How to Stop Guests Texting You at 2am

The 2am Problem

It's the middle of the night. You're finally in that deep sleep stage. Then your phone buzzes.

"Hey, quick question - what's the WiFi password?"

You squint at your screen, half asleep, slightly annoyed but also worried about your response time affecting your ratings. You type out the answer, hit send, and try to get back to sleep.

Thirty minutes later, just as you're drifting off again:

"Thanks! Also, where's the thermostat?"

If you host on Airbnb, Vrbo, or any short-term rental platform, this scenario probably isn't hypothetical. It's your life. And it's exhausting.

Why Guests Text So Late

Before we solve the problem, let's understand why it happens.

They're Not Trying to Annoy You

First things first: most guests aren't being inconsiderate. They're just operating on holiday brain. They've been out exploring, came back late, and now they need something. To them, sending a text feels less intrusive than calling.

They probably assume you'll just answer in the morning if you're asleep. What they don't realise is that every notification pulls you out of sleep, even if you don't respond.

Time Zones Are Tricky

If you host travelers from overseas, their internal clock might be completely off. When they text you at 2am, it's 2pm where they're from. They're wide awake and don't think twice about sending a message.

Evening Is When Questions Happen

Think about when guests actually use your property. They're out during the day, then come back in the evening. That's when they try to use the TV, adjust the heating, find the extra towels, or figure out how the shower works.

Peak question time is between 8pm and midnight. And some of those questions will inevitably spill into the early hours.

They Don't Know Where Else to Look

This is the key insight: guests text you because it's the path of least resistance.

Sure, you might have a welcome book. You might have sent detailed check-in instructions. But when someone has a question, reaching for their phone and texting the host is faster than hunting for information.

You've trained them (unintentionally) that you're the search engine for the property.

The Wrong Solutions

Let's address some common advice that doesn't actually work.

"Just Turn Off Notifications at Night"

This sounds reasonable until you remember that platforms like Airbnb factor response time into your rankings. Slow responses can hurt your visibility. And if there's an actual emergency - a water leak, a lockout, a safety issue - you need to know.

Turning off notifications isn't a solution; it's just trading one problem for another.

"Send More Detailed Check-in Instructions"

You probably already send thorough instructions. The issue isn't the information - it's the format. A long message or email gets skimmed once and forgotten. When guests need something specific three days later, they're not going back to scroll through paragraphs.

"Tell Guests Not to Message After a Certain Time"

This... does not work. And it makes you seem unfriendly. Guests will message when they have questions. You can't control when questions arise.

What Actually Works

Make Information Easier to Find Than You Are

The goal isn't to be unavailable. The goal is to make finding answers so easy that texting you becomes unnecessary.

Imagine if your property had a magic helper that could answer any question instantly, 24/7. Guests would use that instead of texting you. Not because you've blocked them, but because it's faster.

This is exactly what QR-based digital guides do. Guests scan a code with their phone, ask their question, and get an immediate answer. It's quicker than composing a text and waiting for a response.

When the easy option also happens to be the one that doesn't wake you up, everyone wins.

Anticipate Questions Before They're Asked

Look at your message history from the past few months. What questions come up again and again?

For most hosts, it's some combination of:
- WiFi password
- How to work the TV/streaming services
- Heating and cooling controls
- Checkout time and procedure
- Where to find extra linens/toiletries
- Local restaurant recommendations

If you know these questions are coming, you can proactively answer them. Put the answers somewhere guests will actually look - not buried in a long email, but accessible right when the question arises.

Put Help Where the Confusion Happens

A single information source in one location doesn't work because questions happen in specific spots.

Guests wonder about the washing machine while standing in front of the washing machine. They wonder about the TV remote while sitting on the couch. They wonder about the coffee maker at 7am while staring at the coffee maker.

If your help resource requires them to walk to the kitchen, find the welcome book, and flip to the right page... they'll just text you instead.

But if there's a QR code right there on the appliance? Scan, ask, done.

Set Expectations Without Being Rigid

You don't have to be available 24/7, and it's okay to communicate that politely. In your welcome message, you might say something like:

"I'm usually available until 10pm local time for any questions. For anything after that, feel free to scan the QR code in the kitchen - it can answer most questions instantly!"

This does two things: it sets a reasonable boundary, and it offers an alternative that's actually better than texting you.

The Peace of Mind Factor

There's a psychological shift that happens when you stop being the single point of contact for every question.

Right now, every time your phone buzzes, there's a spike of anxiety. Is it a guest? Is something wrong? Do I need to respond right now?

When guests have another way to get answers, that anxiety fades. You can check your phone on your schedule, not your guests' schedule.

This isn't about being a worse host. It's about being a sustainable host. Burnout is real in this industry, and sleep deprivation is a major contributor.

What Guests Actually Think

You might worry that offering self-service options makes you seem impersonal or unavailable. But guests consistently respond positively.

Why? Because they also don't love texting strangers at midnight. They feel awkward about it. They'd rather have a quick way to find out where the light switch is without composing a message and waiting.

In reviews, guests mention things like:
- "Everything was so easy to figure out"
- "Felt very well taken care of"
- "Host was helpful without being intrusive"

That last one is interesting. By providing a way for guests to help themselves, you're actually perceived as more helpful, not less.

Start Tonight

You don't need a complete system overhaul to start sleeping better.

Tonight, think about the single most common question you get asked. Just one. WiFi password? Checkout time? How to work the TV?

Make that answer incredibly easy to find. A printed card, a QR code, a note in an obvious spot - whatever it takes.

Tomorrow, do another one.

Within a week, you'll have covered most of the basics. And you might just sleep through the night.