Originally Posted by das
It's always baffled me - why do some European hotels force you to leave your key at the front desk when you go out? How do they know you are the true occupant when you return? I like key cards much better....
Not just European. I've stayed in small hotels in Tokyo that did the same thing. They usually clip a really big block of metal or plastic to the key with the room number, making it very difficult to pocket the key. I suspect the expense of replacing locks/keys is a big part of it, but it also forces you to actually make contact with a staff person when coming or going from the facility as a security measure and gives them an easy way to know if you are in or out.
JR