Key Card and Locker Systems (USA)

[Hostels]

I'm looking for a company that can provide complete key card and locker systems. I.e., one key card opens up the front door, the guest's room, and the guest's locker.

I'm looking at companies mentioned in other forum threads:

• Kaba
• Vingcard
• Hafele US

(I'm not sure if they provide complete solutions yet -- still researching.)

Are there other recommended companies that could install this kind of system in the USA?

[Rucksack Brian]

Barcelona Dream (part of the BE Hostels network) was using Salto Systems if I remember correctly. http://www.saltosystems.com/ I remember thinking that their system worked really well from the guests' perspective. I have no idea what their software is like on the staff side.

[Hostels]

Originally Posted by Rucksack Brian

Barcelona Dream (part of the BE Hostels network) was using Salto Systems if I remember correctly. http://www.saltosystems.com/ I remember thinking that their system worked really well from the guests' perspective. I have no idea what their software is like on the staff side.

Thanks -- that is exactly the hostel I was thinking of when asking the question

[Rucksack Brian]

I had been leaning towards using a card system before going there, and that hostel sealed the deal for me.

A system like that would be a pretty big (probably unnecessary) expense for a small hostel, but I really think it's a great way to control guest access.

[Dorstener]

how much could a system like this cost for a 30 room hostel.....?. I know it my vary from country to country, but just to have a rough idea...

[Hostels]

Originally Posted by Rucksack Brian

I had been leaning towards using a card system before going there, and that hostel sealed the deal for me.

Same for me -- that was the best keycard & locker system I had seen up to that point. (I've seen other hostels with it now.)

It's definitely the way to go for a large hostel.

how much could a system like this cost for a 30 room hostel

I'll report back after I talk with them.

[gordo]

we went with vingcard and theyve been great. we have had a problem with the front door - something to do with the powersupply, looking into it - and hooking it up to the fire alarm (but tahts the fire monitoring people, rather than vingcard causing us grief).

how much was it? not cheap. but economies of scale come into it; the more doors, the cheaper per door. you're probably looking at about €200 per door for mag stripe, more for RFID or fob and a few thousand for the software then a thousand or so more for installation etc. these systems are incredibly customisable, so its hard to give an actual figure - every hostel is different.

[Hostels]

Originally Posted by gordo

we went with vingcard and theyve been great.

Do vingcard offer lockers too?

[gordo]

the do safes... not really lockers though.

...and mini bars.

[santa klaus]

At Wombats, we use Häfele (front door, floor access, room door and lockers). We´re extremely happy with this system.

Hint: make sure you have a second card-programming device in your backoffice for backup. If the reception computer suddenly dies on a Saturday, there´ll be no check-in until Monday morning without a backup computer.