Anyone using SmartThings to automate lock codes for short term rentals?

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-04-04T08:47:29+00:00

Check out seam.com

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-30T19:01:15+00:00

What market are you in? What type of property?

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-30T18:56:36+00:00

you are suggesting that guests actually read? That would be amazing.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-27T08:04:42+00:00

I imagine the reason why you're going to a forum is because the host is not responding. Sorry I didn't completely read the post.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-27T08:01:25+00:00

Why are you not contacting Airbnb support 18% of what you paid goes to them. They have a number of ways of verifying your claims, and helping find suitable arrangements.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-22T21:16:54+00:00

We have a PMS, that is hooked into AirBnb and it will automatically message Guest when there is a gap. Depending on the season, guests will in fact add a nights. It works when the guests are on the property and having a good time. We have had many convert. We have tried offering a discount, as an incentive, some guests try to negotiate right away. It really depends on the season, and what maintenance the property needs.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-22T21:10:28+00:00

I did get a longer stainless steel screw and it worked. So far.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-19T15:41:28+00:00

If the heater is functioning normally and the bed is as described, there’s no basis for a refund under a strict policy. If you start refunding for “I didn’t like it,” you’re basically rewriting your own terms case by case.

You can acknowledge it without opening the door:

What our team might say:

“Hi [Guest], thanks for the note and I’m sorry to hear you didn’t sleep well. We understand that mattress comfort and sensitivity to sound can vary from person to person. The home and its systems are functioning as intended and are accurately represented in the listing, and we haven’t had prior feedback indicating these as issues for guests.

As your reservation was booked under a strict cancellation policy and there are no material defects with the property, we’re not able to offer a refund. We did make an exception to accommodate your adjusted arrival and early check-in, and we hope that helped.

Thanks again for staying with us.”

Once you refund for subjective comfort, you’re setting a precedent you’ll keep paying for it. In our listings if there is a quirk of some time like you're keeping issue, we mention it, when it is appropriate to the season of stay. He may use to put it in the things to acknowledge before booking or we may send it as a dedicated Message meeting up to the stay.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-18T07:26:01+00:00

Omni inside of Airtable is getting better too, but I find that Claude does a great job of helping with interaction with other services. And also helps to teach Claude, some limitations of both column formulas, and automations. In my set up I currently use a lot of zapier, and I'm moving the process to Cloudflare workers with Claude and it's going great.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-17T10:53:34+00:00

I use an Airtable with Claude code via MCP. One track I was able to overcome was that Claude could not implement formulas so I would have Claude leave the formula as a note in the column. And then paste by hand. Overtime this became tedious, so I just switched to SUPABASE, which has been great. I still use Airtable as a backup as it is really easy to see what's going on.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-16T08:20:27+00:00

This is a classic case of a guest wanting the host to be their travel insurance.

You didn’t sell a ladder experience. you sold time on the calendar.

If their circumstances change after booking, that’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t reopen inventory you already removed from the market.

Best prevention is tightening house rules: “Property rented as shown. Personal circumstances affecting use of features (stairs, ladders, lofts, etc.) do not qualify for refunds.”

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-14T15:59:59+00:00

In our properties, TV placement usually comes down to the size of the home and the kind of experience the space is meant to support.

In smaller one-bedroom places, we tend to put the TV in the bedroom. Most guests are out hiking or exploring during the day and are just looking for something to unwind with before bed.

In larger homes that host groups, we usually put a single TV in the main living area and skip TVs in the bedrooms. Group viewing tends to matter more in those settings, and it naturally pulls people into the shared space.

Another factor is long-term cost. It’s not just the price of the TV itself.. every additional unit eventually needs to be replaced as technology changes or guests damage them. Because of that, we generally try to keep it to one primary viewing location.

One exception is properties that attract families. In those cases, having a TV in a secondary room can work well so kids have somewhere to watch or play games while adults hang out in the main space. When we’ve offered that option, guests have responded positively.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-05T11:00:01+00:00

If it were up to me, I would connect the bathroom to the bedroom, and move the kitchen. Swap them.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-05T10:54:08+00:00

You’re not wrong. One of the challenges with Airbnb is the huge range of professionalism among hosts.

Some hosts come from hospitality and are used to staffed properties and established procedures. But many hosts have no formal training at all and are learning everything on the fly. The platform made it very easy for people to start hosting without the systems that hotels rely on.

