If you use smart locks with Hospitable, we've rolled out a small improvement to make sure guests consistently receive the correct door code.
In December 2025, we introduced more control over backup code messages and how they're sent to guests. You can read the original announcement here:
As part of that change, Hospitable checks whether the main door code is already being shared in your automated messages. If the system doesn't detect %smartlock_code% in the message template, it assumes the code isn't being communicated and may trigger the backup code message instead.
We found that some check-in messages were using phone-based placeholders like %guest_phone% or %guest_phone_last4% to communicate the door code. This historically worked for hosts whose locks were configured to use the last digits of a guest's phone number.
However, because those placeholders aren't recognized as the smart lock code itself, the system could still trigger the backup code message, which sometimes confused guests.
To prevent this, we ran an automated update for affected accounts.
What has changed
For hosts with connected smart locks, we updated guest-facing check-in messages that referenced phone-based codes and replaced them with the correct placeholder:
%smartlock_code%
Your message wording should remain the same. We only corrected the placeholder used for the door code.
Why it matters
This change helps ensure:
- Guests consistently receive the correct smart lock code
- Backup code messages trigger far less often
- Check-in instructions remain clear and reliable
The goal is for smart lock access to feel seamless for both hosts and guests.
Who this affects
This update only applied to hosts who:
- Have at least one connected smart lock
- Have backup code communication enabled
- Were not already using %smartlock_code% in their guest-facing message rules
If you were already using %smartlock_code%, nothing changed.
What you should do
No action is required. If you'd like, you can review/edit your check-in message anytime and confirm it includes %smartlock_code%.
--
If anything looks unusual in your messaging rules, reach out via in-app chat or at support@hospitable.com and our team will be happy to help.
