Guests staying at hotels owned by France-based hospitality giant Accor will soon be able to open their rooms and access other hotel facilities contactlessly using a digital key uploaded to their smartphone on check-in.

“On arrival at their destination, customers will receive their room key virtually upon downloading Accor’s digital key app,” the company explains.

“Customers will then be given access to rooms, entry to meeting rooms and floor access via lifts using their smartphone.

“Once departing the hotel, the mobile key will automatically be deactivated.”

The company has piloted its digital Accor Key at locations in North America, Europe and Asia. It says it aims to offer it at 500 hotels this year and “at least 50% of all rooms across the network within the next five years”.

“By providing customers [with] access to their rooms without a physical key, Accor will also help reduce the amount of plastic used for traditional key cards and cardboard for the key holder,” the company adds.

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