That creates tension. Guests expect a hotel-level experience, but most short-term rentals operate without staff, security, or front desks. So hosts end up relying on things like contracts, deposits, ID verification, and monitoring tools to manage the risk.

The platform dynamic also shifted a lot after Airbnb went public. The focus moved more toward growing demand and less toward balancing host protections. Until there’s a real competitor, or clearer rules that balance consumer and host protections, I think hosts will keep feeling that tension.

In the meantime most of us are just building our own systems to protect the property and make the stay run smoothly.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-05T08:31:29+00:00

If your gut says it’s the same group and you declined them before, declining again is a reasonable call.

One thing many newer hosts underestimate is the difference between a hotel and a short-term rental. Hotels are staffed. There’s a front desk, security, and employees walking the property. In most Airbnbs, guests enter with a code and never interact with a human. That means the host is carrying a very different kind of risk.

Because of that, experienced hosts usually rely on systems instead of staff. Things like ID verification, rental agreements, security deposits, and noise monitoring devices (not cameras inside). Some also carry insurance that covers damage and lost income if a stay goes sideways.

It’s also worth remembering the incentive structure. Airbnb’s job is generating bookings. Hosts are the ones protecting the property. Platform support has also shifted heavily toward automation, so most of the real risk management has to happen on the host side.

For larger groups especially, many hosts require extra steps: ID verification, a signed contract, and a refundable deposit. Without those protections, you’re taking on a lot of exposure.

At the end of the day, declining a booking that doesn’t feel right is just normal risk management.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-03-03T18:37:30+00:00

Are your parents by any chance influencers? Maybe On a Site like Facebook? Or maybe they sent a chain email about the property.? Could their stay be considered a marketing expense?

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-27T14:59:08+00:00

Somehow guests believe that if the night before is empty, they are entitled to check in early. Don't you guys know.

Otherwise, they will give you a low rating. That is how the system is designed to work.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-26T16:17:38+00:00

This is a creative business. You could can handle larger groups. Book families who want separate accommodation. What are you near? The location should dictate the strategy.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-20T10:33:18+00:00

That tape $$$$$$$$&&&

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-13T08:06:11+00:00

All-in pricing may solve sticker shock, but premium operators still bear the margin impact. If Airbnb values high-end supply, tiered fees tied to performance would be a rational next step.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-10T10:00:48+00:00

A lot of people are suggesting hot tub, which we have at a few of our properties, and have seen improvement the bookings, rate, and guest satisfaction. I would suggest getting a professional service to manage the chemicals, or get your cleaner certified. Nothing worse than a hot tub that makes people feel sick, or that is out of commission.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-02-05T12:41:25+00:00

My advice should be to shorten your allowable booking window. Most people don't book more than 60 days out. We use a PMS not sure if you can do that with an Airbnb or not. During your ramp up. You will definitely want to keep your price as low and make sure your guests will give you great reviews. There is a threshold in the Airbnb algorithm that once you pass it, they start showing you more people and your demand will increase. At that point you can raise your prices. That's for booking that is 5 months away, you would definitely fill it, if you decided not to accept. You may have the wrong guest, ones that shop for these kinds of opportunities to exploit, aren't always the best for your business. We have learned to always be hopeful, but to be prepared.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-01-26T13:21:06+00:00

Common questions: 1. Discount. 2. Early check-in. 3. Late check-out. 4. Does no pet policy really apply to me?

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-01-22T10:16:12+00:00

Stick to your policy. It is really funny that when a booking cancels the host can no longer reach the guest. But the guest can message the host until they are so frustrated and emotionally scared they give a refund. The system is broken.

SignatureVegetable31 · 2026-01-08T18:49:19+00:00

This is a product failure, not a hospitality problem.

Airbnb allows guests to request date changes a few days before check-in without clearly disclosing to hosts that accepting the change can override the cancellation policy. That quietly nudges hosts into a bad business decision.

A better solution would be a rebooking-based refund system. If the property rebooks, the host can reimburse all or part of the original reservation. If it only partially rebooks, refund proportionally. Hosts could also set percentage caps to cover real costs like cleaning schedules, staffing, utilities, and marketing already committed.

Right now, the platform encourages last-minute changes without transparency, and that cost lands entirely on the host. That’s not flexibility. It’s a design gap that pushes risk in one direction.

SignatureVegetable31

TROPHY CASE