Entry Code Help: Getting into the vacation home!
ALL our homes are equipped with electronic locks. You are provided an entry code ahead of time, via email, for the times and dates of your stay, and you use this code to open the door. You do not need to meet anyone!
BUT FIRST: Guests staying in a Southern Vacation Rentals Managed Home
IMPORTANT: Are you staying in a home managed for us by Southern Vacation Rentals? Your information from us will clearly state they are the local management co, along with providing Southern’s contact info. This includes Beach Castle, Fort Sun, Gulf & Golf at the Plantation, The Pearl, Sea Monster, Sea Urchins, and Wits End.
For these homes, you will receive your entry code directly from Southern Vacation Rentals. We, unfortunately, do not have access to your codes and we cannot look them up or generate them. Southern handles all access, maintenance, and other issues for our guests in the homes they manage for us. For SOUTHERN guests, you will have received an email from them inviting you to their portal. Your code will be in their portal and you may be able to use that link and your email and arrival date to access it. If you have any issues with your stay in one of their managed homes, please contact them:
Southern Vacation Rentals
866-290-8214. Also 24 hour text line: (850) 367-7256
guestservices@gosouthern.com
But… check junk or spam for the note from them. That’s one of the most common problems…
For everyone else! How to get into your beach home? We can help!
Entry to the homes we, as Bama Beach Houses, manage (that is, everywhere but the Southern homes noted above), we send you the codes directly.
We use the Kaba 460 deadbolt at all Gulf Shores vacation homes managed by BamaBeachHouses.
All these homes use industry standard Kaba electronic deadbolt locks. Let’s hit a few of the most common issues we hear when guests reach out:
1. Are you at the right home, at the right date and time?
Seriously… it happens. Especially mixing up East and West on duplexes, etc. Right Home? East/West? Address? Double check! Let’s make sure you are actually at the right place! And that you are not too early (the codes are tied to times and dates of stay).
2. Do you have your entry code?
Check junk folders! We EMAIL the codes from beachtrip@bamabeachhouses.com ahead of time, actually several times! If you do not have them, 99 out of 100 times its because our email is landing in a junk or spam folder. Some of the email message titles include:
“BBH: Entry Code and Wifi Reminder” and “BBH: Check in Instructions”– NOTE the email entitled “BBH: Initial Check in Instructions” (the word INITIAL in it), will NOT have the entry code. Only the other ones will. Under very rare circumstances, older copies of these messages may not actually contain the code. If the latest ones do not have the code, please text us (251.202.7145, text only) and we can get it sent right out to you. This only happens on (1) relatively last minute stays and (2) occasionally with stays that have rented BOTH sides of a duplex under one name.
3. Need help opening the lock?
How to open? (1) Enter the code. No # or anything else. (2) Then turn the knob to unlock. Note, if you pause entering the code (like, say, if you look up the rest of the code while entering it), then the lock can time out. Try again!
Enter the Code. Detailed version.
As you enter the code, it should beep and flash a green light with each digit. It MIGHT flash both green and red with each digit. That is okay, but you should tell us when you have a chance as it means the batteries are getting low. They will operate for weeks but we definitely want to change them out as soon as possible. If when you finish entering it, it beeps and flashes red, then the code was not accepted. Double check the code and re-enter it, and double check… right house, right time, right date… 🙂
Turn the Knob!
Almost all of our Kaba locks are deadbolts. You enter a correct code, it provides access by enabling the deadbolt to be turned open. It does NOT turn it for you (this is actually great because the ones that turn for you tend to chew up batteries and have alignment issues). This does however mean that just like one you might use a key on at home, you have to turn the knob AND you have to do so before the valid code that you entered times out (about 5 seconds)… if not, you have to restart.
4. Lock it?
No code needed: Turn the knob. Done.
However, very occasionally these locks can misbehave and require the code. If the battery is okay (entering a key flashes green), and you cannot turn the knob to lock the lock as you leave for the beach… then you can try using the code. If this happens, send us a note and we will fix it for you so you don’t have to do that!
Advanced Kaba Lock Stuff: Can I change my code?
Why yes you can actually. You can’t change it per se, but, with a valid code, you can create an alternative code for your stay. The one we provide you will still be operational, but this might be useful if you want to provide one to your gang that might be easier to remember.
PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THIS. It will NOT mess up your existing code, but if you don’t get it to work, staff cannot assist you. I am including this because it is pretty easy and might be handy.
That said… to add an additional code for your stay: enter the system generated code on a lock and then hit the “#” button followed by the personal 6 digits. Test it out. As with everything else, delays in entering things can time out the lock.
Contact us if you cannot get in after trying all the above! (And are not in a Southern managed home)
Text us at 251.202.7145 (txt/sms only).
For entry related issues for anyone staying directly with us who is NOT in a home locally managed by Southern Vacation Rentals (see above), the quickest way to reach us will usually be to text to 251.202.7145 and state the specific home and side (if a duplex) as well as the last name on the reservation.
Please also note anything specific about the problem. It will usually be one of two things:
- I do not have my code. Be sure sure if this is it that you checked junk, because as noted above 99 out of 100 times, we will be grabbing the code OUT OF THE EMAIL you were sent… 🙂 OR…
- My code isn’t working (and I did try all the troubleshooting above, and turned the knob…).
251.202.7145 is NOT a voice number. You cannot call it and get through. However, multiple people will see the relayed text message and can reply via text or call you back. These are the folks most likely to be able to rapidly assist with access.
You can also email us by replying to any of our messages or emailing beachtrip@bamabeachhouses.com. These are usually seen pretty quickly, but text will be faster.
As a last resort, you can call our 251.732.4020 number too; however, please try the text first and give folks at least a few minutes to reply. Emergency phone calls (specifically after 5pm Eastern and you choose ’emergency’) will route to a lot of our people’s mobile numbers but most of them will not be able to assist with entry as rapidly as those who will see the text message.
