Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about setup, pricing, the AI Concierge and working with your PMS, from the two Superhosts who build SmoothStay. Can’t find your question? Ask us and we’ll add it.
Getting started
What SmoothStay is, who it's for and how long setup takes.
How long does it take to set up a guidebook?
Minutes. Paste your Airbnb listing link, connect Hospitable or paste any text you already have, and the AI Guidebook Builder drafts your categories, articles, amenities and local spots. Review it, change what you like and share the link in the same sitting.
Do I need to be tech-savvy or a designer?
No. The AI Guidebook Builder writes the first draft, the design is ready to use, and you can edit every word. If you can edit a document, you can edit your guidebook.
Does SmoothStay work for hotels and B&Bs?
Yes. Most hotels and B&Bs use one guidebook for the whole property, since guests share the same Wi-Fi, breakfast and check-in, and room details come through each guest's reservation link. If some rooms or suites are very different, set them up as their own guidebooks. Over 30 rooms, contact us for a tailored plan.
Do guests actually read guidebooks?
They use them. Our analytics show roughly 80% of guests open several articles during their stay, with local recommendations read most. The rest is on demand: Wi-Fi when they arrive, parking when they need it. That's why the home screen pins your most-needed articles and the AI Concierge answers questions in plain language.
I'm moving from another guidebook tool. How does that work?
Start with one property: paste your old guidebook's text into the AI Guidebook Builder, set up your branding and check the result. Then duplicate it for your other properties and share the articles they have in common. Email hello@smoothstay.io and we'll help you move.
Plans and billing
Free plan, Host plan, cancelling and the 60-day guarantee.
How does the 60-day guarantee work?
If the Host plan isn't right for you, cancel within 60 days of your first payment and request a refund in Billing. We refund the full amount you paid, monthly or annual, within 5 business days, and your bank may take up to 10 more days to show it. The 60 days start at your first payment, so the free trial doesn't use them up. A refund closes your account and deletes your guidebooks, so copy anything you want to keep first. The guarantee is once per customer and covers subscriptions started on or after October 16, 2026.
Terms and conditions apply.Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, with no fees. Cancel in Billing and your plan stays active until the end of the period you paid for, then stops renewing. After the 60-day guarantee, annual plans run to the end of the year and aren't refunded.
Do you offer a free plan?
Yes. The Free Starter plan is free forever, with no credit card: the AI Guidebook Builder, one property with unlimited articles, automatic translation, secure share links and deep links, QR codes and basic analytics. The Host plan adds the AI Concierge, the AI Writing Assistant, guest registration, OTA compliance tools, time-based reservation links and your own branding. You can try it free for 14 days.
How is the Host plan priced?
Per unit, where one unit is one guidebook. Billed yearly, it's $5.90 a month for your first unit and $3.90 for each extra one, which works out to 4 months free compared with monthly billing. Billed monthly, it's $8.90 for the first unit and $5.90 for each extra one. Over 30 units, we build a tailored plan.
Guidebook content and layout
Articles, categories, the home screen and local recommendations.
Can I use one article across several properties?
Yes. Give the article and the properties the same tag and it appears in each of those guidebooks; edit it once and it updates everywhere. For details that differ, like the Wi-Fi password, use placeholders such as {{UNIT:WIFI_PASSWORD}}, which fill in each property's own value, for the AI Concierge too. For a one-off, restrict the article to a single property.
Do shared links update when I change my guidebook?
Yes. Content, branding and home screen changes show up right away on every link and QR code you've already shared, so there's nothing to resend.
Can each property have its own home screen?
Yes. The welcome title and subtitle, the background (image, slideshow or video), the pinned shortcuts and the branding are all set per property.
Can I use a video background?
Yes. Paste a YouTube or Vimeo link, or any embeddable video. It plays automatically on computers; on phones it only autoplays if you turn that on, which saves guests' mobile data.
How is this different from Airbnb's guidebook?
Airbnb's guidebook lives inside the Airbnb app, so guests who book direct or through Vrbo never see it. Your SmoothStay recommendations and map work for every guest, whatever the booking channel, next to the rest of your guidebook. Places come from Google, which covers most of the world.
What comes in when I import a place from Google?
The address, phone number, website, star rating, map location and a starter description, all editable. Photos aren't imported, since Google's are often poor or unclear to license, so add your own.
Can I add places that aren't on Google?
Yes. Add them by hand and they work the same way, map included. The Show on map toggle on each article decides what appears on the map.
AI Concierge and AI tools
The AI Concierge, the AI Guidebook Builder and the writing assistant.
What AI tools are included?
Three. The AI Guidebook Builder drafts your guidebook from a listing link or any text, on every plan, the free one included. The AI Writing Assistant polishes or expands your articles, and the AI Concierge answers guests' questions from your content, right inside the guidebook. Both come with the Host plan.
What does the AI Concierge do?
It answers guest questions in a chat inside your guidebook, in plain language, using your articles and the AI data sources you add (guests never see those). It doesn't search the internet or invent answers: if your content doesn't cover something, it says so and flags the question for you. Guests open it from the guidebook link on any device, with nothing to install, and keyword search stays available in the top right corner.
