Looking for Tech and tips to rent our cabin in Big Bear, CA

[Chris Kreidel]

Hello - we are buying a cabin in Big Bear Lake, CA, and will be renting it short term to help offset some costs.  Although we are a 2+ hour drive away, its not totally convenient to zip over there easily to take care of issues.  I have friends that also own a cabin down the street, and they are setting me up with good house keeper, handy man, etc.  We are looking to automate and utilize technology wherever possible, to make things both easier and more professional, safer and seamless for tenants.  Adding a camera system (outside only), wifi touchpad lock, wifi thermostat, etc are some of the simple solutions.  I have some experience with renting our Airstream on Outdoorsy/ all 5 star reviews so far. 

What I am curious is with 3rd party booking software to integrate booking sites, interface with service providers, etc.  I have seen Lodgify, iGMS, YourPorter, Lodgale, etc, and if creating a website for your specific property is worth while ( I could do this myself).  Are there any other gizmos or features that you have found useful or adding value to guests?

Any other tips and recommendations for a newbie are welcome, especially if you have experience with Big Bear!