Smart / Connected Vacation Rental Home Setups / Solutions

[Colin Taira]

Hi All, I've been reading posts here like crazy as I'm in the process of setting up my first STR and I'm overwhelmed/stuck on how to pick a combination of devices and platform to manage this house that's about 2.5 hours away, so I'm hoping for some input on where I'm at and to learn more about your setups.

I would generally consider myself tech competent, but I was quickly overwhelmed and a bit turned of when I've read some of the setups on here with multiple integrations and layers of subscription services.  Once I started breaking it down and learning about Z-Wave and Smartthings, I was feeling better about committing to that route until I read that v1 and v2 smartthings hubs are being phased out and will no longer work later this summer, and Samsung isn't even making the Smartthings hub anymore and have since spun that off to Aeotec.  So, I'm already a little weary about committing to a platform that may not be supported in a few years.  I'm also hearing the latest versions of the smartthings app have not been as good.

When I start to research alternatives, they quickly go to either the simplified, very integrated end of the spectrum with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Home Kit, etc., OR the more techy, open-sourced stuff that starts talking about local networks and running on raspberry Pi, which is enough to know that's more than (I think) I'm willing to bite off.  

So, my question to you all is, should I just buy the new re-branded v3 Smartthings hub and cross my fingers or what solutions are you all finding to be easy to use, manage from afar, and reliable?  The house has a nest thermostat already installed, I plan to either use a Schlage Encode or Kwikest Halo lock (the existing locks are Kiwkset that appear to be pre-smart key, so depending on how easy it will be to rekey/recore and integrate with the smart lock will decide), and I plan to add cameras covering the front and rear of the house (unsure of type), and potentially a noise monitor like Minut.  *I have since discovered that maybe the August v3 or Pro might be the way to go for a lock.

I like the idea of z-wave or zigbee networks for these devices to reside on for battery efficiency and wi-fi traffic and a single point of control with something like the smartthings app, but I'm also aware that integrations can sometimes be messy and I may just need to download separate apps for the various devices.  I'm planning to dive straight into the deep end and self manage and most likely list on VRBO only (at least initially), as it seems to be the best suited to the property and intended demographic.  

I would have thought researching and finding some articles on "get these devices" specifically for a STR would have been easier so far, so any information, guidance, resources you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.