Locking up the Inn

32 replies [Last post]

Posted on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 8:38am

nkeeprs

Offline

Joined:
02/23/2010

Would love some suggestions on how you handle your Inn front door with guest ( Keep it locked or unlocked ) I have a inn in the city and I keep the door unlocked during the day but had a little incident happen yesterday that might change that. I do give keys to all of my guest when they check in for the front door. I am sure this sounds crazy but would love any suggestions on how you handle your guest with keys.

I had guest a few years back that lost there keys and had to call me in the middle of the night for me to let them in.

Thx for any info

This comment (67089) was in reply to the Original Topic on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 7:54am

#1 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

We have had guests let people in off the street, I have no idea why anyone would do this. Once I was in the midst of cooking and walked out to find a salesman in the foyer yelling for me to attend to him. I said, where did you come from? The guests at the table said "we let him in?" and I said in front of this rude salesman, "WHY?"

Ridiculous. There is a lock there for a reason.

__________________

Kindness not only makes the coffee. Kindness says good morning.

This comment (66867) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 11:32pm

#2 TOP

Samster

Offline

Joined:
05/30/2008

Another vote for keyless entry with a keypad. We have Schlage locks - quiet and the battery lasts forever.

We've not had anyone forget the code in 2 years. A couple of people forgot how to work the deadbolt mechanism on our main house door lock, but the lever type (like in Joey's post), no problem EVER and it locks automatically on exit. I HIGHLY recommend the type that locks automatically when the door is shut behind the guest.

For us this was a great solution as the guests have one key to keep track of. Unlike others, we change our code frequently. A few guests have hidden their room keys somewhere in the house near their room so they didn't even have to carry a room key. I found that amusing.

__________________

"You can't blame gravity for falling in love." ~ Albert Einstein

This comment (66824) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 3:39pm

#3 TOP

Bigbid

Offline

Joined:
02/22/2010

All of you with key pads - do you still give out individual room keys? If so, why the need for a key pad? Just do like Oceans does. Key each room separately and the same key opens the front and back doors. A master key opens everything. I got rid of my key pad after realizing that one key works better.

__________________

Bigbid

This comment (66836) was in reply to comment 66824 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 5:06pm

#4 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

Bigbid wrote:

Good idea. If the lock is never in an unlocked state from the outside, that works very well. Never even thought of it to tell the truth. We have too many guests who liked to be 'helpful' and left the door unlocked, or locked it when it shouldn't have been. If there is no mechanism on the inside the guest can play with, then it works.

I guess the only problem I could see is getting someone out to key all the keys the same. We have 28 sets of keys for the rooms. And, redoing it if the guest lost the keys would be a fortune. So this one we can do ourselves whenever we want.

__________________

Spare me the perky.

This comment (66829) was in reply to comment 66824 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 3:59pm

#5 TOP

Innkeep

Offline

Joined:
06/04/2008

I have several business guests that have stayed at the B&B multiple times. For some of those repeaters I find it very convenient to email them the front door code so that they can let themselves in. We live 2 hours from the airport, so it isn't that unusual for travellers to arrive late. My repeaters appreciate the convenience of just being able to come in whenever and I'm not up until all hours waiting for them to check in. Also, if a guest leaves without remembering to turn in their key, it's just the room key that gets away.

I believe Yellowsocks uses keypads for her guest rooms as well as front door.

This comment (66831) was in reply to comment 66829 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 4:22pm

#6 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

Innkeep wrote:

I believe Yellowsocks uses keypads for her guest rooms as well as front door.

Just had our guests call from the road and won't be here til late. They have their code now and I did put a welcome note with some more info on the front door for them as well (telling them about an event tonight and to help themselves to sodas, snacks etc...and directions to their room).

I won't wait up for guests - we have a family and need our time - heck we need to eat, need to sleep and everything in between. I won't be glued to this place any more than 80 hours a day as it is!

I can tell you that many guests are relieved to get here when they get here and not have to put someone out by waiting around for them. But we get plenty who travel all day and this is their stop for the night. We cater to adults, they have responsible jobs like launching missiles (specifically to the one guest checking in tonight) and we don't need to hold their hands - they can hold each other's hands.

