Have you considered using a lock box? I use one and it has worked out well.
“It’s not hard to use the locks.” Yes, it is – imagine you are traveling, your mental bandwidth taken up with navigating schedules and a new locale.
Not saying your locks are difficult or unusual, just that any lock that you are unfamiliar with is going to be harder to navigate than your lock at home. I’m a seasoned Airbnb guest myself, and I experience a small level of lock anxiety with every self check-in.
You may want to remove that hidden key item in your initial post – you’ve just told someone how to break in. I don’t know how to track down your location based on a forum posting, but others may.
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I have a lock box as a back up but they keys can’t be duplicated. I also have keypad doors and provide instructions and videos but folks don’t read.
The main issue has to do with the location of my home and how GPS takes people to the wrong place. I’ve tried to have it fixed but only some of the GPS companies have fixed it. Again, there are clear instructions on how to find the house but folks just plug in the address and don’t read.
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Actually, you need a code to get into the lock box so I’m not worried about that.
And yes, I agree, I just stayed in an Airbnb where their locks were very fussy and they warned me.
The main issue has to do with the location of my home and how GPS takes people to the wrong place. I’ve tried to have it fixed but only some of the GPS companies have fixed it. Again, there are clear instructions on how to find the house but folks just plug in the address and don’t read.
My house is almost impossible to find. I do not expect guests to rely on GPS or written instructions.
I have a hand-drawn map I send to guests via email (along with some written clarification). I suggest that they print it out and have it with them in case their phone dies or something. It has worked really well.
Although I actually pick up most of my guests at the bus stop to avoid them getting lost, I do want them all to have back-up and the guests who have said they would prefer to walk from the bus station, as they will have been sitting in a plane and the bus for hours, have said my map was really clear, and that they would not have found my place without it.
In fact, my most recent guest, one of the few who has rented a car, accidentally left her phone in her friend’s car who drove her to the airport, and would have been hooped had she not smartly followed my advice to print out the map. Without her phone, she couldn’t call or message me, not I her if she hadn’t shown up.
A hand-drawn map won’t really be needed. If GPS didn’t exist and people just used old-fashioned maps, they would have no idea that my house is hard to find. But you definitely gave me some good ideas. I’m going to stress that they need to pay attention and to print out info ahead of time. I just hate making my info so long so I’m going to have to do some editing.
Thanks.
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Just make sure the map is a one page PDF, and tell them they will need to print it in order to find your house.
Just wanted to let you know that I decided to try one more time to get all the GPS companies to fix my address and it looks like it finally got fixed!!! I also put up a little sign by the 2nd floor door that says REMEMBER THE HASHTAG #. Since guests never read, they would often call me to say they the door doesn’t work. So far so good.
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What is that supposed to mean? I would have no idea.
Both door locks have the last 4 digits of the guest’s phone on record. The 2nd floor lock also needs a hashtag. I do have it as Remember the Hashtag XXXX #
It’s the most common call I get from folks who say their key code isn’t working.
Sorry, but I still don’t understand what “Hashtag” has to do with their entry code. And I doubt anyone over the age of 40 would, either.
I’m 64 and I get it.
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Touché.
202020202020
Maybe for old people who don’t keep up with changing language @Lynick4442 could say “don’t forget the pound sign/hashtag after the 4 digits.”
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The symbol of the hashtag is also shown . “#”
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I show the symbol too.
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I guess I just don’t understand why “pound sign” is now called Hashtag in this context. As far as I’m aware, hashtag refers to social media tags on Twitter, Tiktok, etc. and has nothing to do with numbers and symbols one would enter on a keypad.
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