How to run short-term rental operations from WhatsApp

Running a short-term rental business involves much more than answering guest questions.

Every day, hosts need to know who is arriving, who is leaving, which apartments need cleaning, whether a property is available and which guest requests require attention.

The difficulty is rarely one large task. It is the continuous flow of small decisions, updates and interruptions that comes with managing multiple stays at the same time.

MyPorter brings these activities together in a WhatsApp conversation. Hosts can ask questions, update property information, manage reservations and respond to guest requests without constantly switching between calendars, booking platforms and message threads.

In short

• Hosts can check arrivals, departures, availability and daily priorities by asking MyPorter on WhatsApp.
• Property information can be added through text, voice messages and images.
• Guests receive answers about their stay in their language, 24 hours a day.
• When a request needs the host’s approval, MyPorter involves the host and then continues the conversation with the guest.
• Hosts remain in control while spending less time managing repetitive questions and operational updates.

Hosting is an operations problem, not just a messaging problem

Guest communication is important, but it is only one part of the work.

A host may begin the morning by checking departures and arranging cleaning. A new booking might arrive shortly afterwards. A guest then asks for an early check-in, while another needs help using the induction cooktop.

Later, the host may need to understand which properties are available for a direct booking or how much linen is required for the following week.

Each task is manageable on its own. The difficulty comes from handling all of them across different platforms while trying not to overlook anything.

MyPorter is an AI assistant designed for this wider operational challenge. It works through WhatsApp, giving hosts a familiar place to manage both their properties and the conversations surrounding each stay.

A real example: managing 13 apartments through WhatsApp

A host managing 13 apartments in Signa, near Florence, configured the properties by having a normal WhatsApp conversation with MyPorter.

He shared check-in and check-out times, apartment capacities, layouts, parking information, house rules and local recommendations.

Much of the information was sent through voice messages. The host described one apartment at a time, while MyPorter organized the details and asked for clarification when something was ambiguous.

For example, when the host described the property’s quiet hours unclearly, MyPorter checked whether he meant that guests should remain quiet after 10:30 p.m. Once confirmed, it stored the rule correctly.

By the end of the conversation, MyPorter understood the characteristics of all 13 apartments, including their capacity, floor, facilities and access arrangements.

There was no need for the host to prepare a spreadsheet or complete a long property form. He described the accommodation in the same way he might explain it to a new member of staff.

Check arrivals and departures without searching through calendars

Once reservation information is available, the host can ask operational questions in natural language:

Who is arriving today?

Who is leaving tomorrow?

Which apartments do I need to clean on Friday?

Are there any arrivals this weekend?

MyPorter reads the relevant reservation information and returns a direct answer with the guest, apartment and dates.

In one conversation, the host asked how many apartments needed to be cleaned on Friday. MyPorter reviewed the upcoming departures and arrivals, identified the relevant apartments and explained why each one needed to be prepared.

On another day, the host asked who was arriving on Saturday and received the guest’s name, apartment and departure date.

The host does not need to open every reservation or manually compare several calendars. The question becomes the interface.

Check availability and register direct bookings

Availability questions are another common source of friction.

A potential guest may contact the host directly and ask for a property for a particular night. The host then needs to check which units are free, whether they have sufficient capacity and whether another reservation overlaps.

With MyPorter, the host can ask:

Which apartment is available on July 27 for four adults?

MyPorter can review the bookings and return only the suitable properties, including useful details such as capacity, floor and layout.

The host used this process to choose an available apartment and register a direct reservation entirely through WhatsApp. He provided the guest’s details, selected the apartment and confirmed the stay without leaving the conversation.

In another example, the host initially selected an apartment that was already occupied. MyPorter identified the conflict and suggested alternative properties suitable for the number of guests.

This helps prevent double bookings while making direct reservations easier to manage.

Plan cleaning and linen around upcoming stays

Cleaning preparation is not only about knowing which guests are leaving. Hosts also need to know how many people are arriving and what each property requires.

The host told MyPorter the standard linen allocation for every guest:

• One large bath towel
• One smaller towel
• One bidet towel
• Two sheets
• One pillowcase

He could then ask how many sheets and towels would be needed for the following week.

MyPorter reviewed the upcoming arrivals, considered the number of confirmed guests and calculated the minimum number of complete sets required.

This is a simple example of how reservation data can become an operational answer rather than remaining a collection of dates and names.

Answer everyday questions without repeatedly involving the host

Guests commonly ask about:

• Check-in and check-out times
• Wi-Fi
• Parking
• Property access
• House rules
• Transport
• Local restaurants
• Nearby activities
• How to use appliances

When the information has already been provided by the host, MyPorter can respond directly in the guest’s language.

In one real stay, a guest asked for the check-in time, property location and additional information before arriving. MyPorter provided a concise overview of the stay, including parking, house rules, transport options and nearby activities.

The guest then asked whether there was a curfew. MyPorter explained that there was no curfew and distinguished it from the property’s quiet-hours policy.

The host did not need to repeat information he had already shared during setup.

Keep the host in control of exceptions

Not every request should be decided by an AI assistant.

An early arrival, late departure, refund, maintenance problem or unusual request may require the host’s approval. MyPorter recognizes these moments and involves the host instead of making the decision independently.

During the same stay, the guest asked:

Can you ask the host whether we can check in around 1:00 p.m.?

MyPorter acknowledged the request, contacted the host and told the guest it would return with an answer.

