Contactless Check-in for Hotels - The Ultimate Guide

Let's take a closer look at what mobile check-in means and the benefits it provides to both your hotel and your guests.

An overview of contactless check-in for hotels

Contactless check-in is an easy way to speed up the process of checking in to the hotel. This check-in facility allows guests to easily complete transactions remotely using mobile apps or self-service kiosks.

These systems allow guests to skip the line and head straight up to their room.

Hotels with digital check-in technology save time for guests as they can quickly complete their check-in formalities and documentation process before arriving at the hotel.

This also saves paperwork for hoteliers as guests need not juggle between paperwork all the time, be it for signing off documents or making payments.

As there will be reduced face-to-face interactions between hoteliers and guests, diseases are less likely to spread.

Should you use traditional check-in or contactless check-in?

While the traditional check-in experience has been there for a while but today travelers' expectations have changed. They’re more comfortable using digital technologies such as touchless interfaces.

According to Oracle hospitality report in 2025, 53.6% of travelers want contactless check-in/check-out experience and they want hoteliers to permanently adopt it over the next 3 years.

Of course, they expect a bunch of amenities, but they want their stay experience to be as frictionless as possible.

While traditional check-in involves having a human-to-human connection between staff and guests, it comes with a few drawbacks –

• long waiting hours,
• chaos during the check-in time, and
• front desk staff being bombarded with too many guests,

This isn't the case with contactless check-in.

• If a guest enters the property and has already completed the pre-check-in formalities, the front desk staff don't have to stop the guest and request an identity verification process. The check-in process using mobile phones becomes faster and the traveler can go straight to the room.

Studies show that a 5-minute delay in check-in can significantly reduce their satisfaction score by 47% in the US. This tolerance level varies from state to state. First impressions count from the stage when guests enter your property.

• Such remote check-in provides convenience and flexibility to guests as they feel they can control the process using a few clicks.
• Guests are not dependent on front desk staff for check-in or checkout. More than that, they can choose the room per their preferences or request a room upgrade. Everything is done instantly before they arrive at the property.
• Integration of self-check-in technologies at hotels frees up front desk staff to focus on other important matters such as making the guest feel more special and valued during their stay.
• Contactless cards also make security checks less tedious and allow hotel staff to devote more time to other tasks as they don't have to deal with scanning cards or manually checking names against lists.
• Hoteliers can increase their revenue as contactless check-in systems collect guest data. Later, they can upsell and cross-sell their services (room services or SPA treatment) and earn extra income out of that.
• It also protects the security and privacy of guest data. Guests no longer have to share their confidential details personally; this makes them feel safe.

3 things to keep in mind before setting up contactless check-in experience

If you feel stuck about adopting contactless check-in technology at your hotel, then you can go with a hybrid approach.

In this case, guests do the self-check-in and get a physical key directly from the front desk staff. While if you want to go contactless completely, you can install check-in kiosks and get room locks installed on the door.

No matter which approaches you use, take care of 3 things to set up a contactless experience at your hotel -

1. How do you want to go contactless?

When going contactless, there are 3 main things you need to use:

• Mobile app
• Self-check-in kiosk
• Security box with a physical key

But when selecting the check-in technology for your hotel, you need to think about your target audience's problems and your hotel needs.

2. Send all the important information to guests before pre-arrival

After implementing contactless check-in technology, you need to communicate with your guests and inform them about the online check-in process before they arrive at your hotel. This includes sending codes, links, or any updates 1 day beforehand.

3. Provide a smooth check-in experience at your property

Once guests arrive at your hotel, make sure to send a follow-up email. The purpose of sending emails is to inform them about every step that marks the check-in process as complete.

To enhance the guest experience, it's better to use signs and arrows inside the hotel so they get directions on where to go next, for instance, to find the room.

