Live |
| Shows the guest's own live access codes and lock status | codes shown are this guest's own, refreshed from the same system that issues them | Live |
| Self check-in instructions with photos: gate, entrance, dorm, locker | photos are set once per property, not personalized per guest | Live |
| Local recommendations, transport links, WiFi, house rules, emergency contacts, FAQ | content is written and kept current by the owner, not sourced automatically | Live |
| Departure checklist sent the morning of checkout | send time is configurable by the owner; checklist content is a fixed template | Live |
How it works
- Check-in completes. The moment a guest finishes their online check-in — details, payment, ID, selfie, rules — their guidebook link is ready.
- The guidebook opens on their phone. A tokenized link, sent via the guest's preferred channel, opens a PWA in the browser — nothing to install.
- Self check-in instructions guide them in. Photos walk them through gate, entrance, dorm and locker, alongside their own live access codes.
- Everything else they need is one scroll away. WiFi, house rules, local recommendations, transport links, emergency contacts and an FAQ, available offline once loaded.
- A checklist arrives on checkout morning. The guest gets a departure checklist — bags, rented items, locker, unmade bed — before their checkout time.
What the owner configures
| Setting | Default | Who can change it |
|---|---|---|
| Which guidebook sections are shown | all sections on | Owner |
| Local recommendations, FAQ, house-rules content | owner-written | Owner |
| Room-ready status section | shown only if room-ready notifications are enabled | Owner |
| Departure checklist send time | 08:00 on checkout day | Owner |
| Guest interface language | English | Not configurable yet — more languages on the roadmap |
This guidebook runs in production at Popcorn Hostel, Bucharest — 49 beds, 63 smart locks — where every guest's link opens automatically at check-in, with their own codes and the building's self check-in instructions ready before they arrive.
Not a fit if
- You need the guest interface in a language other than English — that's on the roadmap, not live today.
- You want an AI chatbot answering guest questions inside the guide — content is owner-written today, not a conversational assistant.
- You want a printed guidebook instead of a digital one — EZ2Stay's guide is web-only, a PWA, with no physical binder to hand over.
Frequently asked questions about EZ2Stay for hostels
When does a guest get their guidebook?
Automatically, the moment their online check-in completes — no separate request or download needed.
Do guests need to install an app?
No. The guidebook runs in the browser as a PWA — nothing to install, and it works offline once loaded.
What languages is the guidebook available in?
English today. More guest languages are on the roadmap, not live yet.
Does the guidebook show the guest their own door codes?
Yes — the guest's live access codes and lock status are shown in the guide, refreshed from the same system that issues them.
What happens on checkout day?
The guest gets a departure checklist that morning — bags, rented items, locker, unmade bed — before their checkout time, at an owner-configurable send time.