How to Automate Your Airbnb with Home Assistant: A Beginner’s Guide
Managing an Airbnb can be rewarding — but also time-consuming. What if you could automate everything from guest check-ins to climate control and security? That’s where Home Assistant, an open-source home automation platform, comes in.
Whether you host one property or several, this beginner’s guide will show you how to automate your Airbnb with Home Assistant — step by step.
🧠 What Is Home Assistant?
Home Assistant is a powerful, privacy-focused platform that lets you control and automate your smart devices all in one place. Unlike other systems (like SmartThings or Alexa), it’s fully customizable, runs locally (no cloud dependency), and supports thousands of integrations.
🏠 Why Airbnb Hosts Love Home Assistant
- Remote Check-ins/Check-outs
Automatically generate and expire door codes. - Energy Savings
Turn off lights and AC when guests leave. - Enhanced Security
Monitor door status, motion sensors, and cameras from anywhere. - Guest-Friendly Automations
Turn on porch lights at sunset, set thermostat to ideal temps, or play a welcome message.
🛠️ Step-by-Step: Automating Your Airbnb with Home Assistant
1. Set Up Home Assistant
You can run it on:
- Raspberry Pi
- Intel NUC or mini PC
- Virtual Machine (Proxmox, ESXi, etc.)
We recommend using Home Assistant OS for simplicity.
2. Install Smart Devices Compatible with Home Assistant
Start with:
- Smart Lock (Yale, August, Schlage)
- Smart Thermostat (Ecobee, Nest)
- Door/Window Sensors
- Motion Detectors
- Smart Lights (Philips Hue, LIFX)
Make sure they support local control or integrate with Home Assistant.
3. Create Automations
Some ideas:
- 🛬 Auto Check-In: Generate and email a door code when a guest books.
- 🌇 Lighting Schedule: Turn on porch lights at sunset.
- ❄️ Energy Saving: Turn off HVAC when the property is vacant.
- 🚨 Security Alert: Notify you if someone enters outside of check-in hours.
You can build these with Home Assistant’s automation editor or YAML if you’re more technical.
4. Integrate with Airbnb Bookings (Optional)
Using platforms like:
- n8n or Zapier to connect Airbnb iCal with Home Assistant
- Or use a channel manager that supports automation triggers
This lets you link reservations with real-time automations (like setting guest codes or thermostat schedules).
5. Monitor & Maintain
- Use dashboard views to check status (lock, temp, occupancy)
- Set up alerts for battery levels, door activity, or leaks
- Keep everything updated for security and reliability
🔧 Need Help? Let HostaBNB Automate It for You.
At HostaBNB, we specialize in Home Assistant Airbnb setups — whether you’re just getting started or want a full smart property build-out. From remote locks to full automation blueprints, we make your rental hands-off and guest-ready.
👉 Book a free consultation
📍 Based in Las Vegas | Serving hosts nationwide\