We Host Group uses Keycafe to automate guest check-ins and check-outs across eight buildings. Reservation-linked access codes, time-locked pickups and unit-based permissions for cleaners have ended front desk waits, prevented early entries into unready units, and stopped keys from going missing.
In short-term rentals, the first five minutes of a stay set the tone for everything that follows. A guest who lands late at night, drags their luggage to the building and then waits at a front desk for a key is already frustrated before they open the door. For operators without staff on site, every handoff that depends on someone else is a risk to the guest experience and to their reviews.
We Host Group is a full-service vacation rental property management company operating across the US. Its team of more than 100 professionals helps property owners maximize returns through completely hands-free hosting, managing everything from dynamic pricing and guest communication to cleaning and maintenance, with the goal of delivering a hotel-quality experience at scale.
Carolina Diaz, Operations Coordinator at We Host Group, oversees the day-to-day flow of guests, cleaners and maintenance staff through the company's units. We Host Group has been using Keycafe for more than two years.
The Problem: Waiting at the front desk
Before Keycafe, We Host Group's guests and staff both had to request keys directly from each building's reception. When the front desk was busy, which was often, people waited.
"Often the front desk staff was busy, which meant that the guests and sometimes even our own staff had to wait 15, 20 minutes just to access the key," Carolina explains. "This created a lot of frustration and frequent complaints from guests, because they were standing there waiting for the key to get into the unit."
Then the situation changed overnight. One building manager informed We Host Group that, starting the following month, the company would be responsible for managing all keys for check-in and check-out itself.
"That was the turning point for us," Carolina says. "As a short-term rental operator, we don't have on-site hosts to receive guests in person every time, so we needed to quickly find a reliable and scalable solution."
When package lockers aren't key lockers
In one building, We Host Group had already tried a locker system. The problem was that those lockers were built for package deliveries, not key handoffs.
When the lockers filled up, building staff would clear them out and move everything to a separate package room, keys included. Guests who arrived late, sometimes at midnight, would enter their code only to find the key wasn't there.
"You can imagine the kind of problems we had every time," Carolina says. "Since switching to Keycafe in that building, the process has improved significantly."
The Solution: Reservation-linked, self-serve key access
We Host Group connected Keycafe directly to its reservation platform, so key access is created the moment a booking comes in. Guests, cleaners and maintenance staff all use the same Keycafe SmartBox, each with access only to what they need.
How the daily workflow runs
Booking: When a new reservation comes in, a unique access code is generated automatically.
Guest notification: The guest receives the code by message or email before arrival.
Check-in: At 4:00 PM, the code activates and the guest picks up the key from the Keycafe SmartBox.
Check-out: At the end of the stay, the guest returns the key to the same SmartBox by 11:00 AM.
Turnover: Cleaners collect the key for the next turnover, and the maintenance team uses the system whenever they need access to a unit.
The system also adapts to larger groups. When five or six people share a unit and keep different schedules during the day, guests can request an additional key or use the lockers to pass access between each other.
Results: Full control over every check-in and check-out
Time-locked access ends early check-in problems
For Carolina, one of the most valuable features is the ability to control exactly when a code works. Guest codes are set to activate at 4:00 PM, the official check-in time.
"Even if the guest is physically at the lockers earlier, they won't be able to access the key before the scheduled time," she explains. "This is critical because early check-in requests used to create problems. Guests would collect the key from reception early and enter the units, and sometimes the units were still dirty. Now that risk is completely eliminated."
Unit-based access for cleaning crews
We Host Group's cleaners are assigned to different apartments throughout the day. With Keycafe, access codes are assigned by unit, so each cleaner can only reach the keys for the units they're responsible for.
"This minimizes confusion and helps us keep operations running efficiently," Carolina says.
A daily check-out audit in minutes
Every morning, around 11:00 to 11:30 AM, Carolina checks whether all keys from that day's check-outs have come back. If one hasn't, the team can act right away.
"This allows us to act quickly and verify exactly what happened, call the guest and ask, 'Where did you leave the key?' or 'Where is the key right now?'"
No more lost keys
The biggest benefit of Keycafe has been the level of control and visibility it provides over daily key management operations:
"Now I have full visibility and control over every check-in and check-out every single day, and most importantly, no more lost keys," she says. "Before, guests just dropped off the key at reception, and sometimes the front desk staff would say, 'No, I don't have the key.' With Keycafe, we can verify who picked up the key, who dropped it off, and at exactly what time."
From one building to eight
Beyond the financial return, Carolina says the biggest impact has been operational credibility with building managers.
"We've been able to demonstrate to the building managers that we can independently manage our guests without interrupting front desk operations," she explains. "That is really important. We started with one building, and now we have implemented the system in eight of them."
That track record has strengthened We Host Group's partnerships with the buildings it operates in.
"We have built a strong relationship with those buildings, and that's even more valuable than a financial return."
A scalable solution for short-term rental operators
For companies considering a key management solution, Carolina highlights a number of key benefits:
"It's an excellent solution, especially for short-term rental operators. It's simple, it's scalable, and it adapts to different types of properties, including residential buildings, houses or even warehouses. If implemented correctly, it can truly elevate your operation and help take your business to the next level, just as it has for us."
Key takeaways for short-term rental operators
Take the front desk out of the handoff. Self-serve key pickup means guests never wait on busy building staff to start their stay.
Connect keys to your reservation platform. Codes generated automatically from bookings remove manual setup for every stay.
Lock access to check-in time. Time-activated codes stop guests from entering units before cleaning is finished.
Assign cleaner access by unit. Each crew member reaches only the keys for the units they're responsible for.
Check returns every morning. A quick daily review after check-out lets you follow up with guests before a missing key becomes a problem.
Use reliability to grow. Proving you can run check-ins independently builds trust with building managers and opens the door to new properties.
See how Keycafe can help your short-term rental business automate guest check-ins and keep every key accounted for.
