If you’ve stayed in a hotel, chances are you’ve probably spent some time standing outside your room while you awkwardly swipe your RFID keycard over-and-over again to try and open the door.

Or perhaps you left it by the pool or in the fitness suite. We’ve all been there. But thanks to a new concept from ID&C, the Wristband Hotel Key Card will help make these common mishaps a thing of the past.

RFID access on wristbands brings a new level of convenience to resorts and attractions industry. Not only can you pay for goods, food and beverages on-site, with just the tap of a wrist. You can also access your room, the gym and the pool, all without the need to carry a multitude of different cards. 

A brief history of the hotel keycard

Hotel keycards were commonplace as early as the 1970s when Norwegian, Tor Sørnes developed a re-codable plastic card (sometimes referred to as a relic) containing 32 punched holes. The small holes worked similarly to traditional metal pin tumbler locks and could be regularly changed to allow for over 4.2 billion different combinations.

In the early 1990s, magnetic stripe cards (or magstripe) were introduced and soon became the global standard for keycard locks. At the time, magstripe cards were revolutionary, and to this day are still widely used in the hospitality industry. However, they are prone to failure and are easily worn out, requiring regular replacement.

Up to this point, hotel door lock mechanisms still required that the keycard be physically inserted. That was until the launch of radio frequency identification cards (RFID) in the 2000s.

RFID key cards contain a small, passive microchip that is activated when in reading distance of the door lock, enabling a convenient 'tap-to-unlock' method for hotel guests.

More durable, reliable, and secure than any of its predecessors, the RFID card is now the industry standard for keycard access.

2 key benefits of RFID cards over Magstripe or Barcode

Security

RFID reduces the chance and opportunity for theft and fraud. An encrypted RFID keycard is almost impossible to reproduce, whereas tangible barcodes or magstripes are easily copied or transferred using certain methods.

Durability & Accuracy

RFID cards and wristbands can be made 100% waterproof and will withstand the likes of chlorine and sunscreen. RFID is also a contactless technology which is never worn out by repeat use.

Whats more, RFID is an instantaneous method of access control, whereas a barcode requires line of sight. And, magstripe can be temperamental, requiring repeat swipes to activate a door lock.

Magstripes and barcodes wear out quickly, increasing the need for re-issued cards.

Read more about how RFID works and the many benefits RFID technology brings to hotels, resorts & waterparks.

Moving from wallet to wrist

RFID hotel keycards are typically 84 x 54mm and made of PVC. They fit snugly in your wallet and that's pretty much where they are kept for the duration of your hotel stay (apart from when you leave it in the gym, of course)

But with ID&C's new RFID wristband keycard concept, the keycard is taken to a whole new level of convenience.

Convenience is king

Switching a hotel keycard from wallet to wrist adds an array of simple yet incredibly convenient enhancements for resort guests.

No longer are guests required to carry multiple items in their wallet, or even carry a wallet at all.

One RFID wristband can be used for ultimate convenience during their stay. But, why is a wristband so much better than a card? Here's why...

5 Reasons why RFID wristbands are more convenient than cards

1. RFID technology can power the use of cashless payments at a resort. And what better way to make payments while at the pool bar, than with a quick tap of your wrist? No soggy cash or dripping wet walks back to your sun lounger!

2. Guests will not misplace their card at the gym, by the pool or at a restaurant. Not when it's conveniently tied to your wrist.

3. It's multi-functional brilliance. Yes, imagine the sheer delight of your guests when given the ability to do so many different things with an easy flick of the wrist.

And, let's not forget that some of the core benefits RFID systems deliver to hotels are significantly improved when making it easy for customers.

4. Data collection: The easy it is for guests to tap their way around your hotel, the greater understanding managers will have of their habits. Data around spending, buying habits and busy areas are all likely to increase with the convenience of a wearable RFID card.

5. Increased profits from revenues and operational efficiencies are proven to derive from the use of RFID wristbands.

One wristband to rule them all

Imagine enabling your guests to do all of this with just one RFID wristband keycard:

  • Hotel room access
  • Pool access (did we mention, our RFID wristbands are 100% waterproof?)
  • Locker access
  • Gym access
  • Cashless payments
  • Social media check-ins
  • Tie-together family accounts
  • Add parent contact & medical details to children's wristbands
  • Store additional tickets (meal coupons, beach access, rentals)

Conclusion

RFID wristband keycards represent the ultimate in convenience for hotels, resorts & attractions. Multiple functions can be carried out with a simple tap of the wrist, helping to creative enjoyable and memorable experiences for your guests.