Keyless entry, remote climate control, and peace of mind — without overcomplicating things for guests.
There’s a specific kind of stress that comes with handing your front door over to a stranger every few days. Will they find the code? Will they lock up when they leave? Is the thermostat going to run all week if nobody remembers to adjust it? We asked ourselves all of this before we ever hosted our first guest — and after many years of hosting at Blue Haven Villa, we’ve landed on three devices that quietly handle all of it. And honestly, whether you’re hosting guests or just want your own home to run a little smarter, the same three pieces solve the same problems.
1. Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt with Camelot Trim
This is the piece that changed hosting for us more than anything else. The Encode connects straight to your home WiFi — no separate hub required — so you can lock, unlock, and monitor the door from anywhere using the Schlage Home app. It supports up to 100 unique access codes, which means every guest gets their own code that automatically expires, no re-keying, no awkward key handoffs, no wondering who still has access after checkout.
It’s also just genuinely well-built — Schlage rates it their highest residential security grade, and the touchscreen is fingerprint-resistant, so there’s no visible smudge pattern giving away the code. Auto-lock means even a distracted guest can’t accidentally leave the door open behind them. For a rental, that combination of security and simplicity is hard to overstate. For a regular home, it’s the same convenience — no more lost keys, no more copies made for the dog-sitter you’ll forget to collect from.
[Amazon link — Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt]
2. Honeywell Home RTH9585WF Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Nothing eats into a rental’s profit margin quite like an empty condo running full AC because a guest forgot to adjust it on their way out. This thermostat solves that problem entirely — full remote control from your phone means you can check and adjust the temperature between guests without ever driving over, and its touchscreen makes it just as easy for guests to use during their stay without a single confused text message to you.
It’s also a genuinely nice guest-facing detail — a bright, modern color display feels a world apart from the beige dial thermostat guests are used to fighting with in older rentals. And for anyone reading this who isn’t a host: this is exactly the upgrade that quietly lowers your own energy bill too, letting you set schedules and adjust remotely instead of guessing.
[Amazon link — Honeywell Home RTH9585WF]
3. Ring Battery Doorbell Plus
Security and peace of mind, without needing to rewire anything. The Battery Doorbell Plus runs on a rechargeable battery pack, so installation is genuinely simple — no electrician, no existing doorbell wiring required. Its head-to-toe field of view is a real upgrade over older doorbell cameras, meaning you actually see full deliveries and full guests, not just a floating head at the top of the frame.
For hosting specifically, it means real-time visibility into check-ins and check-outs without being intrusive — two-way talk lets you greet a guest remotely if they have trouble finding the door, and package detection means you’ll know the second a delivery arrives. For a regular home, it’s the same reassurance: you always know who’s at your door, whether you’re upstairs or across the country.
[Amazon link — Ring Battery Doorbell Plus]
None of these require a contractor, a monthly subscription you’ll forget about, or a tech background to set up. That’s the whole point — smart home upgrades should remove stress, not add another thing to manage. Whether you’re setting this up for guests or just want your own front door to work a little smarter, these three pieces get you most of the way there.
Already using a smart home setup we didn’t mention? Tell us below — we’re always refining what we run at Blue Haven Villa.