Hospitality

Airbnb Self Check-In Is Not Cheating

Why every host should give Airbnb self check in a try

Sound Familiar?

Pesky Problem

Checking in each guest personally is super time consuming.

For how quick an in-person Airbnb check-in usually is, the amount of time and energy sunk into the process is surprisingly intense. First, there’s the time spent on communication. The quick task of coordinating a guest’s arrival can easily turn into a day-long drip of messages about plane delays, traffic jams, and revised ETAs. Usually, no one feels worse about these messages than the guests.

Then, in addition to the actual time you spend with the guest, there’s the buffer time before and after where you still feel like you shouldn’t actually leave your house. What if they arrive early or need something right after they’ve checked in? The mental energy and time restrictions require so much effort for an in-person check-in that many guests would actually prefer to avoid.

Let's Try This

Bite-Size Solution

Trail run self check-in. (We promise, it’s not cheating.).

If you’re a host who’s never considered letting your guests arrive and explore your Airbnb without you there, this idea might provoke some anxiety or a furrowed brow. Before you check-out (yes, pun intended), read our blog post Airbnb Self Check-In: 5 Reasons Why and 5 Steps to Success.

In it, we explain why so many hosts and so many guests (us included) adore self check-in. Plus we’ll share 5 steps to create a smooth and personal welcome for your guests. Whether you love the idea or are still skeptical, we’d encourage every host to trail run self check-in for at least three stays to see what the experience is like firsthand. Our bet is that once you’ve experienced this hands-off approach, you won’t go back.

5 Minutes

Here's Your First Step

Decide on a key hand-off strategy.

If you’re ready to give self check-in a try, the first step is to decide how you’ll hand off the key to your guests. There are several options we’ve seen work really well. Some hosts use a lockbox and just text the code to the guests the day they arrive. Other hosts opt for a keyless entry pad, which has the added benefits that guests can’t lose the key and the combination can be rotated between each stay. And in several remote places, hosts have just set the key on the table just inside the door and left the front door unlocked. Whatever you decide, just keep it as simple as possible. It will minimize questions and create an intuitive arrival for your guests.

get social

save or share this post

keep reading

ready for the next one?

bye-bye blindspots

The Ultimate Airbnb Checklist Collection

The number one question we hear from hosts is “What am I forgetting to put in my Airbnb?” This collection is the definitive answer to that question. In our signature product, we go room-by-room, step-by-step until your Airbnb is perfectly appointed and ready to impress. Bye-bye blindspots and hello happy guests!

free checklist!

Even the best hosts can forget a thing or two

Luckily all 15 of these common mistakes are super easy to fix. Grab your copy of the checklist below and dive on in!

WELCOME TO

big heart hosting

we help hosts thrive

You’re an ambitious Airbnb host with a big heart. But on some days, hosting isn’t exactly what you had imagined. Maybe it’s overwhelming. Or isolating. Or just not making the kind of money you had envisioned. At Big Heart Hosting, we’re on a mission to help hosts like you thrive, not just get by. We create step-by-step resources that bring together the best hosting strategies from around the world. We’ll give you the knowledge and community you need to create the joyful, prosperous Airbnb you deserve.