Location: Mornington, Victoria
Property: Holiday rental home with a pool and guest house
What we installed: Keyless digital lock, app-controlled garage door linked to the alarm and lighting, remote heating control, and remote lighting control
The result: Easy, keyless arrivals for guests and cleaners, and full remote control and peace of mind for the owner
The Challenges of Running a Holiday Rental
Owning a holiday rental is rewarding, but managing it from a distance brings its own headaches:
- Getting keys to guests and cleaners
- Lights and appliances left on after guests leave
- Heating or cooling the house before guests arrive
- Keeping the pool maintained
- Knowing the property is secure while it’s empty
The owners of this Mornington holiday home asked us to solve as many of these as possible. We retrofitted a range of smart, connected features that make life easier for guests and the owner.
Keyless Entry for Guests and Cleaners
We installed a Lockwood digital lock on the front door. The owner creates a personal code for each new booking, shares it with the guests, and removes it when they leave, so there are no keys to hand over, hide or lose.
Guests and cleaners can also open the garage door with an app. When they do, the alarm switches off automatically and the outdoor and entry lights turn on, so they never arrive to a dark house.
A Warm Welcome, Switched On Remotely
Through a connected thermostat, the owner can turn on the hydronic heating before guests arrive, so they walk into a warm, comfortable home, even in the middle of a Mornington winter.
The owner can also check the garage door and lock from anywhere, and switch lights off remotely, so the house is secure and nothing is left running between bookings.
How We’d Set Up a Holiday Rental Today
Smart home technology has come a long way since this project. For a holiday rental or Airbnb today, we’d typically install:
- Smart locks and intercoms with time-limited codes for each booking
- UniFi security cameras on the entry and driveway, so the owner can check arrivals and keep an eye on the property while it’s empty
- Shelly smart controls to switch lights, heating, the pool pump and appliances remotely, and to set schedules
- Reliable Wi-Fi throughout, because guests expect it and every smart device depends on it
Around the Property
Own a Holiday Rental or Airbnb?
We’ll help you set up keyless entry, cameras, remote control of lights and heating, and reliable Wi-Fi, so guests arrive easily and you can manage the property from anywhere. Talk to Tom about your rental.