News Briefs: VingCard Elsafe Secures Grand Hyatt

March 2, 2012

The luxurious Grand Hyatt San Francisco has selected a complete package of VingCard Elsafe solutions for installation as a key component of the comprehensive renovation of its 659 guestrooms. The completed renovation features VingCard’s Orion energy management system and Signature RFID locks powered by the cutting-edge VISIONLINE wireless online access management system.

“VingCard Elsafe has truly helped modernize our hotel, giving us a real competitive advantage with discerning, savvy travelers who desire the latest and greatest hotel experience,” says Matthew Kovac, director of sales and marketing for Grand Hyatt San Francisco. “Guests love and appreciate that their RFID keys can’t be demagnetized—they revel in that fact. And with the Orion energy management system, we are a big step closer to becoming one of the greenest hotels in San Francisco, which feels great, and is a great selling point, as well.”

The Orion system is comprised of wireless digital thermostats, occupancy sensors, door position interfaces, remote server software and a comprehensive dashboard reporting interface. The room control dashboard provides an overview of guestroom electronic systems, including occupancy status, locks, safes, lighting and total energy consumption.

The backbone of the Orion system is VISIONLINE by VingCard, a wireless communication platform that encompasses both the energy management and guestroom locking systems. VISIONLINE allows the standalone electronic locks to communicate with a central property server via online radio frequency, eliminating the need to manually reprogram locks, cancel master cards and check battery life. A remote audit trail and live card-tracking capabilities provide valuable intelligence in the event of a guest dispute.

VISIONLINE integrates seamlessly with Elsafe’s Infinity II electronic safes, also in use at Grand Hyatt San Francisco. Front desk staff can remotely view a safe’s locking status, allowing them to notify departing guests if they have forgotten to empty the safe. This prevents guests from leaving valuables behind, which happened several times per week before the installation of VISIONLINE by VingCard, Kovac says.

The most visible piece of the hotel’s technological upgrade is the installation of VingCard Elsafe’s Signature RFID locks, which allow for simple, contactless guestroom entry, and communicate with VISIONLINE by VingCard to give hotel staff a real-time view of guestroom access attempts for quick security response in the event of an intruder, or to notify guests if a door is left ajar. Additionally, the system is designed to be easily adapted to Near Field Communication (NFC)—technology that is expected to be in widespread use globally within a few years and which will enable travelers to use their mobile phones as room keys and could allow guests to go straight to their rooms upon arrival.

“The VingCard Elsafe suite of security solutions combines stringent safety standards with cutting-edge technology and high design to an extent that our competition simply can't match," says Tim Shea, CEO ASSA ABLOY Hospitality. “Adding the Orion energy management system to the 360-degree view of the hotel provided by VISIONLINE by VingCard makes good environmental and economic sense, as well."

More Info: www.vingcardelsafe.com.