Trouble with guests losing keys?

[TheOldBeech]

Well, it is all in the title. Do you have problems with guests losing keys? And how do you solve it?

 

[Morticia]

Key pad door locks - no keys.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

We have lots of reserves.

 

[Generic]

Keypads on all the doors.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Key pad door locks - no keys..

Was that expensive? Is it labor intensive to change the code with each check out?

 

[Roxanne Trees]

Lots of spare keys and I put the keys on a lanyard that is tough to hide or misplace.

 

[GoodScout]

Our problem is guests taking them home. We ask for them at checkout. Often they don't have them and say they'll leave them in the room. Occasionally they don't .

 

[Tom]

The one thing that drives DW nuts. We always ask at checkout. Only rooms have keys, outside doors are keypad so not a security concern, just a gotta make extras concerns.

 

[Arks]

I have keypad locks on guest rooms and supply cabinets. The supply closet codes rarely need changing (only when an old housekeeper leaves and new one comes on) so those locks are in the $120 range.
On the guest rooms I have keypads I can program from my computer, so they cost more, but it only takes seconds to assign each guest a door code, email it to them, and enter their code in the lock (the locks hold 20 codes at a time). Each time I enter a new code, I go through the list for that room and remove old codes whose guest has come and gone, so things stay tidy.

 

[gillumhouse]

I love my old door. I had miniature old-time train engines (the B & O Station Agent lived here) as keyrings for door keys when I opened. Those soon disappeared too neat looking. My keys traveled more than I did - sometimes even coming back home via US P O. Cambs gifted me some lovely keyrings and I admit I am loathe to use them for fear of them disappearing. One room had a ponpon key ring, one has a carabiner, and the 3rd had a flat bronze thing. OK, I just talked myself into putting the keys on the pretty keyrings I was given. Yes, I have keys made every so often.

 

[Morticia]

Key pad door locks - no keys..

Was that expensive? Is it labor intensive to change the code with each check out?
.

Was that expensive? Is it labor intensive to change the code with each check out?

If you get the WiFi enabled ones it's pretty simple. We only have the manual one on the front door. I'd really like to get them in the room doors, too.

 

[Generic]

Key pad door locks - no keys..

Was that expensive? Is it labor intensive to change the code with each check out?
.

We can program them from any browser. We do run through batteries though, because they battery on the ones we have turn the dead bolt. There are ones where the dead bolt is turned manually, so they don't run through the batteries so often.

 

[notAgrandma]

My doors are solid wood and over 100 years old. A previous owner installed regular deadbolt locks with keys, so each guest gets a front door key and a room key. In the 6 years we've run the place, we've only had 2 lost keys and 2 keys that traveled with the guests. I used to have fancy brass keychains engraved with the names of our rooms. At the first occurrence of lost keys, I googled our room name and up popped our website! I changed the front door lock, then changed all of the room keys to small keychains with just the first initial of each room on them (ordered through Etsy).
The 2 sets of keys that traveled with guests were mailed back to me. The second time, it took a while for the guest to return them. I told her we would need her to pay for a locksmith if we didn't get the keys back. That prompted her to finally ship them back!
At check-out, I always as for the keys. When a guest tells me the keys are in the room, I say, "As long as you're sure... because we've had keys travel and had guests pay for a locksmith." That always gets them to check their pockets.

 

[TheOldBeech]

I was thinking of having RFID locks installed with key cards. The guests would only need one key for the front door and the room door and won't need to remember a code.
And it doesn't matter if they lose it or take it with them they won't work anymore after their stay.

 

[Morticia]

I was thinking of having RFID locks installed with key cards. The guests would only need one key for the front door and the room door and won't need to remember a code.
And it doesn't matter if they lose it or take it with them they won't work anymore after their stay..

I was thinking of having RFID locks installed with key cards. The guests would only need one key for the front door and the room door and won't need to remember a code.
And it doesn't matter if they lose it or take it with them they won't work anymore after their stay.

Being as you are starting from scratch, that's a better idea. The plastic cards cost a bit, tho. I think you have to buy them in huge quantities.

