Thomas K. manages three Airbnb properties in Vienna. Like most superhosts, he had a solid review score, consistent occupancy, and a steady stream of new guests through the Airbnb platform. What he didn't have was any relationship with those guests after they checked out.
"Every guest was a stranger," he told us. "They stayed, they left a review, and that was it. I had no way to reach them directly — no email, no phone number, nothing."
That changed when he set up guest Wi-Fi with Heidifi. Within the first stay, he had a verified email address for his guest. Within three months, he had a growing list of past guests he could actually market to. His repeat booking rate went up 23%.
Here's how it works — and how you can do the same.
The Core Problem for Airbnb Hosts
Airbnb's platform is excellent for discovery. But it's designed to keep the guest relationship on Airbnb. Hosts can't easily export guest contact details, and direct communication outside the platform is limited by Airbnb's messaging policies.
The result: most hosts have no durable relationship with their past guests. When a guest wants to return, they go back to Airbnb, search again, and may or may not find your listing — or may book a competitor.
Guest Wi-Fi solves this. Not by doing anything aggressive, but by creating a lawful, consensual moment of contact at the very start of every stay.
The Guest Wi-Fi Flow
Here's what happens when a guest arrives at Thomas's property:
Step 1: They connect to Wi-Fi. The moment a guest joins the network, they're redirected to Thomas's branded portal — a clean, mobile-optimized page with his property name, a welcome message, and a simple form.
Step 2: Reservation verification. Guests confirm their Airbnb reservation details. This ties their identity to an actual booking — no walk-ins, no unverified contacts.
Step 3: Email capture with consent. The guest enters their email address and confirms they're happy to receive follow-up messages from Thomas. This is purpose-specific consent — they know what they're signing up for.
Step 4: Digital property guide. Instead of a paper binder on the kitchen counter, guests land on a mobile-optimized digital guide. House rules, Wi-Fi details, parking instructions, local restaurant recommendations, and in-stay upsell options (late checkout, local tours) — all in one place.
Step 5: The guest is online. The whole process takes under a minute.
What Happens After They Check Out
This is where the repeat booking leverage comes in.
Once Thomas has a verified email address and consent, he can reach that guest directly. Heidifi's automation engine handles this:
Checkout trigger: The day a guest checks out, an automated message goes out — thanking them for their stay, asking for an honest review, and mentioning that he also takes direct bookings for their next visit.
Post-stay follow-up: Two weeks later, another automated message. Not pushy — just a brief note with a seasonal offer or an upcoming availability window for dates that tend to book out.
Seasonal campaigns: Before summer or winter, Thomas sends a campaign to all past guests with early access to peak availability. Past guests who've already experienced the property are more likely to book again than a cold lead from Airbnb.
You don't need a large guest list to start seeing results. Even 50 verified past-guest contacts represent a meaningful direct marketing channel — people who have already stayed with you, already like you, and are much cheaper to convert than a new Airbnb booking.
The Direct Booking Angle
Airbnb charges service fees — typically around 14–16% on top of the nightly rate, split between guest and host. On a €150/night booking for a 3-night stay, that's meaningful money on both sides.
When a past guest books directly with Thomas — via email, or a direct booking link — those fees disappear. The guest pays less. Thomas earns more. Everyone benefits.
Getting a guest to book directly doesn't require a complex system. It requires:
- Their contact details (which Wi-Fi capture provides)
- Their consent to receive messages (which the portal flow collects)
- A simple, low-friction way to inquire or book
Thomas started with a direct booking email and a Stripe payment link. Simple. The contact list is the hard part — and that's what the Wi-Fi portal builds automatically.
What You Need to Set This Up
You need two things: an access point that supports captive portal redirection (Heidifi currently works with HPE Instant On access points, which are affordable and widely available), and a Heidifi account.
Setup takes about 15 minutes:
- Connect the access point to your network
- Configure your SSID in Heidifi
- Build your portal flow in the no-code visual builder (splash page, terms, email form, OTP, digital guide)
- Set up your post-stay automation
- Done
Your first guest will be in your CRM the moment they connect.
The Numbers
Thomas's experience isn't unique. Across Heidifi's STR operator base, the patterns are consistent:
- Verified contact capture rate: Most operators capture emails from the majority of guests who connect to Wi-Fi
- Consent rate: Guests who are shown a clear, honest opt-in form (not buried in terms) consent at high rates — particularly when they understand it means better service and local tips
- Repeat booking improvement: Operators who run post-stay automation consistently see improvements in return-guest rates within the first 90 days
The 23% repeat booking rate increase Thomas saw is consistent with what happens when you turn a transient guest relationship into a durable one.
What You Should Not Do
A few things worth noting:
Don't send marketing without consent. The portal flow includes a consent checkbox. Don't skip it to increase your capture rate. Sending unsolicited marketing is a GDPR violation, and it erodes trust with the guests you're trying to build a relationship with.
Don't overwhelm guests with messages. The automation Thomas uses sends two messages after check-out — one immediately and one two weeks later. That's enough. A monthly newsletter to past guests is fine. Weekly promotional emails are not.
Don't block Wi-Fi access to coerce data. Your portal flow should be frictionless. The goal is a willing opt-in from a guest who sees the value — not a gate that forces data out of an annoyed traveller. Heidifi's flow builder is designed for conversion, not coercion.
Getting Started
If you're an Airbnb host or short-term rental operator, the first step is simple: start a free trial on the Starter plan. One venue, basic flow, up to 100 contacts. Once you've seen how it works, upgrading to Growth gives you unlimited contacts, full automation, and email + SMS campaigns.
The guest list you don't have yet is the biggest missed opportunity in your business. Every guest who stays without leaving their contact details is a relationship that never starts.
Thomas K. is an Airbnb Superhost in Vienna. Quote used with permission.