Vacation rental wireless locks: Are they worth it?

How to choose the best smart locks for vacation rentals

>

With guest demands rising and bookings booming, the hunt for the best keyless lock for vacation rentals is on.

But before you take a screwdriver to the door of your Airbnb, take a moment to review if smart vacation rental door locks will work for you—and which kind you should invest in.

Vacation rental smart locks pros and cons

Before we get into the best smart lock features, it’s important to first weigh the pros and cons of installing keyless entry for your vacation rental.

Pro

Con

Security

Tightly control who can come and go from your home, and when

Typically only used for main entrances, not back or side door locks

Convenience

Lock and unlock your front door from anywhere

Battery-powered supplies periodically need replacing, and there is a remote risk of hacking

Cost

Saves you time and money spent doing guest check-ins or remedying lockouts in person

More expensive hardware than a typical deadbolt

Woman pressing numbered code on a smart lock dead bolt to a vacation home

How to choose a vacation rental smart lock

As with all smart home technology, picking the best smart door locks for rental properties comes down to your personal needs and preferences. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the best smart lock for your vacation rental:

Do you want to retain the option to unlock your door with a key as a backup?

Some models have a keyhole (like a regular door lock), whereas others are totally keyless. A retrofit for your existing deadbolt can be a good choice if you want to keep things simpler. With some of these models, you keep the exterior door hardware as-is and just replace the interior side, so you don't even need new keys.

How much effort do you want to put into installation?

Some smart locks are easy to install, and retrofitting your existing deadbolt is the way to go if you prefer to keep DIY effort to a minimum. But, the majority of smart lock models replace your entire door hardware, so you'll have more options to choose from if you're willing to put in a little extra elbow grease.

What technology works best for you?

There are a few different connectivity options—including WiFi, Bluetooth, and low-power radio waves known as Z-wave. Some locks can also connect to an app on your phone, if that's important to you.

At Vacasa, we use smart locks that utilize Z-wave technology. We find that these offer the most streamlined guest experience.

Modern vacation rental management.

Your home is a success waiting to happen. We'll show you how.

Vacasa homeowners get smart home tech—including smart locks—for free.

As a leading vacation rental property manager in North America, we’ve seen how smart locks for vacation rental homes can make renting simple.

So, we’ve decided to make this tech more accessible than ever for our homeowners by including a free smart home package with our management service.

Now, Vacasa homeowners enjoy the peace of mind provided by customized access codes for guests, remote access for housekeepers and maintenance, and auto lock after check-outs.

And that’s not all—our homeowners also get free noise monitoring tech and WiFi routers that make getting online a snap.

Man installing a smart lock to a vacation rental door

Vacation rental locks FAQ

Some do, but not all. One drawback of a WiFi-enabled model is that the battery life tends to drain faster, so if that's important for you to avoid, try a model with Z-wave (which connects to the internet via a hub) or Bluetooth technology. If you don't want to rely on WiFi or the internet at all, consider going Bluetooth-only—though keep in mind that these devices can have a more limited range.

When selecting the best smart lock for a rental property, we advise that you make sure the hardware is durable—and that you understand how the lock works. (You don’t want to be caught fumbling with an instruction manual as your Airbnb guests look on, right?)

To that end, we suggest buying a lock with Z-wave technology. Because Z-wave locks use batteries as their power supply, you don’t have to worry about power outages compromising the security of your home.

Let's get started

Talk to us

You've got questions. We've got answers.

Call 888-513-1785 to speak with a Homeowner Consultant, who can answer preliminary questions and see if we’d be a good fit for you.

If you'd like to move forward, we’ll put you in touch with our market expert in your neighborhood to explore the financial potential of your home, outline our management fee, and introduce your local team.

or

Get more info

Not ready to chat? We’ll email you more info to explore.

You might also like...

two story beach home in seaside, oregon with patio
The must-have vacation rental maintenance checklist
Modern outdoor furniture near an outdoor pool at a vacation home in Palm Springs, CA
8 things to know about Vacasa’s local operations
large outdoor pool surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas in Palm Springs
What is full-service vacation rental property management?
two kayaks sit atop a boat dock in Greenville, ME
7 top vacation rental amenities that guests search for

California licenses
Vacasa Seasonals Inc.
California DRE #02160171


Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc.
California DRE #01523013

Vacasa offers property management and other real estate services directly through Vacasa LLC and through Vacasa LLC's licensed subsidiaries. Click here for more information about Vacasa's licensed real estate brokerage/property manager in your state. Vacasa’s licensed real estate brokerages/property managers include: Vacasa Alabama LLC; Vacasa Arizona LLC; Vacasa of Arkansas LLC; Vacasa Colorado LLC (Micah Victory); Vacasa Delaware LLC, 302-541-8999; Vacasa Florida LLC; Vacasa Illinois LLC 481.014072, Micah Victory Managing Broker Lic# 471.021837; Vacasa Louisiana LLC, Dana MacCord, Principal Broker, ph 504.252.0155 (Licensed in LA); Vacasa Michigan LLC, 602-330-9934; Vacasa Missouri LLC, Vicki Lyn Brown, Designated Broker; Vacasa Nevada LLC; Vacasa New Hampshire LLC,45 NH-25, Meredith, NH 03253, Susan Scanlon, Broker of Record; Vacasa Minnesota, Broker: Micah Victory, license #40877637; Vacasa New Mexico LLC, 503-345-9399; Vacasa New York LLC, 888-433-0068, Susan Scanlon, Real Estate Broker; Vacasa North Carolina LLC; Vacasa Oregon LLC; Vacasa Pennsylvania LLC; Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc., California DRE #01523013, Mark Graham, California DRE #00700720; Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Texas, Debra Brock, Designated Broker); Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Washington, Robert Brush, Designated Broker); Vacasa Seasonals Inc., California DRE #02160171, Lisa Renee Stevens, California DRE #01485234; Vacasa South Carolina LLC; Vacasa South Dakota LLC; Vacasa Tennessee LLC; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Hawaii LLC, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr. Ste. #2F17, Waikoloa, HI 96738; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Montana LLC, Terah M. Young, Licensed Property Manager; Vacasa Virginia LLC; Vacasa Wisconsin LLC; Vacasa Wyoming LLC. In Canada, this advertisement is provided by Vacasa Canada ULC, CPBC lic. number 75826, 172 Asher Rd. V1X 3H6 Kelowna, BC.

Data is based on Vacasa.com searches and reservations booked April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021, unless otherwise indicated. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number.