Amazon / Alexa account

[Donald225]

I can't seem to find an answer to a pretty simple question regarding the use of Amazon Echo devices in an Airbnb.

The question is, do you set up a completely separate Amazon account or use your own account with certain restrictions in place?

The property in question is a single family home.  We used to live there but moved a short distance away.  Both this and our new house have a lot of home automation, Echo devices in most rooms, etc.  While I'm at the old house working on it, I receive notifications about upcoming deliveries, someone ringing my doorbell, etc.  Of course, once we start hosting guests those things need to stop. I realize that you can set up a purchase pin, and some announcements can be configured for specific devices, but it seems to me that a completely separate account might be better.

Please, I'm not looking for pros and cons of having Alexa in an Airbnb, I'd just like some advice from those of you who do as to how you've set it up.

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

@Donald225  Is it possible to set up the device so that guests have to connect with their own accounts in order to use it? 

[Donald225]

Sure it's possible if they have an Amazon account, but that's not a viable solution.  I want the guests to be able to use it without having to set up anything.  Nor do I want to have to check and reset every Echo device every time a guest leaves.

[Gina1764]

Did you find an answer?

[Donald225]

Not really.  I just created a new separate Amazon account for the rental.  So far, nobody has attempted to change the account to their own.  A few people have unplugged them, most have not.

I'm also evaluating a service called Virtual Concierge which adds a bunch of features to Echo devices for use in rentals, hotels, etc.  It's interesting, but I really have no idea whether guests use the devices or not.

[Dana1156]

If you are in a region where Amazon's Alexa for Hospitality (AFH) is supported (currently the US and UK), that is really what you want to use. Different Amazon software is applied to the Echo devices with AFH. Guest privacy is protected, no recordings are stored in the cloud. The AIPEX Virtual Concierge solution that Don refers to above is built on that. There are many advanced features as well that aren't available on normal retail Echo devices. Full disclosure - I'm an Airbnb host but also the founder of AIPEX. I started the company because I saw the fit for this tech in vacation rentals.