 

[KenW]

After our first season of chasing keys we put keyless locks on all our suites

 

[MidwestBB]

I was thinking of having RFID locks installed with key cards. The guests would only need one key for the front door and the room door and won't need to remember a code.
And it doesn't matter if they lose it or take it with them they won't work anymore after their stay..

I was thinking of having RFID locks installed with key cards. The guests would only need one key for the front door and the room door and won't need to remember a code.
And it doesn't matter if they lose it or take it with them they won't work anymore after their stay.

Being as you are starting from scratch, that's a better idea. The plastic cards cost a bit, tho. I think you have to buy them in huge quantities.
.

I would recommend against the key cards as those are just one more thing for guests to lose.
You can get the schlage key-less locks at Home Depot. They hold something like 19 codes. Some of the locks you can program from your iphone. So you can enable/disable codes or make entirely new codes. Other locks, you punch in a master code into the lock and then you can add a new code. We have a code that the same code opens all rooms that we use. Each guest gets a new and different code when they arrive.
You either write their code down on the back of a business card or you choose a 4 digit code that matches their phone number where they won't easily forget the code.

 

[user 26]

If you are building or remodeling and starting fresh, definitely go keyless with codes not cards ..
I had guests lose keys quite a bit, take them home and then mail them back They'd slip out in the morning without coming to 'check out' and I'd often find the keys in the rooms. Maddening if I was holding breakfast for them to go up and find they'd gone. I was a one-man-band when it came to breakfast cooking serving and cleaning up while also monitoring check out for 9 rooms so I couldn't keep track of everyone. I had LOTS of copies of keys.
But I did charge a replacement fee for lost keys that discouraged folks being careless.
Most obnoxious key fob I encountered at a place in New Hampshire was a huge wooden apple. Too big really to put in a pants pocket, very bulky in a jacket pocket or handbag. Obnoxious in an obvious 'don't lose me' kind of way. You'd see them on restaurant tables or store counters and know right away where they belonged.

 

[TheOldBeech]

If you are building or remodeling and starting fresh, definitely go keyless with codes not cards ..
I had guests lose keys quite a bit, take them home and then mail them back They'd slip out in the morning without coming to 'check out' and I'd often find the keys in the rooms. Maddening if I was holding breakfast for them to go up and find they'd gone. I was a one-man-band when it came to breakfast cooking serving and cleaning up while also monitoring check out for 9 rooms so I couldn't keep track of everyone. I had LOTS of copies of keys.
But I did charge a replacement fee for lost keys that discouraged folks being careless.
Most obnoxious key fob I encountered at a place in New Hampshire was a huge wooden apple. Too big really to put in a pants pocket, very bulky in a jacket pocket or handbag. Obnoxious in an obvious 'don't lose me' kind of way. You'd see them on restaurant tables or store counters and know right away where they belonged..

Why keyless with codes and not cards?
The cards are cheap, rewritable, guests don't need to remember codes and have time stamps.

 

[Morticia]

If you are building or remodeling and starting fresh, definitely go keyless with codes not cards ..
I had guests lose keys quite a bit, take them home and then mail them back They'd slip out in the morning without coming to 'check out' and I'd often find the keys in the rooms. Maddening if I was holding breakfast for them to go up and find they'd gone. I was a one-man-band when it came to breakfast cooking serving and cleaning up while also monitoring check out for 9 rooms so I couldn't keep track of everyone. I had LOTS of copies of keys.
But I did charge a replacement fee for lost keys that discouraged folks being careless.
Most obnoxious key fob I encountered at a place in New Hampshire was a huge wooden apple. Too big really to put in a pants pocket, very bulky in a jacket pocket or handbag. Obnoxious in an obvious 'don't lose me' kind of way. You'd see them on restaurant tables or store counters and know right away where they belonged..

Why keyless with codes and not cards?
The cards are cheap, rewritable, guests don't need to remember codes and have time stamps.
.

Why keyless with codes and not cards?
The cards are cheap, rewritable, guests don't need to remember codes and have time stamps.

Either way works, but cards can be lost just as easily as keys and they are adding to the plastic waste none of us need.