If you've ever booked a reservation (or visited) a modern hotel, you may already know what a hotel key card is. Most hotels in the US will give you a hotel key card upon check-in at the front desk. A hotel keycard allows for more secure and personalized access into your room. But have you ever looked closely and wondered: how do hotel key cards work?
Understanding a Hotel Keycard
Hotel key cards are used to provide enhanced security of guests and boost overall hotel security. They are very difficult to duplicate unlike a normal key, and allow for more personalized access into a hotel room. In fact, most hotel management use all-access key cards which allow them to enter parts of the hotel that may be prohibited to guests. However, even though key cards work to promote hotel security, there is far more that is going on than what's on the surface.
How the System Works
Hotel key cards function like a lot of smart cards. The hotel key card system works in a few steps: programming, data transmission, and verification and access.
- Programming: At the hotel's front desk, the card is programmed by a receptionist with a unique and specific user access number that allows the guest to enter into their room and common areas, such as the gym or pool. This access number is very difficult to copy, and includes the room numbers and the period of time that it can work–expiring at checkout time.
- Data Transfer: The key card then interacts with the door lock's card reader. This breaks down into two ways–either by swiping the card through the reader, or by tapping/holding the card near the reader. This then transfers the data on the card to the card reader.
- Verification/Access: Once the reader has received the data on the card, it sends it to the hotel's main access control system which will verify the data. Once verified, access is either granted or denied (depending on if the data was correct).
The Types of Hotel Key Cards
There are three types of hotel key card: magnetic stripe, RFID, and NFC.
- Magnetic stripe cards work by swiping the card into the room door's card reader. On the back of the card, there is a black magnetic stripe. The stripe itself contains the information on the guest and room. Once a guest swipes this card in the reader, the magnetic strips communicate the information to the card reader–similar to the way a credit card works.
- RFID cards meanwhile, use a more contactless method to transmit its information by using radio frequency identification. RFID cards contain a small, built-in card that uses radio waves to deliver its contained data to the card reader by simply holding the chip near the reader.
- NFC cards work in a similar way to RFID cards by using radio frequencies to transmit the data. However, the NFC technology works on much more short ranged communication.
FAQ
- Are you supposed to give back hotel key cards? It's a good courtesy to give them back at the front desk or leave them in the room.
- How do hotel key cards get activated? A hotel key card is activated by a receptionist at the front desk during checkin. The receptionist will then program the card with the user access number and unique data using a card encoder.
- Do hotel key cards work without electricity? Hotel key cards actually work without any external electricity. Each door lock has its own internal battery that powers it. That way guests can be sure of their room security even if the power is out.
- Is it illegal to keep hotel key cards? It's not generally illegal to keep hotel key cards, since they're programmed to stop working at checkout. However, leaving the card is considered a common courtesy.
- Do hotels reuse their key cards? Yes, oftentimes hotels will reuse their key cards to save money. Once they wipe the data clean off the card, it can be used again for a different guest.
- What happens when you accidentally take a hotel key card? There is not anything significant that really happens when you take a hotel key card. The cards are programmed to stop working at checkout.
"Key" Takeaways
- Hotel key cards work to promote hotel security by allowing for safer, more personalized access into a guest room.
- The system works through the card being programmed by the receptionist with the unique information, the card then transfers that information to the door lock's card reader by tap or swipe, and then the guest is allowed entry if their information is correct for the room.
- There are a few types of hotel keycards. Magnetic stripe cards use a magnetic strip on the card back to store the data and work by swipe. RFID and NFC cards work through radio frequency identification on a small chip in the card by tapping.
- Overall, hotel key cards work by the way they are programmed, which allows for a safer hotel-stay, and a better guest experience.
