easyHotel has introduced a new digital room key feature, allowing guests at its London City Shoreditch and Paris Aubervilliers properties to unlock their rooms with just a tap of their iPhone or Apple Watch. The initiative, developed in partnership with mobile key provider Alliants and dormakaba, a global leader in smart access solutions, eliminates the need for physical key cards while streamlining the check-in process.
Once added to Apple Wallet, the room key gives guests contactless access to their rooms and other restricted hotel areas via NFC locks. Thanks to Express Mode, travelers don’t need to unlock their phone or watch before entry, and Power Reserve ensures access even if the device runs low on battery.
Louis Poisson, Chief Operating Officer at easyHotel, said he was “delighted” to bring the feature to guests and confirmed plans to expand it to additional hotels soon. “We are proud to announce that easyHotel London City Shoreditch and Paris Aubervilliers are offering room key in Apple Wallet, reinforcing our commitment to making stays easy, low-carbon and affordable.“
The rollout indeed supports easyHotel’s global low-carbon strategy. In 2023, the chain replaced plastic key cards with FSC-certified wooden ones, preventing the production of 55,000 plastic cards annually. Moving to virtual keys represents the next step in reducing environmental impact while meeting guest expectations. According to industry surveys, more than half of travelers now prefer mobile check-in and check-out options.
One of the first budget hotel brands offering a digital key
By combining convenience, security, and sustainability, easyHotel is positioning itself as one of the first budget hotel brands in Europe to embrace Apple Wallet for room access, offering a glimpse of the contactless future of travel.
For hotels, the shift to digital keys offers a twofold advantage. It speeds up the check-in process while allowing staff to dedicate more time to personalized guest service. As technology evolves, digital keys are poised to become a standard across the industry, seamlessly connecting different touch-points of the travel experience. Experts estimate that 70% of hotels around the world could offer this option before the end of the decade.
