Running a serviced accommodation sounds exciting: meeting new guests, earning passive income, and offering beautiful stays. But behind the scenes, it can be a lot of work. You’re managing bookings, answering late-night messages, scheduling cleaners, adjusting heating, and worrying whether guests turned off the lights. That’s where automation steps in.
When you automate your serviced accommodation, you let smart technology handle repetitive tasks, saving you hours of manual work every week. It’s like having a digital assistant that never sleeps, managing check-ins, controlling energy use, and communicating with guests automatically. In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to automate your serviced accommodation, step-by-step, even if you’re a total beginner.
What Does It Mean to Automate Your Serviced Accommodation?
Automation simply means using smart devices and software that do tasks without you having to do them manually.
Instead of messaging every guest or adjusting the thermostat yourself, these systems handle it for you.
For example:
- A guest books your apartment; they automatically receive a welcome message and check-in code.
- The cleaner gets a notification as soon as the guest checks out.
- The lights and heating adjust automatically depending on occupancy.
It’s all about creating a smart, self-running system that makes life easier for both hosts and guests.
Essential Serviced Accommodation Amenities
Every Airbnb should have a set of basic amenities when it comes to preparing the space for guests. These include things like fresh linen, blankets, towels and toilet paper, as well as kitchen equipment such as a cooker, fridge, utensils, crockery and saucepans.
There’s a good chance you already have smart home technologies in your Airbnb, such as a good Wi-Fi router and maybe even a smart TV, but what other smart devices are beneficial to have?
Step 1: Automate Guest Check-In and Access
Traditional key handovers are old-fashioned and stressful. The easiest place to start automating is with smart locks.
How It Works
You install a smart lock that connects to an app. Each guest receives a unique access code that only works during their stay. After check-out, the code expires automatically.
- Popular Smart Locks
- August Smart Lock
- Yale Linus
- Nuki Smart Lock
- Schlage Encode
You can even integrate these with Airbnb or Booking.com to automatically generate access codes when a booking is confirmed.
Step 2: Automate Guest Communication
Guest communication is one of the most time-consuming parts of hosting. Luckily, it’s also one of the easiest to automate.
Use Airbnb Automation Tools
Platforms like Aiyourbnb, Hospitable, or Hostaway can automatically:
- Send a welcome message when a guest books
- Share check-in details before arrival
- Send reminders for checkout
- Reply to common questions instantly
These messages can sound warm and human, not robotic. For example:
“Hi, Sarah! We’re excited to host you. You can check in anytime after 3 PM using the smart lock code 4729. Have a wonderful stay!”
Benefit: Guests get fast, friendly communication, and you get your time back.
Step 3: Automate Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning is another major pain point for serviced accommodation owners. Automation tools can simplify the process completely.
How It Works
When a guest checks out, your system can automatically send a cleaning notification to your cleaner or cleaning service.
Recommended Tools
- Turno (formerly TurnoverBnB): Syncs with Airbnb to schedule cleanings automatically.
- Breezeway: Adds inspection checklists and maintenance tracking.
- Operto Teams: Manages housekeeping for multiple properties.
You can also use smart sensors to detect if windows are open or humidity levels are high, helping you prevent damage or unnecessary energy use.
Benefit: You’ll never miss a cleaning again, and guests always walk into a spotless home.
Step 4: Automate Energy Management
Energy is one of the biggest expenses for serviced accommodations. Thankfully, smart technology can handle it efficiently.
Devices to Use
- Smart Thermostats (like Google Nest or Ecobee) adjust temperature automatically.
- Smart Lighting (like Philips Hue or LIFX) turns off lights when no one’s around.
- Smart Plugs let you schedule or remotely turn off appliances.
Real Example
When guests check out, your system can automatically switch to “eco mode”, lowering heating and turning off all lights.
Step 5: Add Smart Comfort & Entertainment
Guests love modern, comfortable spaces, and small touches of technology make a big difference.
Simple Ideas
- Voice Assistants: Add Alexa or Google Home so guests can control lights or music easily.
- Smart TVs: Preload streaming apps like Netflix or YouTube.
- Smart Speakers: Create a cosy ambience for guests.
You don’t need to spend a fortune; even a few smart upgrades can make your serviced accommodation feel premium.
Step 6: Use a Centralised Automation Platform
Once you have multiple smart devices, you’ll want a simple way to control everything in one place. That’s where property management and automation platforms come in.
Recommended Platforms
- Aiyourbnb: An AI-powered platform that automates guest communication, cleaning, and pricing for serviced accommodations.
- Hostaway: Combines booking management, channel syncing, and messaging automation.
- Guesty: Great for scaling multiple serviced apartments.
With these platforms, you can log in once and monitor every property, guest, and device from a single dashboard.
Step 7: Monitor, Learn, and Improve
Once your serviced accommodation is automated, you can use the data from your devices and software to make smarter decisions.
Track things like:
- Energy usage
- Booking patterns
- Guest satisfaction scores
- Cleaning performance
This helps you optimise operations, cut costs, and find new ways to improve guest experiences.
Automation is not about replacing humans; it’s about freeing your time so you can focus on what really matters: your guests and your business growth.
Automating your serviced accommodation doesn’t mean you lose control; it means you gain freedom.
You’ll spend less time worrying and more time growing. Guests will enjoy a smoother, smarter experience. And your property will run like clockwork, even when you’re not around.
Start small, maybe with a smart lock or automated guest messages, and build up over time.
Within a few months, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without automation.
With tools like Aiyourbnb and today’s smart home devices, you can truly automate your serviced accommodation and step into the future of effortless hosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does it mean to automate your serviced accommodation?
It means using smart devices and software to handle daily hosting tasks like check-ins, cleaning, and energy management automatically.
2. Is it expensive to automate a serviced apartment?
Not necessarily. You can start small with affordable smart locks or thermostats and add more devices as your budget grows.
3. Can I automate multiple serviced accommodations?
Yes! Tools like Aiyourbnb or Hostaway make it easy to manage and automate several properties from one dashboard.