A Smooth Checkin
Most travellers are often excited and worried at the same time until they have arrived at your Airbnb and check out what it looks like inside. As (most) of them know that they’re not check-in at the Hilton, but at the same time, they don’t know what they are going to get until you open that front door. A smooth check-in to your property is one of the first impressions that you get to make, so make sure it’s a good one. Here are some of our Airbnb checkin tips to ensure a smooth check-in happens each and every time.
In Person Check-in
Where possible, do an in-person check-in, your guests with love this. However, ensure that you’re at your Airbnb 15-minutes in advance of their mentioned arrival time. Even if you arrive on time and they’ve been waiting for you outside in the cold, in their mind, YOU’RE LATE.
Have a backup alternative for your in-person check-in. When the guests call you and you’re running later or they have arrived early, you can give them access to this backup solution. This can be hiding the keys somewhere safe or leaving this with a very nearby shop, who you trust.
Many guests really prefer self-check-ins; this gives them the flexibility to arrive when they like and it doesn’t put them under pressure to get to you on time.
Self Check-in
By having a self-check-in, this can make it easy for you to arrange cleaners, maintenance and helpful on the odd time you forget your own keys. With Airbnb Plus, this is a requirement for getting onto the premium programme. You can assume that they like hosts to have this, so in-turn could help your Airbnb search rankings.
Lockboxes
Lockboxes are great as a backup, they should be placed as discreetly as possible to help avoid tampering. Never label the keys with a flat number and try to place them at just below eye level onto a secure wall.
We only use and recommend one type of lockbox. That’s the C500 Police Accredited KeySafe. If you can’t get this beauty, then avoid keys safes that have rotary combination locks, as these can be easier to guess the codes.
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Key Exchange Services
There are some great key exchange services that mainly leave keys in a cafe or convenience store. If you have one close to your Airbnb, these can make a very good option as a backup. Most charge either a monthly subscription fee or on a pay-as-you-go basis. If you’re only using this as a backup then, PAYG is the way forward. Always have one there for those just in case moments.
Our two personal favourites are Keynest and KeyCafe. They are both fantastic at making your life easy at a click of a button. You get a notification of both key collections and drop-offs, so you can tell if a guest has left or the cleaners have finished their tasks.
Smart Door Locks
As the Internet-of-Things progresses, doors can now be opened at a touch of a button or via your mobile phone. Some of these offer one-time codes, others have apps that open and close the door, with the less advanced ones having repeat usage codes.
Yale Keyless Locks can be used with a key fob, smartphone app and can easily be fitted by you with little fuss or hassle.
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ZKteco offer Biometric and Keypad door entry systems, which can also be fitted by a general handyman.
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Conclusion
Guests love writing reviews, if you can give them this one thing you’ll be on the path to getting your 5-star review. They won’t RAVE about it, but they will certainly moan about it, follow the above Airbnb tips in the attempt that they might RAVE about the check-in progress. Even if they use a self-check-in process, if you have the chance, pop in to say hello to your guests and give them the personalised tour. Finally, have a backup solution to the in-person and try to be early!