The Plaza Hotel, a New York City icon known for its historic architecture and cultural significance, recently overhauled its key access control system as part of its technology upgrades.
Originally opened in 1907 and famously featured in the "Eloise" book series and several films, the Plaza underwent a significant renovation in 2005, reopening in 2008 under the management of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Boasting 282 hotel rooms and 167 private condo units, the Plaza combines classic luxury with modern technological advancements.
Implementing advanced key control
As part of its renovations, the Plaza Hotel introduced a sophisticated key control system to manage both traditional hard keys and new plastic key cards.
A crucial feature included was an audit trail capability, enabling quick investigations of any irregularities
This upgrade aims to enhance security and operational efficiency as the hotel staff require controlled access to various keys as part of their roles. The system needed to be adaptable, accommodating up to eight different staff groups, with some access utilising fingerprint identification and others through numerical codes. A crucial feature included was an audit trail capability, enabling quick investigations of any irregularities.
Fingerprint recognition access
Before renovations, the hotel relied solely on hard keys. Post-renovation, while room locks could store their access histories, there was a requirement for a robust system to manage staff access keys.
Catering to personnel from housekeeping to in-room dining, the system allows for diverse user access control and includes immediate alerts if a key is overdue for return or if there is an issue with a returned key. Maintaining the integrity of security keys is paramount given their role in numerous staff functions.
Custom KeyWatcher solution
The KeyWatcher® Key Control System offers a tailored solution for the complex needs of the Plaza Hotel
The KeyWatcher® Key Control System offers a tailored solution for the complex needs of the Plaza Hotel. This system logs every key access event by user, time, and date, securely housing keys and ensuring they are released only to authorised personnel. With configurations to handle both plastic and hard keys, the illuminated slots streamline the process of key retrieval and return. The automation reduces potential tampering risks, crucial for such a high-profile venue.
Enhancing key management, the KeyWatcher system is integrated with KeyPro® Performance Software, which facilitates real-time monitoring, transactions polling, and system alerting. Custom activity reports can be generated, providing detailed logs of key access and allowing for remote system management through an IP connection. Priority alerts can inform management about the status of high-security keys and duration they have been checked out, promoting enhanced control over property access.
Enhanced security management
The Plaza Hotel's implementation of the KeyWatcher system now supervises around 100 staff keys, most of which are key cards that facilitate guest room access. The KeyPro software customises access authorisations for staff, accommodating irregular work schedules and overtime. Critical for security management, the system offers reports detailing access times, user identity, and return compliance, while swiftly notifying if keys are late in being returned.
The advanced key management regime at the Plaza has significantly improved oversight and integrity of the key access system. Regular transaction reports are generated multiple times weekly, though the system permits immediate audits as needed. This rapid information retrieval aids in addressing any allegations of misconduct promptly, thereby bolstering the hotel's security operations and trust.
Built in 1907, the Plaza Hotel is a treasured New York City landmark. It is the setting for the famous “Eloise” books, several films and has, over the decades, hosted eminent guests from the worlds of entertainment, politics and culture.
The Plaza was closed in 2005 in order to undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation and re-opened in March, 2008 with its old-world luxury and elegance complemented by state-of-the-art technology. The property offers 282 hotel rooms and 167 private condo hotel units and is managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.
Implement a key control system that could accommodate the new plastic key cards as well as hard keys and allow the staff to have controlled access to the keys as required by their job functions. The system programming for accessing and returning keys needed to be flexible so that several different groups could be accommodated. In addition, a quick and easy audit trail was required so that any allegations of impropriety could be immediately addressed.
Fingerprint identification access
The Challenge - Prior to the renovations, the Plaza Hotel utilised hard keys for guest room access. Plastic key card technology was implemented as part of the renovation. While the individual guest room door locks can now be “interrogated” for their access history, it is still necessary to secure and control the security keys used by the staff to access the guest rooms and also for management to be able to interrogate the key control system for its access history.
Because so many of the hotel staff may be required to enter a guest room (i.e. housekeeping, in-room dining, butler service, amenity waiters, etc.), programming of the system needs to accommodate up to eight different groups, working around the clock. Certain groups only have access to certain keys; some require fingerprint identification access and others require numerical code access. Additionally, management needs to be notified immediately if a key is not returned within the programmed parameters as well as who may have returned a damaged key.
Proper authorisation code
Solution - KeyWatcher® Key Control System — The KeyWatcher is a custom-configured solution that allows the Plaza to maintain key integrity and key control. It automatically records the access history of each key, including user, date and time of key access/ return. The system releases assigned keys only to users with the proper authorisation code (either fingerprint identification or numerical code), and cannot be manipulated or easily tampered with. The illuminated key slots make accessing and returning keys easier and the system as configured readily accommodates both hard keys and plastic key cards.
KeyPro® Performance Software – The user-friendly PC application software delivers real-time transaction polling, key status, alarm and reporting capabilities for the KeyWatcher system. Activity reports can be customised to trace key movements by time, date and user code or biometric access data. And because the software allows the KeyWatcher Key Control System to be conveniently accessed and programmed remotely via an IP connection, control of the keys can be more efficiently and safely managed remotely as well. Priority email alerts can be sent to management to keep them informed of the whereabouts of high security keys or if they have been logged out for too long.
Hotel security management
The KeyWatcher system installed at the Plaza Hotel is used for controlling approximately 100 keys, the majority of which are key cards used by staff for guest room entrance.
Using the The KeyPro Performance Software, hotel security management is able to program access to the keys for each of the eight different groups, allowing for overtime and for unscheduled work hours. The software also generates reports which provide accurate and detailed information, such as which employees accessed the keys, when they accessed them and when they were returned and notifies management if keys are not returned after a certain amount of time.
Auditing key transactions
The Results - The KeyWatcher system has allowed the Plaza Hotel security management team to maintain control and integrity of plastic key cards used for guest room access in addition to their hard keys.
Transaction reports are generated two-three times a week, but at any time the system can be queried as to which keys are out and who has them. This capability speeds up the process of monitoring and auditing key transactions and, in the event of an allegation of impropriety, the quickly produced information helps to resolve situations in a more timely manner.
