Why It Matters
How it Works
1
Set your default lead time once
Open Settings → Reservations and set the lead time that fits your operation. SmoothStay defaults to 14 days, which gives guests two weeks before check-in to read through restricted content like door codes, directions, and parking info. Adjust shorter or longer based on how far in advance your guests typically plan their trips.
2
Mark sensitive articles as restricted
Inside any article's Visibility tab, under Sharing and security, toggle on Restrict access. Door codes, directions, gate codes, anything you only want the current guest to see during their stay window. The setting applies across every reservation automatically.
3
Create reservations and share
Add a reservation. Set check-in and check-out times. Override the lead time for that specific reservation if needed. Send the reservation link to the guest. The system handles the timing from there — restricted content unlocks at your lead time, locks again at check-out.
Pricing
Time-based reservation access is part of the reservation link system, included on every paid plan.
How to Set Time-Based Reservations in Your Guidebook Like a Pro
A 14-day lead time is the right default for most operations. It gives guests two full weeks before arrival to read through the guidebook, plan their trip, and find the practical info they need — door code, directions, parking, wifi — without rushing the day of arrival. Shorter lead times (24–48 hours) work for last-minute or business-travel hosts where guests genuinely don't think about the stay until the day before. Longer lead times (a month or more) start to expose sensitive content earlier than necessary; 14 days is the sweet spot for most leisure stays.
Override the lead time per reservation rather than changing your default. If a single guest needs earlier access — they're flying in three days early to scout the area, they're a returning Superhost asking for early code access, whatever — adjust just that reservation. Your default stays sensible for everyone else.
Check the "Guidebook Last Seen On" column in your Reservations dashboard a day or two before check-in. Even with a 14-day lead time, some guests don't open the link until they need it. If a guest hasn't opened theirs yet, send a quick reminder. The lead time only matters if the guest actually opens the link before they need the info — and a 30-second nudge solves the most common arrival-day problem (guest at the door, can't find the code).
