Hotel experts have warned holidaymakers of a common room key mistake that is leaving people locked out.
Many people are unaware of something that causes hotel room key cards to deactivate that a lot of us do. A TikTok user, keeewill, posted a clip on the platform showing his attempt to unlock his hotel room with the key card but failing to do so.
He wrote: “POV: the hotel key was in the same pocket as your phone.” Several users didn’t understand what he meant by this but experts have explained that leaving your key card in the same place as your phone causes it to demagnetise and deactivate.
Club Med, which offers all inclusive resorts and holiday packages, has introduced digital bracelets to solve the inconveniences caused by traditional hotel key cards. Nicolas Bresch, Managing Director at Club Med, commented: “Hotel key cards store room information on a magnetic strip, which can become deactivated if exposed to strong magnetic fields.
“A card gets demagnetised when a magnetic field disrupts the alignment of the data on the strip, effectively erasing the stored information and leaving it unable to be used to enter your room. This can happen through direct contact with a magnet, such as those found in smartphones, as seen in the case of this unlucky TikToker.”
As well as smartphones, there are other common items which can deactivate your room key. Club Med advises to avoid placing your hotel key next to credit or debit cards, as the magnetic interference between them disrupts the magnetic strips, causing them to demagnetise and stop working.
Also, it claims that magnetic items can cause interference, which deactivates and damages room key cards. It adds: “Many everyday items, like the clasps on purses, phone cases, or even airpod cases, contain magnets, so to avoid deactivating your card, avoid placing it directly next to these items.”
Moisture or spillages, such as from water activities, can damage the magnetic strip on hotel room key cards so the holiday service says to avoid placing your room key in the same bag as damp towels and the pockets of swimwear when heading to the pool or beach with your key. Excessive heat can be a further issue, according to Club Med, as “leaving your key card in direct sunlight, near a heater, or inside a hot car can cause the plastic to expand or warp, which can weaken its structure.”
Club Med elaborates: “ The heat can make the card brittle, cause it to lose flexibility, or even crack, which can interfere with the functioning of the internal chip or magnetic strip. This can lead to problems when trying to unlock your room, as the electronic lock may struggle to read the card. To avoid any issues, it's best to keep your key card in a cool, dry place and avoid leaving it in environments with extreme temperatures.”
Damage and wear is another factor to consider as “frequent swiping or excessive friction inside your wallet or pocket can gradually wear down the magnetic strip of your key card” and scratches, dirt build-up and even fine sand, like from the beach, can make it more difficult for the reader to recognise the card. Club Med says this can “become an issue if multiple guests do it, as the cumulative wear and tear from frequent swiping or friction inside wallets or pockets can gradually damage the magnetic strip, leading to a higher chance of it not working.”
Nicolas Bresch, Managing Director at Club Med explained how they have eliminated key card frustrations at Club Med: "At Club Med, we've moved beyond outdated hotel key cards.
“Our digital bracelets are a more secure, convenient, and frictionless way to access your room, shop, order drinks, and even pay for spa treatments while avoiding the common issues that key cards face. No more demagnetisation, no more frustration - just a smooth and seamless experience for our guests.”
Keeewill’s TikTok video has gathered significant attention, with 1.9 million views, 195,000 likes and 734 comments, at the time of writing. One user said: “This is the most annoying technological inconvenience ever. Why is there no solution?”
Another added: “They need to find a way to do tap to unlock with your phone.” A third commented: “That’s why I go to the hotels where the key cards is in a bracelet that’s waterproof.”
English (United States) ·