Every six months, some vendor pitches us a "must-have" smart device for the portfolio. Most are expensive novelties. A few genuinely change unit economics. Here's what made the cut across 1,800+ properties under management.
Definite yes
Smart locks ($180–$300)
Pays for itself in the first month just from eliminated key exchanges and lockout calls. We run Schlage Encode and Yale Assure Lock 2 with guest-specific codes generated at booking and auto-expired at checkout. One operational win: if there's ever a dispute, the lock log is the source of truth.
Noise monitoring — NoiseAware or Minut ($120–$200 + subscription)
The single biggest regulatory risk in STR operations is noise complaints turning into permit issues. NoiseAware and Minut measure sound pressure without recording audio (critical for privacy). We get an alert, we message the guest, and 90% of the time it resolves before a neighbor calls the city.
Smart thermostat — Ecobee or Nest ($200–$280)
Guests leave HVAC running. A smart thermostat with occupancy detection drops energy bills 15–25% across the portfolio, and remote geofencing lets us pre-cool before check-in so the first impression is comfortable.
Leak sensors — Flume or Moen Flo ($80–$600)
A single burst pipe incident pays back a dozen installations. The premium Moen Flo can shut off the water automatically.
Maybe
Video doorbells
Useful for package delivery and identity verification at check-in. Watch for local privacy laws — some cities restrict exterior cameras pointing at public spaces.
Smart TVs with streaming-out apps
Most major TVs now let you profile-out previous guests so each guest starts fresh on Netflix, Hulu, etc. This prevents the "previous guest left their Disney+ logged in" complaint that appears in about 3% of reviews.
Definite no
Amazon Echo / Google Home in guest-facing rooms
More complaints than compliments. Guests don't want another household's voice assistant listening while they're on vacation. We removed them from the portfolio in 2022.
Smart blinds, smart light bulbs, smart everything
Every additional smart device is another device that can fail at 11 PM when a guest is trying to sleep. The rule we hold ourselves to: does this device *solve a problem we actually get messages about*? If no, it's theater.
The ROI math we use
A device earns a portfolio spot if its total cost of ownership (hardware + installation + subscription + replacement) is below the revenue it protects or generates within 12 months. For a $280 nightly ADR property:
- Smart lock: one avoided lockout call pays back 30% of the device. One avoided lost-key incident pays back the whole thing.
- Noise monitor: one avoided neighbor complaint that would have triggered a city review pays back three years of subscriptions.
- Smart thermostat: $40–$60/month energy savings in peak season pays back in six to eight months.
The math isn't sexy. But it's the difference between tech that earns a place in the property and tech that becomes another thing a guest needs the Wi-Fi to reset.
