How Mint House Streamlined Operations with RemoteLock
After a long day of travel, guests want to walk into a space that feels predictable and comfortable. At Mint House, the goal is to make that moment effortless. Guests receive a code, head straight to their room, and settle in without waiting for a front desk or sorting through complicated instructions. Behind that quiet convenience is a hybrid hospitality model that depends on reliable and flexible access control.
When Mint House evaluated how to support this model at scale, they knew their access control system needed to work across a wide range of building types, layouts, and ownership structures. As Operations Lead Joe Mangioni put it, “Getting guests into the building is everything we do. If you can’t get in, you can’t sell rooms.”
That simple truth eventually guided Mint House to RemoteLock.
About Mint House
Mint House is a hospitality and short‑term rental hybrid operating in nine cities and twelve properties. The company offers apartment‑style accommodations supported by hotel‑level operations, including automated check‑in, virtual support, and a standardized guest experience across markets.
Five of their properties rely on RemoteLock today. This includes a flagship operation in Madison, where traditional hotel rooms sit alongside two fully restored historic homes that function as reservable units.
The Challenge: Too Much Cost and Too Many Extras
Before switching to RemoteLock, Mint House used an access control platform that bundled features they did not need at a price point that strained their operating model. Mangioni recalled that cost was the first major concern. “A lot of the solutions out there are pretty pricey, like upwards of thirty dollars a door,” he said. “We really didn’t need all the fluff.”
Guest messaging tools, layered software components, and all‑in‑one hospitality packages were unnecessary for Mint House. They already had strong systems in place. What they needed was simple and reliable access control that could scale, flex, and adapt to different owner requirements.
“We just needed access control,” Mangioni explained. “We needed access control that was reliable, hardware‑agnostic, and could be dynamic to the different types of assets that we operate.”
How RemoteLock Helped
Mint House thrives on speed. Some new deals require working with existing hardware. Others allow for a full, standardized installation. RemoteLock made both situations easier. The platform supports a wide variety of hardware, which allows Mint House to select the right devices for each building rather than forcing one configuration across every property.
Mangioni appreciated that freedom. “RemoteLock gives us tremendous speed,” he said. “Whether it’s taking a deal with a really short lead time or getting out of a deal and turning something back over to an owner, it gives us flexibility.”
RemoteLock also integrates directly with Mews, the PMS Mint House uses to manage bookings across its portfolio. Guests book a room type, Mews assigns a unit, and RemoteLock automatically delivers the correct access without staff intervention. Most Mint House properties do not have a front desk, so this automation supports the company’s lean operational model.
According to Mangioni, the combination of RemoteLock and Mews feels natural. “It’s like a match made in heaven,” he said.
A Standout Example: The Dylin in Madison
The Dylin, located in a historic neighborhood in Madison, offers a unique challenge. The building blends hotel‑style rooms with two fully restored historic homes that connect directly to the main structure. Guests can reserve either option, which creates two very different access paths inside one property.
RemoteLock keeps the experience seamless. Guests receive one code, and every door they should access works automatically. “Whether you’re booking the house or the hotel,” Mangioni said, “the correct doors always light up for the guest. The access groups always work the right way.”
He added that he could not imagine another platform managing that complexity as cleanly. The Dylin demonstrates how RemoteLock supports both traditional hospitality layouts and more unconventional short‑term rental configurations.
The Results: Lower Costs, Faster Deployment, and Greater Control
Since adopting RemoteLock, Mint House has reduced its access‑control expenses, accelerated its deployment timelines, and gained more operational control. The team can add or remove hardware, configure new buildings, and manage day‑to‑day adjustments without relying on a third‑party integrator.
Automated access through Mews delivers consistent arrivals. Guests receive their codes automatically and go directly to their room. Staff spend less time managing credentials and more time supporting on‑site needs.
Mangioni summarized the impact clearly. “Access control is the most paramount thing that I touch,” he said. “RemoteLock has been the simplest and most reliable system for what we do.”
Mint House is now exploring additional RemoteLock capabilities, including smart thermostat control to regulate vacant units and prepare rooms before arrival.
RemoteLock has become a core part of the technology stack supporting Mint House’s growth and its commitment to a seamless guest experience.
RemoteLock
Advanced Access Control and More
RemoteLock has been automating access control and improving on-site property operations efficiencies across multiple industries, including vacation rental and multifamily, for more than ten years. As a leading access-centered property operations software platform provider with more than 10,000 customers in 75+ countries, RemoteLock helps property managers enable, control, and automate access and climate control across their portfolio. RemoteLock’s platform saves property managers time and money through the elimination of tasks for onsite staff and helps scale businesses with greater confidence. It is differentiated by its dozens of integrations with applicable hardware and business software systems for an easy-to-use, turn-key solution.
