Smart Phones
How many times have you lost a hotel room key? Most likely, a couple times in your life but help is on the way. As keyless entry technologies roar, hotels are beginning to adopt their use. Aloft Hotels in New York City and Silicon Valley are the latest guinea pigs adopting these technologies. Proposed technologies are said to gift one with a “virtual room key” while hoping that the check-in process is easier and that room key loss becomes extinct in itself.
I don’t want to wait in line
Starwood CEO Frits van Paasschen believes that check-in lines are too easy to get swallowed in. So, with an Android 4.3 or higher and iPhone 4s or higher, smartphone goers will be able to skip the lines and the human interaction almost entirely. Although momentarily unclear, his vision seems to extend itself to all hotel management being tasked through smartphone use. He mentions, “… It will become table stakes for managing a hotel.” Whatever that means, we have yet to find out.
Not Exclusive
This feature isn’t going to be the exclusive access system. As far as we know, traditional losable keys will still be available for some time. The pilot program seems to favor persons who frequent these hotels and know the routine. Therefore they will favor an expedited entry, exit and payment option with their mobile wallet by clicking just a few buttons.
How does it work?
The technology at use is Bluetooth. What happens is this: your phone connects to a sensor in the door, (much like Kēvo by Kwikset), the technology renders your proximity and by using the app and like- binary codes allows you access to the room. The locks on the doors are battery operated, so in the event of a power outage they will still work in some way, but are possibly subject to Wi-Fi connection failure.
Conclusion
If all goes well, Aloft and W hotels will be equipped with these keyless entry, check-in and check-out technologies by 2015. That’s around the corner! Keep an eye on our posts to see what happens next.
