Compared to traditional hotels, more and more young people are increasingly choosing to stay in personalized and cost-effective homestays, hotels, guesthouses, etc. With a smart lock for Airbnb, guests can enter the hotel room through the mobile E-key or the password, and the landlord just needs to manage the smart door lock remotely through the mobile APP.
The smart locks for Airbnb make you escape a lot of troubles, including the hassle of key exchanges, early check-ins, late check-outs, unauthorized access, etc. Both the hotels and guests can save a lot of time and get huge convenience from the smart lock for Airbnb.
1. What is a smart lock for Airbnb?
Airbnb is a world-famous short-term rental apartment booking platform, it features 7 million featured homestays, short-term rentals, hotels, apartments, and inns worldwide, covering short-term rental homes in 191 countries and regions.
If you have a spare house, you can put it on Airbnb and earn some income, but the risk is that the guests might bring some damage to it. To solve this problem, Airbnb suggests the host install a smart lock to improve the experience of check-ins and check-outs, it can benefit both the host and guests. That’s why more and more smart lock manufacturers develop Airbnb-compatible smart locks.
A smart lock for Airbnb allows the landlord to manage the smart door lock remotely through the mobile APP. Without a software or OS access system request, the host can directly issue the e-key or password to the guest, and the guest can enter the designated area through the mobile E-key or the password.
Some brand smart locks can be directly integrated with Airbnb accounts, and the guests will be sent unique access codes as soon as they finish the booking on Airbnb. Besides, there are also some smart locks that can support several 3rd party systems, such as HomeKit, Z-Wave, and TTlock App. When choosing a smart lock for their property, people often consider multi factors, such as price, support system, quality, etc.
2. How do you use Smart Lock on Airbnb?
When receiving an order from Airbnb, the owner or hotel staff sends the guest electronic keys or numerical codes to access the designated area, such as a hotel, room, garage, or any other place equipped with Airbnb smart lock.
You will get a notification when the guest opens any smart lock. After the guests check out, the hotel can cancel and delete E-keys or numeric codes with their administration’s permission. Anyway, smart locks for Airbnb can bring the hotel a security and control experience.
For guests, after using a smart lock for Airbnb, your arrival time and unexpected delays no longer matter. Before starting their trip, guests receive the following information on their Smartphone:
Electronic key and/or access codes for locks,
Access control for the main hotel entrance, as well as their room, garage, and any other area equipped with an access control system.
With an Airbnb smart lock, guests can get a very convenient living experience.
3. What smart locks work with Airbnb?
As there are so many Airbnb-compatible smart locks, iLockey doesn’t tell you which brand smart lock you can choose, here are some suggestions to tell you what smart locks work with Airbnb.
1) Direct Airbnb Booking Integration
By integrating your listing’s calendar into the Airbnb API, you can send them access code information via email or text, so that they can get your personal timed access code for the rental lock. When someone makes a booking on Airbnb, they will receive automated correspondences with access code information.
If Airbnb is the main rent platform for your house, choosing a smart lock with direct Airbnb booking integration is the most efficient way.
2) Self Check-in
The main function of Airbnb-compatible smart locks is self-check-in. To guarantee this function, your lock should be first a keyless lock. Although there are several ways to access, such as fingerprint, RFID card, password, and mobile app, only 3 typical ways are provided by Airbnb compatible smart locks for guests to access the door:
The guests are required to download the lock app, and the lock app will give them access and check-in information.
Built-in or touchscreen keypad controls
3) By an add-on keypad
When receiving the booking order from Airbnb, you need a manual to send the access information to your guests. It seems a bit more trouble than the smart lock with direct Airbnb booking integration, but it is also the simplest and cheapest smart lock solution for Airbnb.
For some simple smart locks, you can’t change the password remotely, so you need to change the password once the guests leave your house. This solution is suitable for personal homestay, and short-term apartments.
4) Smart lock with customer integration
For some chain homestay apartments, they hope the smart lock can help them manage their rooms well. Here are some common functions they require for smart locks:
- Monitor the hotel status in real-time
- Self Check-in & Check-out
- One-to-one customer communication
- Opening alerts
- Remote management
The smart lock with customer integration is not a simple Airbnb smart lock anymore, but a whole set of hotel lock systems. You will not only pay for the smart locks but also need to pay for the management system. It is suitable for chain hotels, and apartments.
4. Things to consider before choosing your Airbnb-compatible smart locks
Before you start to choose your Airbnb-compatible smart locks, some things you should consider in advance.
1) Unique temporary access codes
Your smart lock for Airbnb should provide unique temporary access codes, it directly affects your house security. When the guest finishes the booking, he will be sent an e-key that expires once their stay is over. In this way, you don’t need to worry about your guests can open your door outside the time of their reservation.
2) Connective ways
There are 2 connective ways for a smart lock, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. If you choose Bluetooth, we suggest you take a gateway as well since Bluetooth smart locks are not suitable for long-distance connection, so the best solution is Bluetooth lock+gateway, what’s more, direct WIFI Airbnb smart lock is a good option.
After connecting your smart lock to your rental WIFI network, you can monitor the lock activity on your mobile phone from anywhere in the world. It is a very convenient and useful function because it allows you to keep track of who comes in and out of your house at any time, whether it’s guests, cleaning staff, or maintenance staff.
3) Integration with home automation platforms
If you want the Airbnb smart lock to work with your other smart home device, this function will attract you very much. By using a home automation platform, you can manage and monitor activities across all devices in one App. For example, when your smart lock connects to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant, you can control it with your voice.
4) Integration with a messaging automation tool
By integrating the smart lock with the information system, you can use the smart lock activity as a trigger. When someone locks or opens the door, you can send automatic messages to guests or cleaning staff. This function will benefit a lot for hotel management, and it is still being developed by the smart lock supplier.
5. Airbnb smart lock integration FAQ
Here are some common questions for Airbnb Smart Lock Integration:
1) What if my guest does not want to use the Smart Lock?
When the guest finishes the booking, there is an email to remind them to contact you to make alternate arrangements.
2) What if the guest’s phone battery dies?
Your guest can use another phone to log in to their account or they can use a Mifare card or passcode to unlock the door.
3) How difficult are Airbnb smart locks to install?
The installation for most Airbnb smart locks includes the installation of the lock itself and the lock mobile app and integrated system. Most installation of the lock itself will take 15-25 minutes, but the lock mobile app and integrated system may be the most time-consuming part of the process for you. But don’t worry, your smart lock manufacturers will provide you the excellent installation instructions and videos to help you on the way.
4) What is the typical battery life of an Airbnb-compatible smart lock?
Most Airbnb smart locks give a range of 8-12 months with typical usage. Generally, a smart lock with multi-function will consume more power, for example, a smart lock with face recognition consumes much more power than the common smart lock.
5) Do Airbnb smart locks have apps?
Most Airbnb smart locks dedicated apps for their device, you can add and control access passwords and see a history of the lock usage. Some smart locks support unlocking the door via proximity or “tap to unlock” features.
6. Conclusion
Smart Lock for Airbnb is a keyless smart lock solution for personalized and cost-effective homestays, hotels, and guesthouses. With the increase in demand from young people, more and more chain hotels choose smart locks to improve their competitiveness. Smart lock for Airbnb is another successful application for smart locks.
