Locking up the Inn

[nkeeprs]

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

 

[JBloggs]

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/

 

[JBloggs]

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

 

[nkeeprs]

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/.

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

 

[nkeeprs]

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

.

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 !!!!

 

[Don Draper]

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?

 

[egoodell]

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/.

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

 

[JBloggs]

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

.

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 !!!!
.

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.

 

[JBloggs]

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?.

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?

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.

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

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

 

[Morticia]

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.

 

[Morticia]

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?.

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?

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.)

 

[Morticia]

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

.

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 !!!!
.

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.

 

[Copperhead]

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?.

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?

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.

 

[MTLLodge]

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..

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

 

[EmptyNest]

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.

 

[Morticia]

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..

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
.

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

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.

 

[scrambled_eggs]

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.

 

[rrh]

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.

 

[Bigbid]

[FONT=&quot] 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. [/FONT]A master key opens everything. I got rid of my key pad after realizing that one key works better.