Remote Hotel Check-In With Your Cell Phone Gives You Keyless Entry

Just like magic, signature RFID by VingCard promises no more hotel room keys. Coming this year (by that I believe they mean the a rolling 12 month period, not necessarily by December), guests will have the ability to check in to select hotels before they arrive. Using NFC (Near Field Communications) cell phones, which are the new generation cell phones being manufactured this year containing short-range wireless technology which combines a RFID reader and card into one device, users can have the confirmation number, room number and encrypted room key access code sent to them by text message. Once the patron reaches the hotel, she or he can bypass the lobby and go straight to her or his room.

I know it sounds a little confusing, but using this system should be a breeze. You check in using the hotel’s preferred system (I’m envisioning something similar to checking in to a flight on-line), receive your text message with details, go to the assigned room and walk in the door. (And you hope it isn’t like that one time I walked in my recently assigned room in Jamaica to find that it already belonged to someone else…)

Combine that action with the stumble light that lets you go to the bathroom without turning the lights on and you have the hotel of the future. The near future.

This technology is considered an upgrade to the the existing card systems and as such you shouldn’t expect to see keyless entry at every Motel 6 by the end of 2007. I suspect this product will debut in new opening properties and business travel hotels in the larger markets WAY before it will be put in to place at the Days Inn or other budget priced chains.

External doors were not covered in the article I used as a source for this post. You know what I mean, how doors other than the one in the lobby are locked after hours and you need a room key to enter. Also, I’m sure each hotel will have to initiate rules on early check in and other out of the ordinary circumstances. But how cool is this going to be?

Via Hotel News Resources.