How do room keys work

Here's a complete breakdown of hotel keycards and some info that might surprise you with how vulnerable they really are to hacking, along with some suggestions on how to modernize them.

Some hotels use access cards with magnetic strips, 'mag stripe cards' for short. Magnetic stripe cards are also known as 'swipe cards'. But there are other alternatives to hotel access, such as proximity RFID cards, access cards with holes, photo ID cards, barcode cards, and smart cards.

These can be used to access rooms, use elevators and access specific areas of the building. All of these access methods are common parts of a traditional access control system. Mag stripe or swipe cards are a cost-effective option for large hotels, but they tend to wear out quickly and are less secure than some of the other options. RFID cards are more durable and more expensive.

These cards are less common. All of the above examples are based on different technologies but provide the same functions for door access control. Smart cards can include a wealth of additional information about the user whoever the card is assigned to. A smart card can be used to grant the holder access to facilities beyond the hotel room, such as restaurants, gyms, pools, laundry, conference rooms, and any other amenity that requires secure access in the building. With their enhanced security and encryption standards, smart cards collect the information from every step of the holder's journey in the facility and allow the hotel to get a joint record of all their expenses at once, rather than tallying the bills from separate places in the same building.

This streamlines the financial management of the hotel and creates a smoother experience for the hotel guest. Hotel key cards are used with door card readers installed on each door lock and can be programmed to open specific doors in defined time periods. Modern hotel access management systems enable grouping the door locks with a number of users, providing access to the same group, as well as an audit trail of who opened the door and when. For instance, one group can have access to open the hotel lobby door or the staff toilets, but only within a certain period in the day if the administrator chooses to implement a specific window of time for access.

We mentioned earlier that smart cards could also be used to grant holders unique access to elevators. For example, if a guest has booked a penthouse suite, on a floor that should be restricted to everyday users, smart cards along with advanced door readers can make this process a breeze!

To learn more about elevator access control systems specifically, check out our guide. Magnetic stripe cards have a magnetic layer or a strip which contains basic information of the hotel guest. Typically, the user access number is the most identifiable information stored on the card. Personnel at the hotel desk will imprint the user information at check-in and usually set a time limit for its use until checkout.

Thanks for your support! Have you tried the Hilton digital key? Did you find it to be a convenient service? Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Spread the love. Authors Lyn Mettler -. Once the current Digital Key has been disabled, you'll be able to re-request the Digital Key on your new device.

Call Me. Customer support Support Online reservation assistance. Web accessibility. Site usage agreement. Global privacy statement. Data Rights Request. Cookies statement. Do Not Sell My Information.