swipe card at hote
 

I am curious what Fodorites do with the hotel swipe card when you check out. Is there any information on the card other than the code? A friend mentioned she takes it home and cuts it up. Can the hotel reuse swipe cards?

Thanks for any information.

Swipe card?

Urban Legend regarding personal info on the room key card. Here's a link debunk this idea:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

The key card machine is not even hooked up to the main computer so the info is not shared with the key card.

This is just plain silly...

Wow.

I had been travelling all over North America, Europe and Asia over the last 11 years and staying at various hotels with romm key cards.

I just turn them them in to the desk (or drop-off box) when I check out with the hope that they'll re-use and contribute to the world's recycling effort.

Thanks for the web site.....and other info.

Amie

Well, I guess we'll just have to double check and make sure that that chain lock is secure on our front door every night.

I work p/t at a hotel front desk, but my regular job is in I.T.

As Snopes points out, most often there is NO connection between the hotel computer and the key-card system, and when there is, the only info communicated is Room# and how many days.

The key stops working in the door on checkout date ... ours are programmed to stop at noon, even tho c/o is at 11am. Even before then, if the hotel creates a NEW key for that room, the old ones,, even tho not expired, no longer work unless the clerk chooses the "make copy" option. When someone tells me they need a new key, my first question is whether the key is merely locked in the room (I make a copy) or has been misplaced (I make a replacement that renders all other keys useless).

Yes, we re-use the keys. Maids bring them back if you leave them in the room. They are inexpensive, so if you feel the need to keep them as a souvenir or accidently take one home - keep it. But if you will leave it at the desk, we can reduce our overhead (and prices) and you have no worry about the key being used for a shopping spree.