In this section we have collected the most common questions concerning hotel key cards and their use in the hospitality sector.
HOTEL KEY CARDS
In the hospitality industry, hotel key cards are a symbol of convenience and technological innovation. Their primary function is to unlock the room door, replacing traditional physical keys. Key cards for hotels also serve a multitude of purposes, aiming to simplify the guest experience and optimise the management of the accommodation facility.
How to program hotel key cards? They can be programmed with this functionalities:
- Room access control. Hotel smart cards allow access to rooms and restricted areas such as guest floors, wellness areas, and parking, ensuring a safer and more convenient experience for guests.
- Energy saving. Integrated with the hotel’s energy management system, smart cards are inserted into the energy saver – the slot located inside the room near the entrance – to enable the lights to turn on. When the card is not inserted into the slot, the lights switch off, optimising energy consumption.
- Electronic purse for hotel. Key cards can act as prepaid electronic wallets, allowing guests to make purchases at bars, restaurants, boutiques, and vending machines within the hotel, without the need to carry coins or cash.
- Activation of extra services. A simple tap of the card can activate paid extra services, such as sunbeds, Wi-Fi connection, or spa services, further personalising the guest’s stay
Compared to traditional keys, smart cards offer many advantages:
- Security: Secure hotel key cards reduce the risk of unauthorised access, for the safety of guests.
- Efficiency: The cards simplify access control to various areas of the hotel, enabling efficient room management and optimising staff workflow.
- Integration with hotel management systems: Key cards can be integrated with hotel management systems, providing valuable data to improve operational efficiency and personalise the guest experience.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOTEL KEY CARDS
Hotel key cards technology: how it works
Key cards for hotel rooms work with different technologies:
- Magnetic stripe cards: Available in LoCo or HiCo frequencies, these cards need to be swiped through a reader.
- Contact cards: Equipped with a contact chip, these cards must be inserted into a reader to function. Contact cards for hotel access are more secure than magnetic stripe cards due to the integrated chip.
- RFID cards: Featuring a contactless chip, RFID hotel cards authorise the opening of RFID door locks for hotels simply by being brought near them. Hotels use RFID cards with either 125 kHz (Low Frequency) or 13.56 MHz (High Frequency), with Vicinity or Proximity technology.
- Combo cards: These are hybrid cards with independent chips that integrate both contact and RFID technologies. They are ideal for environments with access control systems from different providers, ensuring compatibility in diverse infrastructure settings.
Contactless cards are the best option for RFID access control for hotels, offering a smoother and more intuitive user experience.
Contact and magnetic stripe vs RFID hotel key cards: compared to magnetic stripe cards and chip contact cards, RFID cards for hotels are more convenient and quicker to use, as they do not need to be inserted into a reader. For this reason, the contactless chip is less prone to wear and tear, as well as damage from external factors like dirt and dust.
How secure are hotel RFID key cards? Thanks to contactless RFID technology and advanced encryption, they provide a high level of security against forgery, protecting the data stored on the hotel smart cards and preventing unauthorised access.
Hotel smart cards are available in various materials: magnetic stripe and contact chip cards are available in standard PVC and PETG. Additionally, eco-friendly hotel key cards are made from degradable PVC and recycled PVC, which retain the same technical characteristics as standard materials but are more sustainable. RFID cards, in addition to being available in PVC, degradable PVC, recycled PVC, and PETG, are also made from wood, a biodegradable and recyclable material. These eco-friendly hotel key cards are both attractive and elegant, thanks to the natural grain of the wood, adding a unique touch to the hotel’s image.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOTEL KEY CARD CUSTOMIZATION OPTIONS
Hotel key cards customisation
Hotel key cards offer various customisation options, with barcode printing, brand logos, or details of the services offered into the card’s design.
At Partitalia, we provide printing and customisation of key cards for hotel using different techniques: 4-colour offset printing, silkscreen printing with gold and silver colours, digital printing, UV spot varnish, and hot stamping for PVC and PETG; offset, silkscreen printing, and laser printing for wood.
Customisation is carried out using thermographic printing, laser printing, inkjet printing, and embossing for plastic materials, and laser and inkjet printing for wood.
FAQs hotel key cards
How do electronic hotel key cards work?
A hotel key card is a magnetic stripe, contact chip, or RFID card used as an electronic key to access rooms and other restricted areas of the hotel. Magnetic and chip contact cards operate by insertion into a reader placed on the door lock, while RFID cards are simply inserted by approaching the reader. This technology replaces traditional physical keys, simplifying access management for both guests and hotel staff, while also enhancing operational efficiency and the overall guest experience.
How are RFID keys programmed for hotels?
RFID key cards can be programmed with different functionalities: access control to rooms and restricted areas, such as the spa and parking; energy saving, to enable automatic switching on and off of lights in the rooms; electronic purse, to make purchases at bars, restaurants and vending machines within the hotel.
What are the advantages of electronic key cards over traditional keys?
Compared to traditional keys, hotel key cards are more secure, as they protect against unauthorised access, protecting the safety of guests. In addition, they simplify access to different areas of the hotel, and improve staff management of rooms and common areas.
Are RFID cards safe for hotels?
Yes, RFID hotel keys increase security, as they are difficult to duplicate thanks to advanced encryption, which protects the data stored inside the card and prevents unauthorised access.
What does ‘electronic purse’ mean in relation to RFID cards?
RFID hotel cards can also be used as an electronic wallet: they hold prepaid credit that can be spent on various hotel services, such as vending machines, bars, restaurants, wellness centres, and sunbeds.
