How to set up HomePod for AirBnB guests?

Hardware
1

I am AirBnBing my house for a week whilst on holiday. It’s not something I’ve done before. I have a HomePod mini upstairs and HomePod downstairs.

Any tips on how to make these available to the guests?

Ideally I’d like to let them use Siri, I can leave connected to my Apple Music account. But does this give them too much power (e.g. change my playlists)?

Is it best just to let them AirPlay to it? If so is it best to disconnect from my Apple ID first?

Maybe reset it and let them et up with their Apple ID?

Any thoughts on pros/risks of various options would be much apreciated.

2

Just a few things from my perspective as someone who stays at Airbnbs. :blush:

  1. I would disclose that you have HomePods in the house in the Airbnb listing.
  2. Turn off personal requests.
  3. Sign-out from Apple Music, and just let them use it as an AirPlay speaker.
  4. Turn off “Listen for Hey Siri”. This goes off randomly for me at my own house and as someone staying in someone else’s house, I would prefer this not be turned on.

Also in Home’s global settings, you can turn on “Allow Speaker & TV Access” for “Same Network”, so that they can use it with AirPlay while on your Wifi.

I wouldn’t let them set it up with their own Apple ID, since likely they’d forget and it could give other guests access without the other guests realizing it.

Anyway, you can take all that with a grain of salt. :blush:

1 Like
3

As a guest I likewise would be happy to see a note in the instructions along the lines of, “you may stream music to the HomePod via AirPlay. You may unplug it but please do not try to reset it. Siri and the HomePod microphones are disabled.”

4

And if you have smart lights maybe label them or make a map! I’ve done this for folks that are visiting.