Online check-in and access
Last updated: 29 July 2026
Palermo Holiday House works with self check-in: there is no reception desk, but there is also no cut-off time. Once your online check-in is complete and your documents approved, you arrive whenever you like — even in the middle of the night — and let yourself in with your phone.
In three steps
- Before you travel — complete the online check-in with Vikey: you upload ID documents for all guests and we approve them.
- On arrival — open the Vikey link and unlock the doors one by one, straight from your phone.
- During your stay — message us for anything: assistance is remote, but real and fast.
Before arrival: online check-in
Online check-in is mandatory: without it, access is not enabled. It registers all guests (children included, as Italian law requires), sends the data to the authorities, handles the city tax and activates the automated entry.
You receive a Vikey link from us: open it, upload a valid ID for each guest and complete the process. We review and approve the documents personally — so please complete everything the day before arrival, not from the airport at the last minute.
The city tax
It is a City of Palermo tax: €4.00 per person per night, up to a maximum of 4 consecutive nights (from the fifth night it is no longer due). You pay it during online check-in via Vikey, before arrival — no cash needed. If you booked on Airbnb it is already included in what you paid the platform; from our website or Booking it is paid separately. Children up to 12 and Palermo residents, among others, are exempt.
Arrival day: how to get in
You can enter from 3:00 pm onwards, with no time limit: if you land at 11 pm or arrive at 1 am, you still get in, no need to warn us.
- Open the Vikey link you received after document approval: you'll find the door buttons.
- Tap the blue “Building door” button: the main entrance opens.
- Take the lift to the third floor — and close its doors properly after use: if they stay open, the lift stops working for everyone.
- Reopen the link and tap the grey “Apartment door” button: follow Vikey's instructions and enter the guest house.
- At your room door, tap “Room door”: on the first opening only, the camera activates for a quick verification selfie, which we match against the ID you sent at check-in. It's a security measure for you and the other guests; later openings don't require it. The selfie is processed under our Privacy Policy and Vikey's.
Your backups: the orange key and the codes
- In your room you'll find a key with an orange keyring: it opens the building's front door. Take it with you when you go out — it's your safety net if your phone dies.
- When you tap “Apartment door” or “Room door”, the screen asks whether to open with your phone or with a code: tap “code”, write it down and keep it. With the two door codes you can get in even with a dead phone.
If something doesn't work
It's almost always solved in a minute. Try in order: 1) does your phone have mobile data on? (with a foreign SIM, check roaming — the most common cause); 2) are you using the most recent link we sent?; 3) is your online check-in complete and approved? If the building door is the problem and you've already been to your room, use the orange key or your noted codes. Still stuck? Message us right away: we reply and fix it — don't wait outside for half an hour.
Check-out
By 10:00 am. When you leave: close the room door, return the orange key, make sure the lift doors are properly shut. Late check-out is normally not possible (it depends on the day's arrivals): ask us and we'll check, with no advance guarantee.
Free luggage storage
You can leave your luggage with us free of charge, both before check-in and after check-out — just agree on a time with us. That way you enjoy your first and last day in Palermo in full.
Still have questions?
You'll find more answers in our frequently asked questions, or just write to us: we reply even before you've booked.