How to win repeat guests and get them to book direct next time
A practical guide to repeat guests: a stay worth remembering, honest consent to stay in touch, a book-direct card in the room, and perks instead of discounts.
Tai Pham
A guest who loved your villa last year already knows the pool, the walk to the beach and the way you leave fresh fruit on arrival. They do not need photos or reviews to decide. If they come back, they are often the easiest booking of your year. The problem is that most of them come back through the same OTA they found you on, or they forget your name and book somewhere else.
Winning repeat guests for a vacation rental is not about clever marketing. To get guests to book direct next time, you need three things: a stay worth remembering, an honest way to stay in touch, and a simple way to book with you directly. This guide covers each step, plus the platform rules you need to respect along the way.
Why repeat guests are worth the effort
A returning guest already trusts you. They know what they are getting, they tend to look after the place, and they are easier to talk to because you have met before. When they book directly, you also own the relationship: you can talk to them before the trip, offer something extra, and plan around their dates.
You do not need a big list for this to matter. A handful of guests who return every year, and tell a friend or two, can fill gaps in your calendar that would otherwise stay empty.
Make the stay worth remembering
No card or email will bring back a guest who had an average stay. The basics come first: a spotless room, a clear check-in, fast replies. Then add one or two things people talk about afterwards.
- A small welcome: local fruit, coffee from a nearby roaster, a handwritten note with their name.
- Local knowledge: your own list of beaches, warungs and sunset spots, not a printed brochure.
- Noticing things: a birthday, a honeymoon, a guest who mentioned they surf. A small gesture shows you were listening.
- A smooth last morning: help with luggage, a ride to the airport, a coffee before they leave.
Ask to stay in touch, honestly
The right moment is near the end of a good stay, in person or in a short note. Ask plainly, and make it easy to say no.
We really enjoyed having you. If you'd like, I can send you a short note once or twice a year when we have good dates or something new at the villa. No pressure at all, just leave your email here if you're happy to hear from us.
Only add people who say yes. Write down when and how they agreed. If you have guests from Europe, Australia or anywhere with privacy laws, this matters: consent should be clear, and every note you send should let them stop with one reply.
Leave a "book direct next time" card in the room
Your villa is your own space, so you can tell guests that they can book with you directly. A small printed card in the room or a page in your house guide works well:
- Your villa name and a short thank-you line.
- Your booking site link, and a QR code for it.
- What guests get by booking direct, such as a perk you choose (see below).
- Your WhatsApp or email for questions.
What you should not do is send your website link inside Airbnb or Booking.com messages, or ask a guest who booked on an OTA to cancel and rebook with you. That breaks platform rules and can put your listing at risk. Keep OTA conversations about the stay, and let the card in the room do the work.
Offer perks instead of discounts
Discounts train guests to wait for a deal and cut into what you earn. Perks cost you less, feel more personal, and are fully in your control.
| Perk | Why it works |
| Late checkout when the room is free | Costs nothing if no one arrives that day |
| Airport pickup | Guests value it, and you may already have a driver |
| Welcome basket | Small cost, strong first impression |
| Room upgrade when available | Fills a room that would sit empty |
| Early check-in | Easy on days with no checkout |
Offer the perk when the guest books, by message or in person, and note it on the booking so your team remembers.
Send a thank-you, then a seasonal note
A day or two after checkout, send a short thank-you. Keep it personal. Mention something from their stay. If they used an OTA, send it inside that platform's messaging and keep it about the stay.
For guests who agreed to hear from you, a seasonal note once or twice a year is enough. Write it yourself, from your own email or WhatsApp:
- Good dates coming up, such as quiet months before the busy season.
- Something new: a renovated room, a new pool deck, a yoga teacher you work with.
- The perk you offer to returning guests who book direct.
- A clear line telling them how to stop receiving notes.
Remember their preferences
Keep short notes on each returning guest: the room they liked, how they take their coffee, allergies, the kids' ages, the driver they used. When they come back, small details like these make them feel at home again.
How Santara AI helps you keep repeat guests close
Santara AI gives you the pieces that sit behind a repeat-guest habit, while the relationship itself stays with you.
Step 1
A booking site link for your room card
Every plan includes a direct booking site at yourbrand.book.santara.ai, built from the properties, rooms, photos and prices already in your workspace. Print that link on your card, with a QR code you make from it.
Step 2
The same calendar as your channels
The site sells from the same availability your channels sync to. A confirmed direct booking blocks the dates on the channels, so a returning guest cannot be double booked.
Step 3
One Guests directory
Each direct booking creates a reservation and is matched to an existing guest by email, or creates a new guest. Direct and channel guests sit in the same Guests directory, with their stays.
Step 4
Bookings that land where your team works
A new paid booking appears on the calendar and schedules cleaning tasks, like any other stay.
What Santara AI does not do
Santara AI does not send marketing emails or newsletters to past guests, and it does not send automatic post-stay or review-request emails. There are no promo codes or returning-guest prices yet. You send thank-you and seasonal notes yourself, to guests who agreed to hear from you, and you offer perks in person or by message.
FAQ
Can I message my Airbnb guests about booking direct next time?
Not through Airbnb messaging. Keep OTA messages about the stay. A card in the room or a page in your house guide, on your own property, is the honest way to share your site.
Is it fine to email every past guest?
Only those who agreed to hear from you. Ask during the stay, keep a note of their consent, and let them unsubscribe with one reply.
Should I give returning guests a discount?
A perk usually works better: late checkout, an airport pickup or a welcome basket. Santara AI has no promo codes yet, so perks are also the simplest option.
Do direct guests show up with my other guests?
Yes. In Santara AI, direct bookings are matched by email to existing guests, or create new ones, in the same Guests directory as channel guests.
Keep reading
- Direct booking website for vacation rentals: how to win repeat guests without leaving Airbnb
- The guest message playbook: 10 moments that decide your review score
- Upsells hiding in your calendar
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