After the host approved it, MyPorter continued the guest conversation:

Your host has confirmed that you can check in at 1:00 p.m.

The same process occurred at the end of the stay, when the guest asked to check out at 2:30 p.m. instead of the standard time. MyPorter asked the host, received approval and communicated the decision back to the guest.

The host remained responsible for the decision but did not need to manage the complete conversation manually.

Coordinate updates between the guest and the host

Guest plans frequently change.

Someone may arrive later than expected, ask to enter earlier or extend the stay. These updates can easily become lost when information is spread across different conversations.

In the real guest journey, the guest told MyPorter that the group would arrive at a different time. MyPorter passed the update to the host.

When the reservation details were subsequently changed, MyPorter sent the guest the updated arrival information and confirmed that the property was ready.

This creates a shared flow of information:

1. The guest sends an update.
2. MyPorter determines whether the host needs to know or approve it.
3. The host responds through WhatsApp.
4. MyPorter continues the guest conversation.

The host does not need to copy messages between different chats or explain the same situation multiple times.

Turn local knowledge into practical recommendations

Hosts often know the best places in the area, but those recommendations are not always available when guests need them.

The host added information about restaurants, local markets, parks, cycling routes, breakfast spots and transport services through WhatsApp.

During the stay, the guest asked where the group could go for dinner. MyPorter suggested several options, including a nearby park with food and leisure facilities and a restaurant personally recommended by the host.

The guest then asked for directions to the park.

MyPorter provided the walking route and shared the location pin directly in the WhatsApp conversation.

This is more useful than presenting guests with a long, static guide. The information appears when it is relevant and can be adapted to the guest’s question.

Help guests use appliances and property facilities

Some of the most time-consuming guest questions are highly specific:

How do I turn on the air conditioning?

Why isn’t the induction cooktop working?

Where is the electrical panel?

How does the washing machine work?

These questions are difficult to address with a generic answer because the correct instructions depend on the equipment inside the property.

The host uploaded photographs of the air-conditioning remote and induction cooktop. He then explained the settings guests should use, how to unlock the child lock and where to find the electrical panel if the appliance needed to be reset.

MyPorter turned those messages and images into practical property knowledge that could be used in future guest conversations.

The host can continue adding information over time. When a new guest question appears, the answer can become part of the property’s knowledge for the next stay.

Handle requests that can generate additional revenue

Guest conversations can also reveal opportunities to provide paid services.

The host offers transport to the airport and central Florence. When a guest asked how much a ride would cost, MyPorter contacted him for the correct price.

The first response referred to the airport, but the guest clarified that the request was for central Florence. MyPorter returned to the host, obtained the appropriate price and communicated it to the guest.

The information was then available for future requests.

The same principle can apply to:

• Parking
• Airport transfers
• Late check-out
• Additional cleaning
• Luggage storage
• Local activities

The service is introduced in response to a real guest need, rather than as an unrelated sales message.

Why WhatsApp changes the experience for hosts

Most hosts already have property-management software, booking channels and calendars.

The problem is not necessarily the absence of another tool. It is the time spent opening those tools, finding the right information and moving between different workflows.

WhatsApp reduces that friction because the interaction is conversational.

Instead of remembering where a function is located, the host can simply ask:

Who is arriving today?

Which apartments are available this weekend?

Approve the early check-in.

How many apartments need cleaning tomorrow?

Add these instructions for the cooktop.

This is particularly valuable when hosts are away from a computer, travelling between properties or responding to several situations at once.

An assistant for the operation, not just guest messaging

Answering repetitive guest questions is useful, but it is not the complete value of MyPorter.

The wider opportunity is to give hosts an assistant that understands their properties, reservations and daily priorities.

For a host managing multiple apartments, that can mean using WhatsApp to:

• Configure and update properties
• Check arrivals and departures
• Plan cleaning and linen
• Review availability
• Register direct bookings
• Coordinate changes with guests
• Approve exceptions
• Share local recommendations
• Support guests with property-specific instructions
• Provide additional paid services

Guest communication becomes part of the operation rather than a separate activity.

The result is not less control for the host. It is fewer unnecessary interruptions and a faster way to act when a decision is actually required.

Run your rentals from WhatsApp

MyPorter helps short-term rental hosts manage day-to-day operations and guest communication through WhatsApp.

Ask what is happening today, update your property information, manage reservations and let guests receive support in their language, 24 hours a day.

Frequently asked questions

What can hosts manage with MyPorter?

Hosts can use MyPorter to check arrivals, departures and availability, manage reservation information, update property details, coordinate guest requests and understand what needs attention across their properties.

Do hosts need to learn a new dashboard?

Hosts can perform their everyday MyPorter tasks through WhatsApp. This includes asking operational questions, registering information and responding when MyPorter involves them in a guest request.

What happens when a guest asks something MyPorter cannot decide?

MyPorter contacts the host and provides the relevant guest, property and request information. Once the host responds, MyPorter continues the conversation with the guest.

Can hosts add information using voice messages or photos?

Yes. Hosts can provide information using text, voice messages and images. This is particularly useful for explaining property layouts, appliances, access procedures and other property-specific details.

Can MyPorter help with direct bookings?

MyPorter can help hosts check availability, identify properties with the appropriate capacity and register reservation information through WhatsApp.

Do guests need to download another app?

No. Guests communicate with MyPorter through WhatsApp.

Can MyPorter answer guests in different languages?

Yes. Guests can write in their own language, and MyPorter responds in that language while communicating relevant requests to the host.