Self check-in with a smart lock: how to set it up safely and calmly

Many guests arrive late, after a long drive or a delayed train. They do not want to hunt for a key box or wait for someone who is still on the way. The same goes for you as an owner: every key handover costs time and ties up your diary.

Self check-in with a smart lock solves both problems, as long as you set it up well. In this article you will read how to choose the lock, how to manage codes and what is best arranged in advance.

Why a smart lock changes the arrival

With a smart lock, each guest receives a personal access code for the length of the stay. The code works from the day of arrival and expires after departure. No key is in circulation, so none can go missing or be copied.

That saves you a lot of small appointments. There is no key box to replace and no fixed arrival time that everyone has to plan around. Guests arrive at their own pace, even if their journey runs late.

There is a safety benefit too. If a guest leaves the home without closing the door properly, many systems show you that the door has been left open. With an ordinary key, you only notice much later.

Choose the right type of lock

Not every smart lock fits every door. Look at your own situation before you order anything.

A lock that fits your existing cylinder. This is the simplest route. You replace the inside part of the lock or mount a unit on the existing cylinder, and the outside usually stays as it was. Do check that your door and cylinder are compatible.

A keypad lock. Guests type a code on the door itself. That works even if their phone is flat. It is a practical choice for homes where many families and older guests stay.

A lock with an app or Bluetooth. Handy for owners who like to see who came in and when, but less suitable if guests do not want to install your app. Preferably choose a system that also works with a code.

With every choice, look at three things: a reliable system for creating codes automatically, a fallback if the battery runs out, and a lock you can fit without damaging the door. If the entrance is rented or shared, talk to the owner or co-owners first.

Link the lock to your bookings

A smart lock is only really useful if the codes follow automatically from the booking. Otherwise you type codes in by hand every week, and sooner or later something goes wrong.

Look for a system that creates codes from the arrival and departure of each reservation. Each guest then gets a unique code without you doing anything. If a booking is cancelled or changed, the code adjusts.

After installation, check a few times that this really happens. Make a test reservation and see whether the code works at the right moment and then expires. That way you find mistakes before a guest runs into them.

Look after the battery and the backup

The weak point of every smart lock is power. A flat battery in the middle of the night is the scenario you want to avoid.

Make it a habit to check the battery level. Replace batteries in good time, well before they run out. Many smart locks send a warning when the level is low: make sure that warning reaches someone who actually responds.

Also plan a second way in. That could be a mechanical key that someone reliable keeps, or an emergency power connection on the outside. Without a backup, a guest is left on the street and you have to send someone in a hurry.

Communicate clearly with your guests

Self check-in only works if guests know what to do. Send the instructions in good time, in the guest's language, and keep them short. A guest arriving at midnight does not want to read a long text.

Never put the code in a public listing or in a message that anyone can read. Access information belongs in a secure message to the guest, shortly before arrival. That way the code stays secret from anyone who has not booked.

Also describe what guests can do if it does not work. Someone who knows that help is quickly available stays calm. You can read more about that contact in our article on communicating with guests from booking to review.

Think about the changeover between two guests

A smart lock does not mean one less check. On the contrary: because you no longer welcome the guest in person, you need another way of knowing what state the home is in.

Have a cleaner check after every stay that the door closes properly and that everything works. A fixed checklist with photos gives you a picture of the situation, even when you are not there. We have written before about the changeover between two guests and about managing your home from a distance. Both articles follow on from this one.

A practical installation checklist

Go through these points before your first guest checks in on their own:

1. Does the lock fit your door and cylinder, and are you allowed to fit it?
2. Does the system create a unique code per booking automatically?
3. Have you made a test reservation and checked when the code starts and stops?
4. Do you know how to monitor the battery level, and who receives the warning?
5. Is there a second way in if the lock does not work?
6. Are the instructions ready in your guests' languages?
7. Can a guest reach someone if it does not work?

If you have ticked off these seven points, your arrival process is well organised.

What YourDomi can do for you

At YourDomi we work with smart locks and a code per stay. Our guest communication runs in several languages, seven days a week, and our own cleaning team works with a fixed checklist and photos. If you want to know what that could look like for your home, request a personal proposal.