Booking confirmation email for guests: free template
A booking confirmation email template for a holiday cottage: dates, price, deposit, arrival, tourist tax and contact. Copy it and adapt it to your property.
Updated 3 min read3 sources
A booking confirmation is the email that confirms the dates and price to your guest and tells them everything they need to know before arrival: how much to pay and by when, when they can arrive, how they get in, what to bring and whom to call. A good confirmation saves dozens of questions and phone calls. Below is a template you only need to fill in.
What the confirmation should contain and why
Booking details. Dates, number of guests and price. The guest compares them with what they saw when booking, so you catch any mistake straight away.
Payment. Deposit, balance, due date, account number and payment reference. The simpler the payment, the sooner it arrives.
Cancellation terms. The guest should have them in writing. For accommodation on precisely agreed dates there is no right to withdraw within 14 days without a reason (Section 19(1)(l) of Act No. 108/2024), so your terms decide.
Arrival and departure. Time, address, parking, key handover. For remote cottages, also a description of the last part of the route.
Identity document and tax. You need the details for the guest register and, for foreign guests, to report their stay to the police within five days of accommodation (Section 113 of Act No. 404/2011). The tourist tax is set by the municipality in its bylaw, and guests should know whether it is included (Act No. 582/2004).
Contact. A phone number the guest can reach on the day of arrival.
Booking confirmation email template
Subject: Booking confirmation [Cottage name], [arrival date] to [departure date]
Dear [guest name],
thank you for your booking. We confirm your stay at [Cottage name].
Your booking
- Dates: [arrival date] to [departure date], [number] nights
- Guests: [number of adults] adults, [number of children] children
- Price of the stay: €[amount]
- Tourist tax: €[rate] per person per night, [included in the price / paid on arrival]
Payment
- Deposit: €[amount], please pay by [date] to account [IBAN], reference [booking number]
- Balance: €[amount], [by [date] by bank transfer / on arrival]
- Refundable security deposit: €[amount], [in cash on arrival]
Arrival and departure
- Check-in from [2 pm], check-out by [10 am]
- Address: [address], navigation: [map link]
- Parking: [where]
- Keys: [in person / key box, we will send you the code [number] days before arrival]
What we will need on arrival
- An identity document for all adult guests. We record the details in the guest register and, for guests from abroad, we need them to report the stay.
What to bring
- [e.g. slippers, sauna towels, firewood for the grill is ready]
Cancellation terms
- [briefly, e.g. up to 30 days before arrival we refund the full deposit, later the deposit is forfeited]
- Full terms: [link to the cancellation policy]
- For accommodation on precisely agreed dates there is no right to withdraw from the contract within 14 days without a reason; cancellation is governed by the cancellation terms.
House rules
- [link to the house rules]
If you need anything, call [phone] or reply to this email.
We look forward to welcoming you, [name], [Cottage name] [phone] | [email] | [website]
This template is a guide and does not replace legal advice.
How to adapt the template
- Split it into two messages if needed. Send the confirmation with payment details straight away, and arrival instructions with the door code a few days before the stay.
- Leave out what you don't use. Without a security deposit or key box, delete those lines.
- Add a map link. For cottages outside a village, navigation to the exact spot is the thing guests appreciate most.
- Use the same text every time. Save it as an email template; you save time and forget nothing.
- On a website built on SFERIN the guest automatically receives an email with the dates and price as soon as they send a booking request. Use this template for the message in which you confirm the dates.
Related templates: cancellation policy and deposit and house rules.
Frequently asked questions
What should an accommodation booking confirmation contain?
The property name and address, guest names and number, arrival and departure dates, total price, deposit and balance with account details, cancellation terms, check-in and check-out times, contact details and what the guest will need on arrival, such as an identity document.
When should I send arrival instructions?
Send the confirmation as soon as you confirm the dates. Arrival instructions, such as a key box code or a detailed route description, are worth sending again a few days before arrival, when the guest actually needs them.
Should the confirmation mention the tourist tax?
Yes, it helps. The tourist tax is collected from guests by the operator and its rate is set by the municipality in a bylaw. If it is not included in the price, guests should know in advance how much and when they will pay.
Why ask for an identity document?
You need the details for the guest register. For a foreign national you must verify identity and deliver the residence report form to the police within five days of accommodation (Section 113 of Act No. 404/2011).
Can the confirmation say the booking cannot be withdrawn within 14 days?
You can state that for accommodation on precisely agreed dates the guest has no right to withdraw within 14 days without a reason under Section 19(1)(l) of Act No. 108/2024, and that cancellation is governed by your cancellation policy.
Sources
- Act No. 404/2011 on residence of foreigners, Section 113 Duties of the accommodation provider, version from 1 October 2026
- Consumer Protection Act No. 108/2024, Section 19(1)(l), version from 27 September 2026
- Act No. 582/2004 on local taxes, Sections 37 to 43 (tourist tax), version from 1 January 2026
This article is an overview, not legal or tax advice. Updated 13 October 2026.