This comment (66828) was in reply to comment 66824 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 3:58pm

#7 TOP

copperhead

Offline

Joined:
06/24/2008

Bigbid wrote:

As a former Key entry now KeyPad B&B, I find relief in knowing that the key to my home is not floating about all over. If someone loses their room key with our code on it (name of inn is not on it) I have a quick fix in changing the code. I would not be happy in having to contact a locksmith to rekey the entire inn in case someone nice and wise googles my room name and finds where I am! Theives have all the research options open to them as we do and we are more of an open book than we think. We place pictures of our home for the world to see too, so if they are quick to think, having found a key is as simple as a quick search. I hate to appear so negative, but in this world it is better to be safe rather than sorry.

__________________

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

This comment (66826) was in reply to comment 66824 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 3:52pm

#8 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

Bigbid wrote:

Not likely we are going to rekey all rooms. Hard enough just to fix dings and scratches everywhere.

The keypad is for the front door. Bad enough when guests take the keys as it is! If I would, I would have all new fresh guest room doors with keypads on every one and zero keys. But then it is not possible. You have to realize when our guests go out on the porch they don't necessarily carry their room keys out there with them each and every time or every time they go to their car. The keypad solves all those issues for us.

Now the room locks are another subject, a royal pain, I would get rid of every lock, chain and bolt and replace if I could. There are lot of things I would like to do.

This comment (66830) was in reply to comment 66826 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 4:19pm

#9 TOP

copperhead

Offline

Joined:
06/24/2008

Joey Bloggs wrote:

The keypad is for

the front door.

Bad enough when guests take the keys as it is! If I would, I would have all new fresh guest room doors with keypads on every one and zero keys. But then it is not possible. You have to realize when our guests go out on the porch they don't necessarily carry their room keys out there with them each and every time or every time they go to their car. The keypad solves all those issues for us.

Now the room locks are another subject, a royal pain, I would get rid of every lock, chain and bolt and replace if I could. There are lot of things I would like to do.

Wish I could do the same, no keys just codes but will settle now with the ones on the front door.

This comment (66820) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 2:07pm

#10 TOP

rrh

Offline

Joined:
10/08/2008

Front and rear entries are always locked from the outside, free egress from the inside, both keyed the same. We issue key sets at check-in with the room key and the key for both entries. There are door bells on both doors. We have a lock box at each door so if someone calls who has lost their key and we are out and about we can give them the code to get into the house. If they have locked their room they have to wait for us to get them another room key. The lock box is good for late check-ins, put a full set in the box in that case. We have the room names on the key fobs but not the Inn name. People DO loose their keys and we don't want to make it easy for a key finder to find us and come right in. This works well for us.

This comment (66809) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 12:52pm

#11 TOP

Barry_Manilow

Offline

Joined:
08/07/2008

I still don't have a keypad on the front door and not sure if we will ever get one. The current doorknob is always locked on the outside and only the guest room keys will open that door. The knob never turns...it is the key that turns and you push the door open. So it is keyed to where all the room keys open the front door but the keys don't open other guests rooms. Everyone has a different key for their own rooms. I have one master key for everything.

This comment (66860) was in reply to comment 66809 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 8:38pm

#12 TOP

PoppaSmurf

Offline

Joined:
11/18/2008

Same for us.

Our only issue is reminding guests to not let in anyone else who may or may not be a guest. A keypad would have the same issue.

This comment (67070) was in reply to comment 66860 on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 4:42pm

#13 TOP

Penelope

Offline

Joined:
08/04/2008

PoppaSmurf wrote:

Same for us.

Our only issue is reminding guests to not let in anyone else who may or may not be a guest. A keypad would have the same issue.

That happened to me when I showed up for my job interview. One of the guests let me in as they saw me walking up the steps. In I walk, ask where I can find the owner, the GUEST shows me and I (naive that I was) go forward to introduce myself. Her first question was: "How did you get in here? " Not a very good way to start a job interview. I got the job, thankfully, but knowing how much that bothers her, I am very surprised they called me back

This comment (67084) was in reply to comment 67070 on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 11:10pm

#14 TOP

copperhead

Offline

Joined:
06/24/2008

This can be an issue no matter what you do with your door, just like most everything there is seldom a fool proof fix. The only thing that can be done is while over the door use is to say everyone that should have access to the house has a code, all others need to ring the bell.

