What are mobile room keys, and how do they work?

According to researchers, 76% of travellers ranked smartphones as their most important travel companion and two-thirds want to use their smartphones as room keys. Mobile keys drive an average 7% improvement in guest satisfaction scores.

But what exactly are mobile hotel room keys, and how do they work? Let’s explore.

What are mobile room keys?

Mobile hotel room keys are digital alternatives to traditional physical keys or key cards. Normally accessed through a hotel’s app, guests can unlock their rooms using their smartphones, providing a smooth and contactless experience from check-in to checkout.

Mobile keys often provide access to other areas of your property as well, like lifts, fitness centres, or parking garages. When the key is integrated with your hotel app, the user experience can incorporate directions to the room and real-time notifications about check-in procedures.

How do mobile hotel room keys work?

There are two technologies in particular that make mobile keys possible:

• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): BLE allows smartphones to communicate with room locks over a short range. This is the most commonly used technology for mobile keys, and it’s extremely energy-efficient, providing seamless interaction without draining the batteries of phones or locks.
  
  
• Near-Field Communication (NFC): Like contactless payment systems, NFC enables a “tap-to-unlock” experience, but its adoption is less widespread due to hardware requirements. With NFC, both the smartphone and door lock need to be equipped with NFC-compatible chips, which can increase costs and limit compatibility with older devices.

Whether using BLE or NFC, digital keys are generated and managed through cloud-based hotel key software, which integrates with your property management system (PMS). Here’s how the process typically works:

1. Check-in: Guests check in via your hotel or resort app to confirm their reservation details.
2. Key delivery: The PMS generates a digital key tied to the guest’s stay and transmits it securely to the app.
3. Room access: Guests communicate with the smart lock using their smartphones, either by tapping (NFC) or approaching (BLE).

Benefits of mobile hotel room keys

Gone are the days of lost or demagnetised key cards. Mobile keys not only provide guests with unparalleled convenience, but they also streamline hotel operations and allow for cost savings. 

Benefits of mobile room keys for guests

• Less to carry: Mobile keys eliminate the need for guests to keep track of anything extra, which is particularly helpful for those enjoying activities like swimming or theme park visits.
  
  
• Contactless check-in: Many hotels already allow guests to review their reservation details and receive notifications when their rooms are ready on their smartphones. With mobile keys, guests can bypass the front desk entirely, streamlining (and speeding up!) the arrival process.
  
  
• Enhanced guest experience: Since mobile keys are integrated directly with your hotel’s mobile app, guests can also be introduced to a host of additional functionalities they might otherwise miss out on, such as mobile room service ordering, activity planning and access to exclusive deals. 

Benefits of mobile room keys for operators

• Operational efficiency: Rather than managing physical keys or troubleshooting key card issues, mobile keys free up staff to focus on providing guests with superior service.
  
  
• Cost savings: When you include technological upkeep, physical RFID key cards can cost hotels between $2 and $10 each, which is not small change considering how prone they are to loss and damage. Mobile keys eliminate this recurring cost,  saving hotels up to $1,000 per month.
  
  
• Environmental sustainability: A typical 200-room hotel goes through 1,300 tons of plastic waste from key cards in a single year. Mobile keys eliminate that waste, helping hotels align with sustainability efforts.
  
  
• Guest engagement: Guests are incentivised to download your hotel’s app to access their mobile keys and booking details. Your app then becomes a direct communication channel, enabling upselling opportunities for services like spa treatments or dining experiences.

Are mobile hotel room keys secure?

While convenience is a major draw, new technology always comes with concerns about safety, and that’s true for both guests and operators. Fortunately, mobile hotel room keys are designed with robust security measures:

• Encryption: Mobile keys are encrypted to ensure they can’t be intercepted or duplicated—unlike physical key cards.
• Time-limited access: Mobile keys can be programmed to work only for the duration of the guest’s stay and expire upon checkout.
• Two-factor authentication: Many systems require guests to verify their identity through additional steps, like entering a PIN sent via SMS.

With safeguards rivalling financial institutions, guests and hotel operators alike can rest easily that their mobile keys are secure. 

Seamlessly integrated hotel key software

As more hotels embrace digital transformation, research suggests that 70% of hotels worldwide could adopt mobile room keys this year. 

At Attractions.io, we specialise in creating seamless digital solutions that elevate the guest journey. Ready to learn more? Talk to us about integrating your digital room keys with a mobile app for your resort.