GDU Ninja Update 30 - An Update to Room Door Locks

Over the last 12 months we have spoken many times about changes going on with Hotel Door Locks. We have said from the beginning that the technology to allow doors to be opened with phones is close, but the public may not be ready.

Accommodation Providers seem to be split in to 2 camps on this subject, some who want to simplify the Reception Area as much as possible and those that believe the 'meet and greet' is essential for their business. (It might be interesting to ask at this point would you like to go back to the days of having to go through a checkin desk before getting on a flight). For the former the idea that a customer can use their phone to open a bedroom without having to go through a manned reception is ideal, BUT as far we are aware most door lock systems insist that customers go through the process of downloading an app, which is a barrier to people who dont have smart phones or aren't technically capable etc.

For some time we had seen Checkin Kiosks as a suitable intermediate solution (Guest walk up to a kiosk, enter their reservation number and the kiosk spits out an old fashioned keycard), but now we have seen the release of door lock systems that sends a simple link to guests due to arrive that they can use to do an online checkin and open the door with their phone WITHOUT HAVING TO DOWNLOAD AN APP.

The trick of course is for PMS Systems like ourselves to integrate with these door lock systems to tell them who is coming and when, and we are planning to integrate with richard@wieldydigital.com first in April 2025. We have no commercial agreement with them so If you do contact them and have any feedback that we can chare with other properties please let us know.