True or False

So you just checked into your hotel and as you head onto the elevator and reach your guestroom you grab your little credit card sized hotel room key. As you slide it into the lock (magnetic strip to the back, and arrow pointing down of course) you wonder what exactly is on that little key. This brings me to our true or false of the day..........

Hotel room key cards contain personal information including credit card information.

This statement is in fact false. Hotel key cards do not contain personal information at all, in fact the only information stored on your room key is the activation code, room number, and the expiration date of the key. The activation code is simply the code that tells your guestroom's lock that this key is authorized to open you room. Hotel's have databases in which they store credit card, and other personal information about a guest, this information is simply not needed on the key card. Even in hotels where purchases can be made directly from your key card, the key simply lets the staff know that the guest has a credit card on file with the front desk and that the purchase is authorized, no personal information relating to that guest.

So next time you reach your hotel room and grab that key, do it with confidence that there is no personal information being stored on that card. And should you still have any concerns ask the front desk to clear that key or even take it with you.

Tip: Negotiating corporate rates

Kids are back to school and parents are back to business as usual. For many that means business trips, maybe for just a day and some for a couple of days. Do you work for a company that makes frequent trips to the same location? Do you have someone responsible for working with hotels to determine if special corporate rates are possible for you? Instead of looking at cutting travel all together why not consider contacting hotels and working out negotiated rates as a way to save on travel expenses?

And for those that already do this, did you know that by contracting with just one hotel and guaranteeing all room nights will go to that hotel you hold more negotiating power than spreading the rooms out over several hotels? If the hotel knows you allow travelers to stay at any of four hotels your room night production potential decreases and your rate increases!