vj_rama

I think OP's logic is that his current functioning room key should be sufficient "ID" for the front desk.

It's flawed logic, of course.

kaizen7

CMIIW, OP want to update his key for the new checkout time but FD ask him his ID before updating the key

OP not very happy as he think FD should just update the key as the active and valid key in his possession (and the knowledge of late checkout for the room) should suffice as ID.

Some older key systems actually didnt "update" the key ... FD have to create a new key with updated checkout information

Maybe newer one could do that.

And also, since it basically handing out a "new" key (on an reused keycard) some hotel require the FD to positively ID the person.
As the person who handed the key might not the authorised person for the room.

Also, some hotel does have very strict security in place.
On most of my stays, I book multiple rooms (for me and my parents) normally we will ask for 3 copies of keys for both rooms.
Sometimes we forgot to ask on check in
Most hotel happily provide the 3rd copy for my parents room when saw my ID
Some however, call the room to get approval from them before making a new copy.
The booking is registered and paid by me and I checked in for both room in only few mins or hours ago.

RogerD408

Requiring positive ID is a good rule. IF the FDC knows the guest from previous interactions then less may be needed, though checking my room number was always good. However, if there is a chance someone is watching (co-worker, manager, etc.) then it's fine going through all the steps. I used to frequent one property so much the waiter in the restaurant would have a table and my drink ready when I came back down from dropping my luggage and shedding layers not needed for indoor activity. There were several FDCs that knew me by sight.

JBord

I think this is why you're getting a lot of push back. You see it as a "bandage" and those who disagree with you (including me), see it as a feature, one that will better safeguard us or our belongings.

Two-factor authentication is common today to safeguard customers of all types of businesses. Maybe you should just consider room card + ID as two-factor authentication and it would be easier to accept?

SkiAdcock

I don't have a problem w/ being asked for ID when asking for a new key & if I don't have ID, having security go w/ me to the room & have me provide it then. I have a couple of properties I stay at so much they know me quite well after staying at them for years, so they're not as strict about the ID thing (and because they're used to me forgetting the key in the room), but others that don't know me, sure verify who I say I am when I ask for a key. I'd rather they do that than just give out keys to rooms willy-nilly.

Cheers.

Zorak

While I agree that security theater is bad, it's not clear to me this is an example of it. And I while I also agree that most employees aren't brainless, social engineering is a thing, and works even on intelligent people when they genuinely want to be helpful (arguably, works *better* on intelligent people who have some discretion vs. people who stick to procedure because they know they won't get in trouble for it).

So it's not so cut and dried IMO.

writerguyfl

All of the hotels in which I worked used locks as docbert describes above. Although, we didn't have RFID at the time. Since the locks can't directly communicate with the key machines at the Front Desk, they use a rolling code. That process is what RogerD408 mentions here:

The lock only looks for the current code or one of the subsequent codes. Where I worked, those codes were 128-bit level of encryption. According to this website, that's basically a random 39-digit long number. It seems to be basically unhackable unless you have access to the encoder scheme or are the luckiest person in the universe.

"[E]ven if you build a world-wide network of super-computers designed just for the purpose of trying combinations as fast as possible, it would still take more than 100 billion years on average to stumble on the right one."
https://discover.realvnc.com/blog/ho...256-or-512-bit

Circling back to docbert, security is only as strong as the weakest link. By design, no one at a hotel Front Desk should have access to any machine/technology that can decrypt a guest room key. Even when I was a Night Manager, I didn't have access to that machine. It's not like a TV show where detectives hand a key card to some random Front Desk clerk and 5 seconds later they get the room number. You had to be the Director of Security to get to that machine and that only happened in an emergency or with the approval of the General Manager.

Zorak pretty much sums up my opinion on this topic. I despise security theater. This is not security theater...it's basic security for both the guest and the hotel.

I find it rather remarkable that anyone is complaining about needing to show ID to do anything related to guest room security.

SkiAdcock

That pretty much sums it up. Agree.

Cheers.

FTA

This was in the news only 2 months ago www.thesun.co.uk/news/8510224

Fiberwalker

Consider this - if I could call Google and reset your password just by knowing your name and date of birth, would be OK with that? Same principle applies - it's just common sense and good practice. Privacy is paramount, design for privacy protection first. They should also have a plan when your ID is locked in the room or your wallet was stolen, but I can easily pick up your room number and name if I'm attentively listening in the hotel restaurant or even in the lobby.

lingua101

I think it is the correct procedure. In case, you do not bring an ID, you can ask them issue the key and escort you to the room so that you can show them your ID.

You do not want the hotel just issue an keycard to anyone who can name your room number and your name right?

HHonors OUTSIDER

SkiAdcock

From what I've been told by a property, the guests name should never appear on the key card holder on mobile check-ins. Just the room #, just like w/ regular check-ins.

They have some card insert they're supposed to put in the key card holder for mobile check-ins to read/reference (photo of such in a different thread on FT) that has the name (but not room #), status (M, S, G, P, T, A), # of nights, room type, last 4-digits of CC) so they can say when you arrive, Welcome Mr HHonors Outsider, we've been expecting you, would you like to use the CC ending in blah, blah? And after they've checked you in, they had over the key card holder - without the cheat sheet card. That gets torn up afterwards.

Cheers.

lingua101

Can you list down the exact properties? I won't feel safe of staying on those properties then....

s0ssos

Oh, I thought you were making a joke because this is Marriott and not Hilton. Then I saw you were just quoting the poster's alias