What if the AI Concierge gives a wrong answer?
Guests can rate every answer: thumbs up, thumbs down with a reason, or a flag when it couldn't answer. You see all of it in your dashboard, so you know which articles to improve, and you can get an email whenever a question goes unanswered. Changes you save reach the Concierge within about five minutes.
What does the AI Concierge do with guest data?
It reads your guidebook, your AI data sources and the question the guest types. It doesn't see reservation details or guest contact information. Conversations are saved in your dashboard for you to review. The language model is provided by OpenAI; our Privacy Policy has the details.
Which languages do the AI tools work in?
The AI Concierge replies in whatever language the guest writes in. The AI Writing Assistant writes in your guidebook's language. And when guests switch the guidebook to another language, the page translation covers everything on screen, Concierge answers included.
Does the AI Concierge cost extra?
No. It's included in the Host plan while it's in beta. If we ever add usage limits, we'll tell you well in advance.
Do I need an Airbnb listing to use the AI Guidebook Builder?
No. An Airbnb link is the fastest start, but you can also connect Hospitable or paste text from anywhere: your listing description, a Canva welcome book or a printed guide.
What does the AI Writing Assistant do?
Give it at least 40 characters of notes and it either polishes your text or expands it into a full article, using the article's title and category for context. Pick a tone in Settings → AI; it applies to your whole account.
Translation and languages
How your guidebook works in your guests' languages.
Which languages does SmoothStay support?
Over 100, including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Arabic. Guests pick their language in the guidebook header and the page translates instantly. It's included on every plan, the free one too, with no limits.
How accurate is the translation?
It's machine translation: reliable for everyday information like Wi-Fi, parking and house rules, less so for jokes or idioms. Text inside photos isn't translated, so put important details in the article text.
Sharing and guest access
Share links, reservation links, deep links, QR codes and your custom slug.
What is a guidebook slug, and can I change it?
The slug is the end of your guidebook's address, like casa-koba in app.smoothstay.io/guide/casa-koba. Each property gets one from its name, and you can change it using letters, numbers and dashes. If it's taken, we add a number. Changing a slug breaks every link you've already shared, including QR codes and deep links, so set it before you share.
What is a deep link?
A link that opens your guidebook at a specific article, subcategory or category instead of the home screen. Click the share icon next to any item in Content to copy it, then send it in a message or turn it into a QR code, like a Wi-Fi card by the router.
Do deep links and QR codes respect my privacy and OTA settings?
Yes. They follow the rules of the link they come from. An article hidden from OTA guests stays hidden, and a restricted article such as a door code only opens during the guest's stay.
Do QR codes expire?
Only reservation-link codes do: they belong to one guest and stop at check-out. Codes made from your general share link or a deep link keep working for every guest, so you can print them once. Any SmoothStay link can become a QR code from its share window, sharp enough for cards and signs.
What is lead time?
How long before check-in restricted content, like door codes and directions, appears on a guest's reservation link. Set a default in Settings → Reservations and change it for one reservation when someone needs earlier access. For a late check-out, change the check-out time on the reservation and restricted content stays until then.
What happens to a reservation link after check-out?
The link keeps working, but restricted content disappears at check-out time. Guests can still see everything else, like your local recommendations and house rules.
Privacy and OTA compliance
Restricted content, security tokens and what OTA guests can see.
Is my guidebook private and secure?
Yes. It opens only through links with a unique security token, and it never shows up in Google. Reservation links show sensitive details like door codes only from your lead time until check-out, and articles you restrict never appear on public or general share links.
What's the difference between share, reservation and public links?
General share links have a security token and no time limits, which suits co-hosts and cleaners. Reservation links belong to one guest and only show restricted content during their stay. Public links have no token and suit hotels or marketing; restricted articles never appear on them.
What should I mark as restricted?
Anything only a current guest should see: door and gate codes, lock box combinations, the full address, alarm instructions, Wi-Fi details. A good test: would you mind if it ended up in a forwarded screenshot? If so, restrict it.
How do I stop a link from working?
Regenerate the security token and every general share link and deep link made from it stops working; reservation links aren't affected. To take the whole guidebook offline, switch it to inactive, and switch it back when you're ready.
What does OTA compliance hide?
For guests who booked through an OTA like Airbnb, Vrbo or Booking.com, SmoothStay hides the articles you've marked as marketing and turns off data-collecting widgets like the marketing opt-in. Everything guests need for their stay stays visible. Reservation links apply this automatically from the booking source; on general links you switch Restricted on yourself. Choose which booking sources count as OTAs in Settings → Reservations.
Does SmoothStay make me compliant with my OTAs?
It enforces your choices reliably, but you make them: which articles count as marketing, which sources are OTAs and which links are restricted. Platform rules change, so review your channels' terms from time to time. When in doubt, mark it.
What if a guest booked direct but I'm messaging them on Airbnb?
Send a restricted link. Airbnb's rules apply to anything sent through its messages, wherever the booking came from. For direct guests, the safer option is to email them the unrestricted link instead.
