Is August smart lock good for guests?

[Brian1086]

We have one and are just starting out hosting and were curious.  Thanks 

[Patrick303]

Hi Brian.. I know this thread is more than 1 year old and alot has happened since then.  I am about to invest in a Yale smart lock connected by August and I want to know if you ever did invest in the August smart lock and what was your experience with it.

[Sami459]

I purchased a Yale Assure Deadbolt with August Connect. Everything was smooth for my first 2 guests. Tonight, suddenly the Lock went offline for no apparent reason and my guests were locked out at near midnight. Luckily I have a backup key on the property which opens another door to the house but I unfortunately didn't see their message until an hour later. So they had to go sleep at their daughter's house for the night.

I went to the house to see if I could fix the lock. Removed a battery and it came back online. Everything seemed fine. Then, as I was driving back (30 minute drive), it went offline again. LOCK UNAVAILABLE. 

What a nightmare. I do not recommend this product.

[Sarah977]

One thing hosts need to be aware of is that, believe it or not, not everyone uses a smart phone and apps. Or their phone could be dead, out of charge. If a guest who can't self-check-in easily to a place where the host doesn't greet them, that would be a big problem. 

Modern technology can be great, but a host can't just assume that every guest will be able to deal with it.

Personally, were I a guest, I would want a key lockbox instead, that I was sent the code to. That also would eliminate the possibility that the batteries could be dead and a smartlock then not function.

Smooth check-in can set the mood for a entire stay. If a guest stood out on the street for a hour trying to get the lock to work, messaging the host, etc. they can be a lot more critical of other things about their stay than they would have been otherwise.