How to Set Up Your GuestsBoard Kiosk — Step by Step

GuestsBoard runs on a Raspberry Pi plugged into your rental's TV. Once it's set up, guests see your WiFi password, house rules, local recommendations, check-out instructions, and can chat with the AI Concierge — all without you being there. This guide walks through the full setup from scratch.

What You Need

Before you start, make sure you have everything on hand:

• A Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5 — 4GB RAM minimum recommended. Pi 5 runs noticeably snappier.
• A microSD card — 16GB minimum, Class 10 or better. SanDisk Endurance cards are worth it for kiosk use since the card reads/writes constantly.
• HDMI cable — full-size or micro-HDMI to HDMI depending on your Pi model. Pi 4 uses micro-HDMI.
• USB-C power supply — use the official Raspberry Pi power adapter (5V/3A). Cheap adapters cause instability.
• A TV with an available HDMI port — any modern TV works.
• Your property WiFi credentials — the Pi needs internet to sync with the dashboard.

Step 1 — Get Your Hardware

GuestsBoard ships two hardware options. Pick the one that fits your situation:

• SD Card Kit ($49) — you already own a Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5. We ship you a pre-flashed SD card. Insert it, plug the Pi into your TV, and you're ready for Step 2.
• Plug & Play Device ($249) — no Pi required. The full device arrives assembled, pre-flashed, and ready to go. Plug it in and move straight to Step 2.

Step 2 — First Boot and WiFi Setup

On first boot, the TV displays a QR code. Scan it with your phone — it opens a captive portal where you enter your property WiFi network and password. Once submitted, the Pi connects to your WiFi and reboots into kiosk mode automatically.

The whole process takes about 60 seconds. When the Pi comes back up, you'll see the pairing screen on the TV.

Step 3 — Enter the Pairing Code

The kiosk displays a pairing code on the TV screen. Open the GuestsBoard dashboard on your phone or laptop, go to Devices → Add New Device, and enter the code. This links the Pi to your account and the property you select.

Pairing typically completes in 15–30 seconds. Once paired, the TV switches to the full kiosk display immediately.

Step 4 — Add Your Property Details

You have two ways to populate your property content:

Option A — Add manually

From the dashboard, open your property and fill in each section directly. This is what guests will see on screen:

• Property name — shown in the welcome header
• WiFi name and password — displayed with a QR code guests can scan
• Check-in and check-out times — shown on the info screen
• House rules — add them as a list; guests can scroll through on screen
• Emergency contacts — your number, nearest hospital, etc.

Option B — Connect OwnerRez

If you use OwnerRez as your property management system, connect it under Property → Integrations → OwnerRez. Your reservation data syncs automatically — the kiosk will display the guest's name in the welcome message and show their check-out date and nights remaining in real time. See How to Connect OwnerRez to GuestsBoard for the full walkthrough.

Changes push to the kiosk in real time regardless of which method you use — no reboot required. You can update content between guest stays from anywhere.

Step 5 — Add Local Recommendations and Amenity Guides

This is where the kiosk becomes genuinely useful. Go to Property → Local Recommendations and add places you'd recommend to guests: restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, hiking trails, beaches. Include the name, a short description, and optionally a Google Maps link.

Under Amenity Guides, add step-by-step instructions for anything in the property guests might struggle with: the Nespresso machine, the hot tub controls, the smart TV input switcher, how to adjust the thermostat. These get displayed on a dedicated screen and are also available to the AI Concierge.

Step 6 — Upload Photos

Property photos display in a rotating slideshow in the background of the kiosk. Upload landscape-oriented images — they look best on a horizontal TV screen. Photos of the exterior, living room, kitchen, and any standout amenity (pool, deck view, fireplace) work well.

Step 7 — Enable the AI Concierge (Optional)

The AI Concierge is a chatbot embedded in the kiosk that answers guest questions using everything you've added to your property. Guests tap the chat bubble on the TV screen (or scan a QR to chat from their phone) and get instant, accurate answers.

Enable it under Property → AI Chatbot → toggle on. For best results, also build out your knowledge base with custom Q&A pairs. See How to Set Up the AI Concierge and Build Your Knowledge Base for full details.

Tips and Customizations

Kiosk Themes

GuestsBoard includes several visual themes — Dark (default), Clean, Ocean, Cabin, and TV mode. Switch themes under Property → Display → Theme. They all support the same content; it's purely aesthetic.

Idle Timeout

When guests stop interacting, the kiosk returns to the main screen after a configurable timeout (default: 90 seconds). You can adjust this under Device Settings.

Music Volume

If you have ambient audio playing through the TV, guests can adjust volume with the TV remote as normal — the kiosk doesn't intercept remote volume commands.

Screen Brightness

For properties where guests sleep in the same room as the TV (studio apartments, loft bedrooms), consider setting the TV to its lowest brightness mode. The kiosk won't dim the TV automatically — that's controlled at the TV level.

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