I always tell my guests that the door is always locked to keep the honest people out, all others can find their own way in. This usually gets a laugh and a nod in understanding.

We haven't had that problem, but we are off the beaten path enough not to get many walk ups and I (or DH) am generally watching for check-ins.

This comment (66863) was in reply to comment 66860 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:12pm

#15 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

PoppaSmurf wrote:

Same for us.

Our only issue is reminding guests to not let in anyone else who may or may not be a guest. A keypad would have the same issue.

They just don't get that, do they? If they let someone in, I don't know that person is here, do I? And then that person wanders around getting upset that no one has come to greet them.

I've had guests ask if they should answer the door. I tell them no and if they DO answer the door, then they're in charge of figuring out what to do next. Most of them back off after that.

We had to lock the door as it was the PO's policy to allow self check-ins all the time. It was so bad at first we didn't know who was in the house and who wasn't. We'd be waiting up for someone who had already let themselves into their room and gone back out for dinner!

This comment (66876) was in reply to comment 66863 on Fri, 03/12/2010 - 12:57am

#16 TOP

Innkeeper To Go

Offline

Joined:
10/27/2009

Morticia wrote:

That is just crazy.

__________________

“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Pericles

This comment (66802) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 12:15pm

#17 TOP

catlady

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

I think many have said this already. Keyless entry pad. I would never leave my door open and unlocked in the city!!! I don't even do it in the country.

This comment (66789) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:14am

#18 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

Keypad lock. The door is locked at all times and I'm in a small town. Guests get code, let themselves in. If they forget code, they can ring bell.

This comment (66800) was in reply to comment 66789 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 12:01pm

#19 TOP

MTLLodge

Offline

Joined:
06/05/2008

Morticia wrote:

they can ring bell.

OMG we don't have a door bell! Never thought about putting them in when we were building. They could get us if they need us. We put in keyless pads and loves them. We don't have to worry about us forgetting the key

__________________

Carolyn
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
Mark Twain

This comment (66803) was in reply to comment 66800 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 12:17pm

#20 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

MTLLodge wrote:

Morticia wrote:

they can ring bell.

OK, I have to ask...do you just sit by the door and wait for guests? How do you know someone is there??? Heck, even the trick or treaters need a doorbell! Or the UPS guy or the mailman.

This comment (66788) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:14am

#21 TOP

The Farmers Daughter

Offline

Joined:
06/15/2009

We have used a keyless entry pad successfully on the Inns front door for over a decade without problems.

__________________

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction.

This comment (66777) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:26am

#22 TOP

Don Draper

Offline

Joined:
08/10/2008

Joey, did you ever have a problem with someone who had checked out coming back in later that day? Here we get lots of people checking out in the morning but hanging around the area for the rest of they day...I could definitely see someone coming back to use their bathroom even though they had checked out (yeah, this is my life).

You know our set up, there is a fairly obvious 4 digit code we could give out that I don't think anyone would forget, but would I need to worry about changing it frequently?

__________________

What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.

This comment (66798) was in reply to comment 66777 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 11:53am

#23 TOP

copperhead

Offline

Joined:
06/24/2008

Rupert wrote:

You know our set up, there is a fairly obvious 4 digit code we could give out that I don't think anyone would forget, but would I need to worry about changing it frequently?

We have the same as JB and it works wonderfully. We had another type prior which worked well but went through batteries like crazy. This one is doing real well. We started out with keys but changed to this system about 8 years ago, never to look back!

Rupert, we are not on the main drag so do not have this issue but can see how that would be a problem for others. If that is an issue, I am sure it is a big issue now with the door remaining unlocked much of the time so this could a least detour some from doing it by just knowing the door is locked. Changing the codes is very easy but you would most likely have different codes for each guest in order to address this consern.

They should not be able to get back into 'their' guest room once they leave as it should be locked.

This comment (66790) was in reply to comment 66777 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:22am

#24 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

Rupert wrote:

You know our set up, there is a fairly obvious 4 digit code we could give out that I don't think anyone would forget, but would I need to worry about changing it frequently?

My answer to that is yes. I've also had guests come back months later and let themselves in. Which only means I should change the code more often.

