Airbnb Keyless Entry: The Best Smart Locks For 2023
As a vacation rental manager, you know that your property management company has a ton of moving parts.
Imagine not having to wait around for your guest to arrive so you can let them in.
Thousands of hosts don’t—instead, they empower their guests to let themselves in with smart locks. Additionally, some tools automatically generate new codes whenever you get a booking (and after each guest’s checkout times) so that you can run everything remotely.
Airbnb smart locks massively boost vacation rental safety—with access granted and revoked instantly and remotely. Codes change automatically, and you can see at a glance who has access, or if the door is locked.
Contactless check-in means there’s no need for guests or staff to wait, no needless in-person interaction, no problems with unreliable keys, unsafe lockboxes, or travel delay stress.
Guests get a great first impression, and your staff save precious time. Some types of listing, such as Airbnb Plus, even require smart lock access (see our Airbnb plus checklist for more).
Table of Contents
1. Best Airbnb keyless entry: which locks are best?
2. Operto
3. Salto KS
5. August
6. Schlage
7. Igloohome
8. Keyless entry for Airbnb: choosing the right smart lock
9. Frequently asked questions about Airbnb keyless entry
We know that choosing the right smart lock can be daunting. And it’s not just a case of choosing the “best lock”. You also need excellent, intuitive software that integrates with your booking software to make the lock super secure and to automate access.
But fear not—it’s not as complicated, techy, or overwhelming as it might sound. In fact, the opposite is true. This post will explain how.
We’ve listed the best, most secure, and intelligent Airbnb smart locks on the market today, including the important criteria to check when buying lock systems, but because smart locks become extra work if you don’t have the right software, we’ve also added an explanation of how to use software to integrate with your bookings and automatically generate new codes, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
A better experience for guests, better security, and hours of saved time and hassle for you and your team, even as your business scales and grows. And it all starts with Airbnb smart locks.
Looking for Airbnb keyless entry that reduces your workload?
Best Airbnb keyless entry: which locks are best?
When it comes to enabling contactless check-in for vacation rentals, some brands emerge lock, stock, and barrel above the rest.
These are our picks.
Every lock below integrates with major PMS software and Operto’s guest management and communication platform, ensuring the highest level of safety and security, automated passcode generation, and easy guest messaging (and that’s also why we’ve listed Operto first).
- Operto
- Salto KS
- Yale Smart Locks
- August
- Schlage
- Igloohome
Operto
Smart locks may be central to your entire property management system, but they’re only the start.
Getting the most out of your smart lock means going beyond the hardware to powerful software, which also integrates with your property management system (PMS) to make the real magic happen.
But of course, it’s not magic: it’s tech.
Connecting your smart locks to a platform such as Operto enables you to–in addition to setting up contactless access:
- Automatically generate pin codes and send them, also automatically, to your guests in advance
- Change codes with each new guest and staff member for added security
- Empower housekeeping staff with their own codes, schedules, and communication portal
- Check guest ID, ensure background checks and protect against fraud
- Communicate directly and personally with guests
- Connect smart devices so guests can control thermostats and lights once in the room
- Connect occupancy and noise monitoring devices so you can monitor in-room activity as well as see if doors are locked
Operto also works without requiring a separate app download, reducing app fatigue and removing barriers to use.
Its range of integrations also means that it groups your varied tech stack under one umbrella (or dashboard), making it easier than ever to monitor what’s going on with your rental at a glance.
Now you know how to get them working at their best, let’s move on to the actual smart locks.
Salto KS
Globally recognized brand Salto KS offers a highly-flexible smart lock solution for every type of access scenario (including exterior and interior doors, garages, and elevators, along with scheduled remote access) and offers a variety of methods including digital smartphone key, fob, and code keypad.
This makes it great for both hotels and vacation rentals, for both short-term and longer-term stays. Available worldwide through Salto’s Certified Partner network. Integrates with Operto, including for remote opening, digital keys, and keycodes.
Yale Series
One of the world’s most trusted and reliable lock giants, Yale offers a robust smart lock for pretty much any type of property, door, style, access type, budget, or country.
Every easy-to-use on the Yale Access platform works in the same way, and there are options for control via key tag, keypad, smartphone, or all three.
With Z-wave (wireless communication) technology, it also integrates with PMSs and the Operto platform. For hosts that list on Airbnb alone and have no need for further automation, it also connects directly to the OTA for guest purposes.
The range includes the compact keypad lock Assure; the super-strong, weather-resistant commercial nexTouch; the sleek Keyless Connected and Conexis for the UK; the award-winning Yale Linus in the EU; and the Doorman system that’s specially designed for exterior doors in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
August
Solid, sleek, and secure, the August smart lock is a retrofit solution that mounts inside the door and is fitted on top of the existing lock instead of replacing it.
This is useful for quick installation, on doors whose locks cannot be replaced, and where aesthetics or discretion are paramount (as the lock cannot be seen from the other side of the door).
August uses the same connectivity system as Yale (who it’s owned by) and the lock itself is operated by a separate, wireless keypad. It also includes direct Airbnb integration.
August is available in North America and is seen as the equivalent of the European Yale Linus.
Schlage
The classic lock US company offers a good selection of decent residential locks, some of which offer Wi-Fi connectivity; especially popular with individual Airbnb hosts.
Schlage specializes in offering locks that fit in with all design styles, including modern or vintage; fingerprint-proof touch screens and satin nickel metal; keypad-operated or lever handle.
Some offer voice integrations, with the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and some have a touchscreen keypad while others have more traditional individual buttons.
Ultimately, Schlage offers a wide range of dependable locks with reliably-long battery life. Available in North America, these locks will work well for the vast majority of access needs, design styles, and smart door types.
Igloohome
Igloohome stands out from the crowd not only for its solid smart deadbolts and sleek designs, but also because its algorithmic locks work without an internet connection (Igloohome’s algoPIN™ technology is similar to banking encryption systems).
This makes them especially useful for remote locations, or sites (or even Airbnb guests) that do not have reliable internet signal or data access.
Igloohome offers models that work on a range of door styles, including glass and metal, making it very likely that you’ll find one that fits your decor and needs.
It also has a range of rarely-seen reliable products that may work best for some access situations, such as keypad-activated lock boxes and padlocks, in addition to regular locks.
Keyless entry for Airbnb: choosing the right smart lock
When it comes to choosing the perfect smart lock, we’d say that any of these will offer a solid, super-secure choice, combining the best of hardware with the ease of streamlined software. While Yale is a super-secure and trusted brand and Igloohome is one of the only smart locks that works without any Wi-Fi connection.
And Operto has the software that makes the hardware work most effectively and securely. After all, there’s not much point in having the “best” smart lock if it fails at the first access hurdle.
The secret is to pick the best lock and combine it with the best software, so you can integrate your PMS, automate all your behind-the-scenes admin, save time on manual tasks, coordinate staff with ease, and offer a super-streamlined, empowering experience for guests too.
Turns out when it comes to smart locks, opening and closing doors is just the start.
Frequently asked questions about vacation rental property management checklists
At its simplest, self-check-in for Airbnb needs a smart lock on a front door, plus software that manages access, and communicates with staff and guests. Setting up self-check-in
But it’s not just about finding the “best hardware” and tagging on software. The best vacation rental smart locks integrate with your PMS system and a guest communication portal, for automated guest management and access keycode information that is sent to guests in advance automatically, and don’t require guests to download a specific, separate mobile app.
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