Guest registration and contacts
Registration forms, registered guests and your contact list.
Can I require registration on some properties and not others?
Yes. Each property can be Off, Optional (guests can skip the form) or Required (guests register before opening the guidebook). Registered guests appear in Contacts with the property they registered through.
Which fields can the registration form ask for?
Name, phone, language, country and a marketing opt-in with your own label. Show, hide or require each one. Email is always required, because it identifies each contact. The settings apply to all your properties.
Do I need a privacy policy?
Yes. Collecting guest emails or phone numbers falls under data protection laws almost everywhere, so the form turns on once you add a privacy policy link in Settings → Brand. No website? Free tools like Termly or iubenda give you a hosted policy link.
How does registration work for OTA guests?
On OTA-restricted links, the marketing opt-in is always hidden, and you can hide the whole form too. On reservation links, you choose which booking sources trigger this. You're still responsible for following each OTA's rules, so check their terms for your setup.
Can it collect IDs for legal guest registration?
Not yet. The form collects contact details (name, email, phone, language and country), not the IDs or signatures that laws like Spain's SES Hospedajes or Italy's Alloggiati Web require. It's on our roadmap.
Can I export my contacts and reservations?
Yes, as CSV files, any time. Contacts keep their consent status and source; reservations include the guest, dates, property, booking source and status. SmoothStay doesn't send marketing emails: you send them from Mailchimp, HubSpot or whichever tool you use.
Branding
Your logo, colors, footer and custom domain.
Can each property have its own branding?
Yes. Your account branding is the default for every guidebook, and each property can override the logo, colors, welcome media and website link. Run several brands from one account if you need to.
Can I use my own domain?
Not yet. You can change the end of your guidebook's address (app.smoothstay.io/guide/your-name), and custom domains are on our roadmap.
Integrations and PMS
PMS integrations, Hospitable and webhooks.
Does SmoothStay work with my PMS, or without one?
Both. Hospitable is live: connect it to import your properties and create reservation links automatically. OwnerRez is in development. Webhooks send guest and reservation events to Zapier, Make or your own tools. No PMS? Add a reservation by hand, from any booking source, and every reservation-link feature works the same way. Tell us which PMS you use on our Feedback Hub.
How long does it take to connect Hospitable?
About five minutes for a single property. Authorizing takes a minute, and the rest is matching your listings to guidebooks.
Will every Hospitable reservation get a guidebook?
Every confirmed reservation on a property you've matched. Inquiries and unconfirmed holds are skipped until they're confirmed.
What happens if a reservation changes in Hospitable?
Date changes, guest changes and cancellations flow through from Hospitable. The access window follows the new dates, and cancelled stays lose access.
Can I control when guests get access?
Yes. You set how many days before check-in the link opens, and it closes automatically after check-out.
Do I need technical help to connect Hospitable?
No. There's nothing to install and no API keys to handle. If you can log in to Hospitable, you can connect it.
Do I need to write code to use webhooks?
No. Most hosts connect an automation tool such as Zapier, Make or Activepieces: paste its webhook (catch hook) URL into SmoothStay and build the rest with the tool's own steps. Any endpoint that accepts POST requests over HTTPS works. You only need the technical reference if you're building directly against the data.
Do webhooks replace the Hospitable integration?
No, they do different jobs. Hospitable brings reservations into SmoothStay; webhooks send SmoothStay records out to your other tools. Many hosts run both.
What happens if a webhook delivery fails?
We try each delivery up to three times. If your endpoint keeps failing, we deactivate the webhook and email your organization's admin. Fix it, send a successful test event and delivery resumes; events from the downtime aren't resent. To see what happened, open the Logs tab and click Debug on a delivery: you'll see the status your endpoint returned, its response and the exact payload we sent.
How do I verify and deduplicate webhook events?
Compare the X-SmoothStay-Secret header with your stored secret using a plain string match, and reject anything that doesn't match. Delivery is at-least-once and not ordered, so deduplicate on the X-SmoothStay-Delivery header and use X-SmoothStay-Timestamp to tell which update is newer.
Can I pause webhook events without losing my setup?
Yes: deselect all events. Disconnecting is permanent and deletes your endpoint settings, secret and delivery logs.
Analytics and feedback
What you can measure and how guests leave feedback.
What does Analytics show?
What guests do in each guidebook: page and article views, AI Concierge questions and feedback, link and map clicks, article hearts and comments, and registrations. Filter by property, action and date range (up to 90 days), as charts or as a detailed list.
How does Analytics protect guest privacy?
Names only appear for guests who registered or opened a reservation link; everyone else shows as Unidentified. We don't log IP addresses or fingerprint browsers. Region comes from the device's time zone, so it's approximate.
Multiple properties and teams
Running several properties and team accounts.
What if I manage multiple properties?
Add as many as you need on the Host plan (the free plan has one). Manage them from one dashboard, share articles across them and update once. Over 30 units, we build a tailored plan.
Do I have to set up each property from scratch?
No. Duplicate a finished property and it keeps its branding, language, OTA settings and shared articles. Then change only what differs, like the name, address, Wi-Fi and photos.
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