iOS 15 is meant to include several new features for the Wallet app, including support for car keys, hotel keys, HomeKit house keys, and IDs. Many of the features have yet to roll out, but as of today, Apple Wallet will begin supporting hotel keys.
Hyatt, a well-known hotel chain, today announced that it is adopting Apple's Wallet technology and will be introducing Apple Wallet room keys across six U.S. hotels in Hawaii, Key West, Chicago, Dallas, Silicon Valley, and Long Beach.
Customers at participating hotels will be able to add a room key to the Wallet app and then tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock their rooms and common areas like gyms, pools, and elevators. Adding a key to Apple Wallet requires iOS 15, and it also works with an Apple Watch running watchOS 8.
Guests can hold their device near the door's NFC-enabled lock to access key card-protected areas, and with the Express Mode, an iPhone does not need to be unlocked to use the room key. Should their iPhone run out of battery, the Power Reserve feature allows it to continue to be used for unlocking the door for up to five hours.
According to Hyatt, members are able to add their room key to Apple Wallet after placing a reservation, and the wallet entry will let them know when check-in time arrives. When the guest is at the hotel and the room is ready, the Apple Wallet key will activate. The hotel can remotely update the guest's room key in Apple Wallet should a room change be needed, and when checking out, customers can do so through the Hyatt app, which deactivates and archives the key stored in Apple Wallet.
While the Apple Wallet key technology is being tested at just six locations right now, Hyatt expects it to roll out across all global properties in the future.
