Vingcard, hospitality’s leading provider of security access solutions and other advanced technologies, has finalized the deployment of its Mobile Access digital key solution enabled with Google Wallet compatibility at Clarion Hotel Post in Gothenburg, Sweden. In collaboration with Zaplox, a leading provider of digital guest solutions, and NXP® Semiconductors, a leading provider of secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, Vingcard’s ability to offer Near Field Communication (NFC)-based Google Wallet compatibility at Clarion Hotel Post represents a technological milestone and the first of many Strawberry-operated properties set to adopt the feature.
“The prevalence of mobile key solutions along with the technology’s range of abilities is only going to increase further, and we are honored to work with Strawberry in showcasing the next step in our solution’s evolving journey,” said Li Wang Head of Hospitality with Vingcard. “Guests visiting Clarion Hotel Post can now enjoy the peace and comfort of their guestroom as soon as they arrive with the flick of a personal device, and we look forward to providing more guests with this experience-altering benefit as we make digital wallet compatibility available to our customers around the world.”
A solution with a wide range of deployment options, including serving as a standalone platform or integrating with a hotel’s mobile app, Mobile Access with Google Wallet compatibility provides Clarion Hotel Post guests with the ability to remove even more barriers standing in the way of instant guestroom access. Facilitated by an integration with the Zaplox software development kit (SDK), Mobile Access with Google Wallet allows Android users to conveniently store their guestroom keys alongside other digitalized items such as credit cards, bus passes, event tickets, IDs and more. After just a few easy steps, guests who add their room key to Google Wallet can effortlessly retrieve and use their digital key to gain room entry without having to navigate an unfamiliar mobile app.
“We are thrilled to provide Strawberry with technology that empowers them to offer the best possible services to their guests,” said Kim Lood, CTO at Zaplox. “As leaders in digital guest solutions, our involvement in this launch highlights our commitment to innovation and staying in the forefront of mobile access. We look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in guest experience together with collaborators like Vingcard, Google and NXP.”
“We live in a mobile-driven world which means that our guests ultimately want services and experiences able to match their growing expectation for instant convenience, service and satisfaction,” said Anders Sköld, General Manager at Clarion Hotel Post. “Mobile Access with its digital wallet compatibility represents the latest capabilities in addressing these trends and it demonstrates our commitment to addressing modern guest preferences from check-in to check-out while maintaining a priority on property security.”
Mobile Access utilizes NFC to support Google Wallet compatibility, allowing guests to present personal devices to Vingcard door lock readers as a secure key. To ensure maximum safety and privacy, the solution leverages NXP’s MIFARE® 2GO credential solution, which is responsible for card lifecycle management and the complete card digitalization process for placing the room key in Google Wallet.
MIFARE 2GO is notably a cloud service, providing properties with the ability to adopt the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recommended advanced encryption standard for digitalized offerings, as well as enabling flexible end-customer journeys, whether it’s web-provisioning or the native Google Wallet experience. It also allows mobile key solutions to seamlessly exist alongside more traditional credential options such as keycards and badges.
“This innovative project, the very first in the hospitality industry enabled by MIFARE 2GO, allows guests to have faster check-in and room services by using the digital keycards on their mobile devices,” Said Philippe Dubois, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Secure Transactions & Identification at NXP. “This transformation will enable digital deployments that enhance guest convenience and security.”
