Self check-in for Airbnb & short-term rentals (without a lockbox)
Guests arrive at all hours. Self check-in lets them get in on their own, securely and without you driving over with a key. Here's how a per-booking door code replaces the lockbox for good.
What self check-in actually needs
Good self check-in comes down to three things: the guest can get in when they arrive, only during their stay, and without you handling a physical key. A lockbox technically does the first, but fails the other two: the code is shared, rarely changed, and hands over a real key that can be copied or kept.
A keypad code solves all three. Each booking gets its own PIN, it works only between check-in and check-out, and there is nothing physical to hand back.
Why a code beats a lockbox
- Unique per guest: every booking gets its own PIN, not one code shared with everyone who ever stayed.
- Time-boxed: valid exactly from check-in to check-out, then it stops working on its own.
- Nothing to lose: no key left in a box on the wall, no lockbox combination floating around review threads.
- No handover: no late-night meet-ups, no "the key is under the mat," no coordinating around delayed flights.
How Portir does it
Portir connects to the door hardware you already have (an access controller or a video door station with a keypad) and turns each reservation into a temporary code. You don't rip out locks or rewire anything.
- Connect your booking source: Rentlio, or a Booking.com / Airbnb calendar.
- Every new booking automatically becomes a PIN valid only for that stay.
- The code is sent to the guest by email or WhatsApp, on the schedule you choose.
- At check-out the code is revoked: no leftover access, nothing to reset by hand.
What the guest gets
Alongside the code, each guest receives a link to their own stay page: how to open the door, the Wi-Fi name and password, house rules, and your contact, all in their language. It cuts the "how do I get in?" messages to near zero and makes arrival feel effortless.
It works even when the internet drops
The code is written into the door device itself, so a guest can still get in if the property's connection hiccups. You simply can't manage it remotely until the link is back. Portir tells you the moment a site goes offline, then re-syncs automatically when it returns.
Set up keyless check-in on your rentals
Keep your doors, drop the lockbox. See it on your own setup in one email.
Frequently asked
Do I need a smart lock for self check-in?
Not necessarily. If your door already has an access controller or a video door station with a keypad, Portir writes a guest PIN straight to it, no new smart lock required. For doors without one, a battery keypad lock can be added.
Is a keypad code safer than a lockbox?
Yes. A lockbox code is usually shared, rarely changed and hands over a physical key. A per-booking PIN is unique to that guest, valid only from check-in to check-out, and expires by itself, with nothing physical left behind.
What happens if the internet goes down during a stay?
The guest still gets in. The code is stored in the door device itself, so it keeps working offline. The property just can't be managed remotely until the connection returns.
How does the guest receive the code?
Automatically by email or WhatsApp, on your schedule (for example 24 hours before arrival), along with a guest page showing how to open the door, the Wi-Fi details, house rules and your contact.