Homestay and Resort Guest Journey Checklist: Before to After

Guests rarely remember the exact price of a stay, but they remember how it felt: how fast you replied, whether the room was ready, whether the bill matched the quote. This checklist follows a guest through the five stages of a stay at a homestay, lodge or resort and flags the small mistakes that most often cost repeat business. It is written for owner-run places in Nepal, where a few good habits make a visible difference.

Stage 1: The enquiry

First impressions form in the first reply. Guests often message several properties and book with the one that answers clearly. Reply on the same day, even if only to say that you will confirm availability within a few hours. Then check:

• Did I check the calendar before saying the room is free?
• Did I give a total price, not just a nightly rate?
• Did I say what is included and what is extra?
• Did I mention the advance and the cancellation policy?
• Did I ask for a contact number that works on WhatsApp?

The common mistake here is a vague reply such as "the price is fixed", with no mention of the number of guests, meals or taxes. The guest then assumes the best, and arrives surprised.

Stage 2: The confirmation

Once the guest says yes, send a written confirmation. Include the dates, room or cottage, number of guests, package, total, advance received, balance due, directions or a map pin and a phone number. Ask them to tell you their expected arrival time and any special needs, such as a vegetarian diet or an early-morning departure. A simple message sent within minutes of payment builds confidence.

Software helps by generating the message from the booking so details are never mistyped. It also gives you a record of what was promised, which you can check if a guest later remembers it differently.

Stage 3: The arrival

Prepare the day before. Look at the arrivals list, confirm the room is clean, check that meals are planned and ask whoever drives or arranges pickups to confirm timings. On the day, greet the guest, offer a drink, record ID details and explain the essentials: meal times, Wi-Fi, hot water, power backup and any local customs you would like them to respect.

Mistakes at arrival

• The room is not ready because nobody told housekeeping about an early arrival.
• The guest has to repeat details that they already gave on WhatsApp.
• The ID details are written in a notebook that nobody can find later.
• Advance payment is not found because the family member who received it is away.

Stage 4: The stay

During the stay, small touches matter most. Keep track of extras as they happen: extra meals, drinks, laundry, a guide or a boat ride. If you leave this to the end, you will forget some of it and the guest will wonder why the bill changed. Where the bill is a running account in your software, anyone on duty can add an item in seconds.

Ask once, politely, mid-stay whether everything is fine. Guests are far more likely to mention a small problem to you now than to write about it online later. Fix what you can on the spot.

Stage 5: The departure and follow-up

1. Prepare the bill before the guest asks. Review it together line by line.
2. Apply any taxes and service charge exactly as shown on your quote. If you charge VAT or a service charge, check the current rules with the relevant authorities and make sure your bill layout matches what you said earlier.
3. Deduct the advance and show the balance clearly.
4. Take payment and issue a receipt. Record the payment method.
5. Thank the guest and, if appropriate, ask them to share feedback or photos.
6. A day or two later, send a short thank-you message on WhatsApp.

After they leave

This is the stage most small properties skip. Save the guest's details, noting preferences such as favourite room, dietary needs or their group. Next season, a message saying you hope to host them again is more effective than any advertisement. Keep a list of repeat guests and agents who send regular business, and thank them in a way that suits you.

Guests with special needs

Elderly guests, families with small children, and people with dietary requirements notice care more than anything else. Record these needs when you take the booking, not when the guest arrives. A ground-floor room for someone who cannot climb stairs, or a plain meal for a child, costs you little and is remembered. Add such notes to the booking so that whoever is on duty sees them.

Summary table

Stage	Key action	Common mistake
Enquiry	Quick, clear total price	Vague or late reply
Confirmation	Written details on WhatsApp	Verbal promises only
Arrival	Ready room, recorded ID	Room not cleaned in time
Stay	Post extras as they happen	Remembering everything at the end
Departure	Bill matches quote	Surprise charges
Follow-up	Thank-you and saved preferences	No contact after departure

Making it a habit

Print this checklist or turn it into a short routine for your family or staff. Review it once a month by asking: which stage caused most problems? Fix that stage first. Software can support each step by holding the calendar, the confirmation text, the guest account and the history, but the habits are yours.

See how WebsNP sets this up in homestay and resort software, and if you have a restaurant on site, look at restaurant POS software. Send your property details on WhatsApp to +977 9846280400 and we will arrange a demo.

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