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Every once in a while I think it would be great to install the European key system. You have to insert your key into the system for the electricity/heat to turn on. Only when you are in your room will it work, because you leave with your key :).
Eric Arthur Blair said:
Every once in a while I think it would be great to install the European key system.
Yes, we discussed that system here last year. Everyone pretty much agreed it ain't gonna happen here any time soon. Change is just too hard, especially when it's a change toward a more restrictive system.
I've never seen that system in an "upscale" accommodation in Europe, but when I was in a 5-star hotel in China they had it there. The front desk got LOTS of calls from Americans saying their lights wouldn't come on.
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Arkansawyer said:
Eric Arthur Blair said:
Every once in a while I think it would be great to install the European key system.
Yes, we discussed that system here last year. Everyone pretty much agreed it ain't gonna happen here any time soon. Change is just too hard, especially when it's a change toward a more restrictive system.
I've never seen that system in an "upscale" accommodation in Europe, but when I was in a 5-star hotel in China they had it there. The front desk got LOTS of calls from Americans saying their lights wouldn't come on.
It's here. Americans are using it. Ayres Suites has the system installed in their properties. It's amazing how quickly Americans will adapt when that's all there is. It took us all of 2 seconds to find the slot to put the keycard into. The front desk was very clear about how it worked and why they are doing things this way. They also had the lights in the hallways on motion sensors.
If there is an issue with guests not understanding how to use something, that is completely the management's problem. If 'LOTS' of Americans called to find out how to turn on the lights, then it wasn't explained properly. Even if they had to use pictograms to explain it to non-Chinese speakers, that's the way to go.
If I can explain 'heat system operation' to someone who has never needed heat inside in their lives, keycards to operate the lights can be explained with little diagrams.
So if you planned to use this in your renovation work, go for it. It's the way of the future. Why install back-level equipment when you're doing it all from scratch anyway?
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Madeleine said:
So if you planned to use this in your renovation work, go for it. It's the way of the future. Why install back-level equipment when you're doing it all from scratch anyway?
I'm all for it, but as I mentioned, in Europe I've only seen them in budget accommodations that are trying to cut all the corners they can. Not sure it would feel right in a place I'm paying over $100/night for. Maybe, but I'm just not sure.
Another difference between here and Europe is that in Europe it's commonly required that you leave your room key at the front desk when you're away from the hotel, so they KNOW the keycard is not still in your room's power slot. In America, where we carry our room keys out of the hotel, I'm picturing people figuring out how to take their key but leave the card in the power slot.
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Arkansawyer said:
Madeleine said:
So if you planned to use this in your renovation work, go for it. It's the way of the future. Why install back-level equipment when you're doing it all from scratch anyway?
I'm all for it, but as I mentioned, in Europe I've only seen them in budget accommodations that are trying to cut all the corners they can. Not sure it would feel right in a place I'm paying over $100/night for. Maybe, but I'm just not sure.
Another difference between here and Europe is that in Europe it's commonly required that you leave your room key at the front desk when you're away from the hotel, so they KNOW the keycard is not still in your room's power slot. In America, where we carry our room keys out of the hotel, I'm picturing people figuring out how to take their key but leave the card in the power slot.
We were in the "new section" of the lodge at a resort in WV last year for a Conference in August (think HOT) and we discovered the A/C did NOT work if the door to the courtyard was open (DH was trying to paint and had the door open a crack for quick reentry with the impending rain). It may not be the key in slot, but it is the if outside coming in the HVAC is not on.
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We were in the "new section" of the lodge at a resort in WV last year for a Conference in August (think HOT) and we discovered the A/C did NOT work if the door to the courtyard was open (DH was trying to paint and had the door open a crack for quick reentry with the impending rain). It may not be the key in slot, but it is the if outside coming in the HVAC is not on.
We were in a new Hotel a few weeks ago. They had the AC/Heat system rigged up to the room door. The system was activated by the door and the note on the control said it would be at preset temp within 15 minutes. What I could not figure out was how the system knew if we were IN or out of the room, one of us could have left while the other stayed etc. I thought of movement indicators but that to is subjectable as one could be left in bed...
 
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