We have a boutique hotel and in one of the suites we have an iPad installed that controls various smart devices in that suite. We currently use the Apple Home App. The system was installed in 2019 so we’re likely still on that version.
It’s been a few years and all is well besides… Guest often mess with the settings and configuration and things get really out of whack. Guests are generally just experimenting, but it often becomes a problem when the next guest cannot do basic functions like close their drapes.
With that said, I did a bit of searching today and now I’m realizing there may be better ways to do this altogether. For example, Kiosk mode on the iPad or a dedicated dashboard with a dedicated app.
We use Lutron (shades and switches) Lifx bulbs, Nanoleaf panels, Roku, and an Ecobee thermostat.
Our desires are:
A sleek streamlined dashboard with a near zero learning curve. Kiosk mode would be best. This iPad is just for this purpose.
a system where we can lock out users from making changes… OR an easy backup/restore function so we can get the system back to normal between guests.
I suppose we are looking for any ideas or suggestions on how to best do this. There seem to be a ton of solutions out there. Any consensus on where we should start?
This forum caters to the Samsung SmartThings ecosystem, so you may not get much input for Apple HomeKit help. With that said, check out www.viz-designer.com They offer a dashboard designer that works with HomeKit.
Meanwhile…I myself, like some other community members, do use both HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings, but I just use HomeKit in my own house, not for commercial purposes. So for what it’s worth, a few things from my own experience.
Kiosk mode in an Apple context is usually done with the built-in “guided access“ feature, so you might want to do a little research on that and see if it has anything you can use.
There used to be an app called Fuse which would let you include both Roku and HomeKit controls, but it came from a one person shop and the author stopped maintaining it a couple years ago, so I don’t think it works anymore.
I think quite a few people would like to see better combo dashboard apps available as a choice for HomeKit, I just haven’t seen any myself.
Yes, I mostly just meant if you start researching HomeKit dashboards with A/V controls you might see a lot of glowing reviews of Fuse, the point being that those reviews are probably two years old or more. But I probably shouldn’t have even mentioned it. My bad.
I will throw Home Remote into the mix but research would need to be done to see if everything that needs connection is covered by home remotes integrations
A quick check in the Home remote app shows no direct integration with nano leaf panels or roku but the other 3 are covered