Our code is 5-6 digits and we change it every 6 months or so. And our guests DO forget (not as smart as Joey's!) so we also provide them with the code on the key chain for their room key. I have tried telling them what the code means so they have a mnemonic, but it doesn't work. They also don't seem to hear that the door is locked ALL the time and they assume it open during the day so leave without the code (and leave their room unlocked).

So, cover all bases with the code. Also, we work around Gomez's inability to memorize. He cannot memorize. Go ahead, ask him sometime what his own daughter's birthdate is.

But, the code has saved us a number of times from having the front door unlocked all night or having door to door salesmen standing in the kitchen eating guest cookies! (Or, having random lookie lous wandering in the guest rooms.)

This comment (66787) was in reply to comment 66777 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:08am

#25 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

Rupert wrote:

You know our set up, there is a fairly obvious 4 digit code we could give out that I don't think anyone would forget, but would I need to worry about changing it frequently?

No. But I can see in your situation that could happen. If the door is unlocked normally for check ins anyway, they could do the same thing. We rarely ever change our code. I am not fearful of any guests barging back in. But you know, I will be honest Rupes, if I were there near you and my bladder was busting, I would go back into your place.

This comment (66775) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 8:58am

#26 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

No worries. You give the guest a four digit code and they enter the code to unlock the door. You can have multiple codes, and change them whenever you wish.

We still have a secondary bolt above it we use when we are closed or out of town. Read the info HERE on the one below

Schlage LiNK Bright Brass Keypad Entry with Accent Interior Lever

This comment (66776) was in reply to comment 66775 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:08am

#27 TOP

nkeeprs

Offline

Joined:
02/23/2010

I just called a locksmith to see about putting this on. Dumb ? I have an older door will they be able to put it on that same door.? Thanks again for all your help !!!!

This comment (66791) was in reply to comment 66776 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 10:24am

#28 TOP

Morticia

Offline

Joined:
05/22/2008

nkeeprs wrote:

I just called a locksmith to see about putting this on. Dumb ? I have an older door will they be able to put it on that same door.? Thanks again for all your help !!!!

Another inn here in town also had their locksmith install the keypad and it worked out fine for them. And, they got a really 'old' looking lockset so it was perfect! Look around for something that matches, there are all kinds of these out there. From about $99 to $300.

This comment (66785) was in reply to comment 66776 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:52am

#29 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

nkeeprs wrote:

I just called a locksmith to see about putting this on. Dumb ? I have an older door will they be able to put it on that same door.? Thanks again for all your help !!!!

Yes, that is the only draw back - original doors, you don't want to carve up an old door, but they work well and look nice enough. We did it and never looked back. You have not heard my stories? The last ~~straw~~ - wait that would be the last straws were:

A UPS driver ran in and up the stairs into a guest room and used the toilet. Then went dashing on back out... I heard someone running down the stairs, I went out "WHAT THE!"

Final straw was myself in a guest room cleaning a toilet and I feel someone's presence standing there and turn to see some yellow pages salesman who just let himself in and was wandering around.

That was it! I told him GET OUT! And we got the key pad that day.

This comment (66773) was in reply to the Original Topic on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 8:40am

#30 TOP

Joey Bloggs

Offline

Joined:
10/07/2008

10,000% front door access keypad. Guests appreciate it, you appreciate it, it is always locked 24/7.

For those about to say "people forget the code" they don't. Not in 6 years have we ever had even ONE guest forget the code. Maybe my guests are smarter than the average bear? Jus' saying...get the access key pad on there. They sell decent ones at Lowe's.

Make life simple/

This comment (66784) was in reply to comment 66773 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:43am

#31 TOP

egoodell

Offline

Joined:
06/01/2008

We have the keypad lock and love it. I don't even know where my house keys are anymore.

Note: just in case of a battery dying (have had zero problems in two years but you never know...) we do have a key hidden outside.

RIki

__________________

Riki Goodell
Arcady Vineyard Bed & Breakfast
Arcady Vineyard Wine Tours
www.arcadyvineyard.com
Come! Let us show you the beautiful Monticello Appellation!

This comment (66774) was in reply to comment 66773 on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 9:06am

#32 TOP

nkeeprs

Offline

Joined:
02/23/2010

Hi Joey

Sorry to be a pest but how does it work. So there no key just a key pad ?

Locking up the Inn

Comment viewing options

Navigation

User login

Blogs to INNspire

Active forum topics

Newest Recipes