Originally Posted by
sdsearch
Some hotels, especially in Europe, require you to insert your key card to activate lights/AC/etc, and you'd hope they could read that card and use the info on it to not reset stuff, but they actually work with any object the same size and thickness as your key card, eg, an outdated plastic membership card, so I have my doubts about their sophistication.)
They only flick a power switch, similar to a breaker which controls the lights/ac etc in the room, to conserve energy, there is no sophistication. Most guests think it is connected to the hotel computer system and needs their details to work etc, so use their room keys as requested, and have to take their card with them when the go out, thus turning power off; but its just to try to get guests not to use bits of cardboard or useless plastic cards which would keep their power on whilst they are out of the room