Smart Clocks w/ Microphones

Has anyone installed smart clocks in bedrooms? I know AirBnb is finicky about “listening devices” in private spaces. We were thinking of getting a Lenovo Smart Clock, and while it does have a microphone, it can be disabled. I assume we would be okay with this if we disclosed that the smart clocks in the bedrooms have microphones which can be disabled?

Curious why you’d want to put smart clocks in bedrooms. All our guests use their cell phones as alarms/clocks.

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I wouldn’t. And it seems unnecessary. Almost everyone these days uses a smart phone with clocks that they can set an alarm on if they need to.

And there are guests who are concerned about electronic devices and EMFs near them who certainly wouldn’t want a smart clock next to their head while sleeping.

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We were just going by the typical hotel standard of having clocks in bedrooms. Perhaps we are old fashioned and are used to having clocks in bedrooms. This would be great for us too because our bedrooms/night stand are on the smaller side, so every bit of space counts.

Airbnbs aren’t hotels. No need to try to imitate hotel standards, aside from providing a clean and comfortable place to stay.

Hosts would like guests to stop comparing Airbnbs to hotels. If they want a hotel experience, that’s what they should book.

And yes, guests appreciate bedside tables with nothing more than a reading lamp (and if it is possible to mount a lamp on the wall, if you only have space for small tables, so much the better), so they have room to put all the things most people put on their bedside tables.

I’ve seen listing photos where the bedside tables are cluttered with potted plants and useless knickknacks and wonder what the host thinks the purpose of bedside tables is.

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I have a simple small battery operated clock in my rental. Doesn’t even have an alarm. I’m sure some like seeing it.

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As I am “old”, I actually like having a clock around I can just glance at, without having to pick up my phone, which unlike the younger generations, is not permanently glued to my hand like an extention of my arm.
I just have a battery operated wall clock.

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I have guest rooms with microwaves and coffee makers and used to have an electric alarm clock. They all had the digital time. I slept in one once and realized how unappealing all the time reminders were. I have put he clock away, unplugged the coffee maker that is rarely used and hang provide a towel to hang over the microwave if people prefer.

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Thank you for sharing.

Self-awareness is the first step and you’re already there!

Maybe you can ‘wear’ your phone for just 10 minutes a day, tomorrow 20 minutes and on and on until your behavior becomes ‘normal.’ You can do it if you TRY.

You have to start somewhere.

This type of public cringe-worthy confession is probably not therapeutic; we don’t need to know ‘everything.’ Bless you.

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I wouldn’t be a fan of this either, any device that emits a light at night is quite annoying to sleep with. Also i’d be concerned someone might steal it.

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I used to have travel alarm clocks on the nightstands, then replaced those with digital clocks, then replaced those with power cubes that have USB ports as well as regular plugs. Guests just plug in their phones and use that for their alarm. If I were to add any clock to the bedrooms, I’d make it a wall clock.

I don’t really appreciate the digital clocks in the hotels. The time is almost never right.

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I used to have an alarm clock in my STR, it kept getting unplugged and put in the drawer. I do not see the need. Right now I am at the Hilton and just looked around, no alarm clock.

RR

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I have one of these bedside

Wireless charging station
My bedside lamps have USB ports.
My desk lamp has USB ports
I have 2 conveniently placed charging outlets for traditional plugs & USB ports
I have outlet strips placed on both sides of the beds & both ends of the couch (to right of recliner)
Guests complained they had to move recliner to find a wall outlet to charge their phone….sigh.

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I’m old and NO decent hotel that I’ve been in for the last ten years or so has had clocks. As others have said, most people just use their phones.

Because our rentals are MCM (building and decor) we had some appropriate repro alarm clocks. But no one ever used them. Like @RiverRock I found that people put them into drawers. (Presumably, because they were ‘real’ clocks that ticked.)

Remember too that the more things you put into a rental, the more stuff you (or your housekeeper) will have to clean. Less is more. :slight_smile:

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While I don’t have digital clocks, I do have Amazon echo devices. I inform guests and invite them to unplug if they want. I have them in the room so that if they want to play music or listen to an audio book or the news, they can. The echo is a nice speaker. You could offer the same.