Ok, this might be considered old-fashioned but I have generally met guests to hand out the key. This has actually served a purpose but can also obviously be a pain.
Ok, so I am ready to upgrade and get a keyless lock, smart home -free, wifi free with the option of using a key. It has to be super reliable, is there such a thing?
Does anyone have experience of this?
Thanks in advance!
You will probably get many different responses to this but I went for a non ob-line solution using this deadbolt. Kwikset SmartCode 270 Keyless Entry Electronic Touchpad Deadbolt Door Lock with Auto-Lock, Custom User Codes, Advanced Security in Venetian Bronze Traditional - Amazon.com I just provide the code to the guest on the day of their arrival. Itâs worked fine for years and I have never had an issue. I decided against online solutions where I could change the code remotely etc. as it would just create more potential issues. Since installing this lock I have never seen my guests.
How do you give each guest their own unique entry code? How do you put start and end times on your smart lock (can anyone with the code you give them enter and leave at any time, days later for example)? I cannot imagine having a generic code that is shared with multiple guests, nor a generic code that allows a guest to check in perhaps days early or days late.
I think Iâm old fashion because I still use an old lock box. I donât trust the ones that connect to Wifi because in my area it goes out quite a bit with rain storms.
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You do know that lack of wifi connection does nothing to your lockâs ability to open and close? It does not need a wifi connection to work.
You only need a wifi connection when/if you want to change settings on the lock, or if you are actively monitoring its condition (locked or unlocked).
Conflating the weather in your area with the âtrustworthinessâ of your lockâs wifi connection is an invalid comparison.
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I change the code for each guest and send them the code a few hours before they check-in. Then when they check out I change the code again. It only takes a about a minute.
If I were a guest, I would want the door code more than a few hours before check-in. When people are travelling, their phone can run out of charge, if they are travelling internationally, their phone may not work in another country, they may not have data (so canât connect to Wifi to even see the code you sent. They could even break or lose their phone and not be able to call you.
If the code only gets activated at the earliest time the guest can check-in, it shouldnât matter if you send the code a day or two before.
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I too donât use an online/wifi version - just a simple keycode lock.
I would only use a wifi lock if I lived within two minutes away from the rental OR had a great co-host who did.
This is because I had a neighbour who had a smart lock and he lived about half an hour away and had no co-host. Probably one third of guests had a problem with it - often because the battery on the phone needed charging or, in a couple of instances, they had old phones.
It wasnât the fault of the lock or the host - it was invariably the guest.
My neighbour had to drive from his home for one in every three guests.
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Yes, that is the reason I do not want to use a Wifi operated device. It goes out too often in this area, especially during winter to be reliable. I do not live close by so having something that works without glitzes is paramount to me.
Kvikset 909 SmartCode Electronic Deadbolt and Schlage Touch Deadbolt (BE375) were recommended in a few places online as "straightforward to use, with no need to configure apps, smart hubs, or deal with Wi-Fi issues, a modern, keyless entry system without complicated setup."
Hope it holds its claim!
Thanks for the input!
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why would their phones have anything to do with the operation of a smart lock?
I donât know exactly because Iâve never used one. 
But the one that my neighbour used had to be operated by the guestâs phone which had to be connected to the internet. If the phone was dead, or an old phone, it wouldnât work.
Thatâs pretty odd, I have never heard of any smart lock that works like that. All the smart locks I have ever heard of are standalone locks, and if they have wifi, or bluetooth, or any other communication part, it is simply a way to reprogram, or use as a remote entry key, etc.
LOL welcome to 2024!
All - Some smart locks have a program built into them that assign a code to a certain combination of start and stop times. It doesnât make any difference how far ahead of time you ask for the code and it doesnât need to contact âthe mother shipâ to get the code.
You go online to the lock portal and ask what the code is for the start date and time and the end date and time. If you want to change the code, you have to do that physically on the lock keypad. So thatâs not convenient for remote hosts to do for the guests, but itâs straightforward for the guests to do.
For instance, we use ResortLock. Here are the directions to set a short code: âPress and hold * for about 2-3 seconds until you see a solid green light. Once you see the solid green light, enter the assigned code, then #, then enter your desired short code, followed by #. Finally, test the code to ensure itâs working.â
So you donât need the internet except to request the code to give the guest, or to monitor the activities on the lock.
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Wow, thatâs not how it works at all. I have Resort Lock, and I have it connected to airbnb (they have an integration button on your Remote Lock app) so it automatically puts a code along with start and end times based on the reservation into the lock, and allows changes by simply typing in.
Programming a smart lock certainly can be done âat the lockâ, but changing the times or code is easily and always done from your phone or computer.
RTFM is real, folksâŚ
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Maybe we canât change it because we have an old version that isnât integrated with AirbnB. But my directions for changing the code came straight from the ResortLock site (supportRmoteLock)
One of the reasons why I chose a non WiFi lock was the cost But this thread got me thinking and now they appeared to have come down in cost.
Not having working WiFi isnât an issue really since it just means that during the outage you cannot change the code or monitor its status. I presume that the code will be whatever you set it to previously. I might review my decision.
Yes, a smart lock is always programmable at the lock itself. But it certainly isnât the only way and certainly is not the primary way.
I manage my AirBnB from about 5300 miles away and have been using a Schlage smart deadbolt lock for years now. Works great. Everyone gets their own code and it starts to work the afternoon of check in. I can also remotely open the door for the plumber or whatnot and lock up after they go. Also useful when guests forget to lock up. I replace the batteries every 6 months when I vacation thereâŚ
But then I also use smart switches, thermostats, alarm system, hot water etc. so am comfortable with the tech involved.
I always have an extra code in case internet is down when getting a last minute guestâŚ
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I didnât know. Thank you for the information. I might just update my old lock box. Thanks!
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And all this time, I thought I was the only one who RTFM! 
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