A. What Types of Keys Do Your Guests Need?
The first thing to do is figure out exactly what keys your guest is going to need. A key to the front door is obvious, but did you remember to give them a key for the outer gate or the door of the building? And what about the key to the community pool? If your guests are staying for several weeks, you may even want to leave them a mail key.
You’ll also need to figure out the number of key sets you want to leave. For most hotels, the rule is 2 sets of keys for a group of 4 but here’s a table of recommendation that could be useful.
With that being said, it’s your decision how many keys to provide. You should choose what works best for you and your property.
Some hosts prefer to only offer one set of keys regardless of the number of guests in the booking. If you’re planning on doing this, its best to mention this in advance to avoid any problems later on.
A useful option to save time and stress is using a service like KeyMe, which copy keys using a photo you send them. Once the key is copied, both services will send it to your address free of shipping charges. If you’re comfortable doing so, you can also opt to cut out the middleman and send your key directly to your guests, then arrange to have them leave it somewhere in your apartment at the end of their stay.
B. Colored Keys
If you have a lot of keys for a guest to keep track of, you may want to think about purchasing color-coordinated keys. It’s just another way to make your guest’s job easier.
For example: a blue key for the front gate, a green key for the door, and red key for the mailbox, etc.
Pro Tip: There are a few options that can save you from buying new keys:
Nail polish – It’s best to paint a dot/shape or the key head rather than the whole key as too much nail polish can flake off
Colored key caps – You can find them online in multi-packs that include a variety of colors
C. Key-Chains
It’s always best if your keys are attached to key chains. It makes them easier for a guest to keep track of and prevents them from getting lost. A clip that can be attached to a bag or pocket can be useful too.
Safety Tip: no addresses on the key-chains, just a phone number and, if you have one, a logo.
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