Access Codes: Secure Guidebook Access for Your Guests
Access Codes: Secure Guidebook Access for Your Guests
Tier: ✅ All Plans (Trial, Growth, Business)
Time to read: 5 minutes
What Are Access Codes?
Access codes are unique 6-character alphanumeric codes that secure your guidebook. Instead of anyone being able to view your WiFi password and house rules, only guests with a valid code can access the guidebook content.
Key Benefits:
- 🔐 Security: Protect sensitive information like WiFi passwords
- 📊 Attribution: Track which booking generated which guest
- 👥 Multi-Guest: Multiple people per booking can use the same code
- 🔗 Easy Sharing: Include code in URL for frictionless access
How Access Codes Work
1. Automatic Generation
When you create a new booking (manual or via CSV import), GuestLoop automatically generates a unique 6-character access code. Each code is:
- Unique per booking within your account
- Easy to read: We exclude confusing characters (I, O, 0, 1, L)
- Case-insensitive: "ABC123" and "abc123" both work
Example codes: XK7H2P, MN9E3W, QT5Y8B
2. Guest Flow
When a guest visits your guidebook URL:
- Enter Code: They're prompted to enter their 6-character code
- Enter Email: After code validation, they enter their email
- Access Granted: They can now view the full guidebook
- Cookie Saved: They won't need to re-enter on the same device
3. Auto-Fill from URL
For the smoothest experience, include the code in the URL you send:
https://guestloop.io/g/your-property-id?code=XK7H2P
The code field will auto-fill, reducing friction.
Where to Find Access Codes
In the Bookings Table
- Go to Dashboard → Bookings
- Look for the "Code" column
- Each booking shows its unique access code
Copy Guidebook Message
- Find the booking in your table
- Click the 📋 Copy Message button
- A modal appears with:
- The access code
- The guidebook URL (with code)
- A pre-formatted message for external platforms
Sharing Access Codes with Guests
Option 1: Automatic SMS (Recommended)
When you send the guidebook SMS, the access code is automatically included:
Hi John! 👋
Welcome to Mountain View Cabin!
🏠 Your guidebook access code: XK7H2P
📖 View your guidebook:
https://guestloop.io/g/abc123?code=XK7H2P
Questions? Just reply to this message!
Option 2: Copy & Paste for External Platforms
If you message guests through Airbnb, Booking.com, or Lodgify:
- Find the booking
- Click 📋 Copy Message
- Copy the pre-formatted message
- Paste into your external platform
Option 3: QR Code (Print)
Generate a QR code that includes the access code:
- Go to Properties → [Property] → QR Code
- For individual bookings, use the 📱 QR button on the booking row
- The QR code encodes the full URL with code
Multi-Guest Access
One code per booking, but unlimited guests can use it:
- Guest A enters code, provides email → recorded in
booking_gueststable - Guest B (same party) enters same code, provides different email → also recorded
- Both emails are attributed to the same booking
This is perfect for families or group trips where multiple people want guidebook access.
Regenerating Codes
If a code needs to be changed (e.g., shared publicly by mistake):
- Find the booking in the table
- Click the 🔄 regenerate button next to the code
- Confirm the action
- New code is generated immediately
- Important: Send the new code to your guests!
⚠️ Warning: The old code stops working immediately.
What Guests See
Access Code Gate
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ 🔐 Welcome to │
│ Mountain View Cabin! │
│ │
│ Enter your 6-character access code │
│ to view your guidebook │
│ │
│ ┌──────────────────────┐ │
│ │ X K 7 H 2 P │ │
│ └──────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Your code was sent with your │
│ booking confirmation │
│ │
│ [ Verify Code → ] │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
Email Capture (After Code Validation)
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ │
│ ✅ Welcome, John! │
│ │
│ Your stay: Dec 15 → Dec 18, 2025 │
│ │
│ Your Name (Optional) │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ John Smith │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Email Address * │
│ ┌──────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ john@example.com │ │
│ └──────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [ Access Your Guidebook → ] │
│ │
└────────────────────────────────────────┘
Public vs Private Content
Access codes protect private guidebook content:
| Content Type | Requires Code? |
|---|---|
| WiFi Password | ✅ Yes |
| House Rules | ✅ Yes |
| Check-in Instructions | ✅ Yes |
| Local Recommendations | ✅ Yes |
| AI Chatbot | ✅ Yes |
| Blog Posts | ❌ No (public for SEO) |
| Map View | ❌ No (public for SEO) |
FAQ
Do codes expire?
No. Codes remain valid indefinitely, even after checkout. This allows guests to refer back to your guidebook later.
Can I disable access codes?
Currently, access codes are required for all guidebooks to ensure secure email capture and booking attribution.
What if a guest loses their code?
You can either:
- Send them the code again (find it in Bookings)
- Regenerate a new code and send that
Do codes work across properties?
No. Each code is unique to a specific booking at a specific property.
Can I use access codes without SMS credits?
Yes! Copy the message and paste it into any platform you use to communicate with guests.
Best Practices
- Include code in URL when possible for frictionless access
- Send codes early (pre-arrival) so guests can explore the guidebook
- Remind guests that they can share the code with their party
- Check attribution in your guest database to see which bookings generate the most engaged guests
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