Benefits for hotels

Keyless check-in helps hotels speed up the guest experience, as they don’t have to fumble with their wallet or cards while traveling. And, it also reduces the burden on the front desk staff. This way, the staff can focus on other major tasks that enhance their productivity. 

Contactless cards also make security checks less tedious and allow employees to devote more time to other tasks as they don't have to deal with scanning cards or manually checking names against lists.

Contactless Check-in for Hotels technology helps hotels to boost their revenue by reducing operational costs.

Benefits for guests

A primary example of a contactless check-in is when a corporate traveler has a tight schedule and arrives a few minutes before a key corporate function.

He doesn’t need to worry about check-in as he has already checked in through digital means, so he can easily avoid the front desk and can directly go to his room.

It means contactless check-in provides complete control of their arrival process. Such a frictionless stay experience maximizes guest satisfaction. This way, the arrival process becomes safer and more relaxed.

Should you use traditional check-in or contactless check-in?

While the traditional check-in experience has been there for a while but today travelers' expectations have changed. They’re more comfortable using digital technologies such as touchless interfaces.

According to Oracle hospitality report in 2025, 53.6% of travelers want contactless check-in/check-out experience and they want hoteliers to permanently adopt it over the next 3 years.

Of course, they expect a bunch of amenities, but they want their stay experience to be as frictionless as possible.

While traditional check-in involves having a human-to-human connection between staff and guests, it comes with a few drawbacks –

• long waiting hours,
• chaos during the check-in time, and
• front desk staff being bombarded with too many guests,

This isn't the case with contactless check-in.

• If a guest enters the property and has already completed the pre-check-in formalities, the front desk staff don't have to stop the guest and request an identity verification process. The check-in process using mobile phones becomes faster and the traveler can go straight to the room.

Studies show that a 5-minute delay in check-in can significantly reduce their satisfaction score by 47% in the US. This tolerance level varies from state to state. First impressions count from the stage when guests enter your property.

• Such remote check-in provides convenience and flexibility to guests as they feel they can control the process using a few clicks.
• Guests are not dependent on front desk staff for check-in or checkout. More than that, they can choose the room per their preferences or request a room upgrade. Everything is done instantly before they arrive at the property.
• Integration of self-check-in technologies at hotels frees up front desk staff to focus on other important matters such as making the guest feel more special and valued during their stay.
• Contactless cards also make security checks less tedious and allow hotel staff to devote more time to other tasks as they don't have to deal with scanning cards or manually checking names against lists.
• Hoteliers can increase their revenue as contactless check-in systems collect guest data. Later, they can upsell and cross-sell their services (room services or SPA treatment) and earn extra income out of that.
• It also protects the security and privacy of guest data. Guests no longer have to share their confidential details personally; this makes them feel safe.

3 things to keep in mind before setting up contactless check-in experience

If you feel stuck about adopting contactless check-in technology at your hotel, then you can go with a hybrid approach. 

In this case, guests do the self-check-in and get a physical key directly from the front desk staff. While if you want to go contactless completely, you can install check-in kiosks and get room locks installed on the door.

No matter which approachesyou use, take care of 3 things to set up a contactless experience at your hotel -

1. How do you want to go contactless?

When going contactless, there are 3 main things you need to use:

• Mobile app
• Self-check-in kiosk
• Security box with a physical key

But when selecting the check-in technology for your hotel, you need to think about your target audience's problems and your hotel needs.

2. Send all the important information to guests before pre-arrival

After implementing contactless check-in technology, you need to communicate with your guests and inform them about the online check-in process before they arrive at your hotel. This includes sending codes, links, or any updates 1 day beforehand.

3. Provide a smooth check-in experience at your property

Once guests arrive at your hotel, make sure to send a follow-up email. The purpose of sending emails is to inform them about every step that marks the check-in process as complete.

To enhance the guest experience, it's better to use signs and arrows inside the hotel so they get directions on where to go next, for instance, to find the room.

Disadvantages of Hotel check-in technology for guests

The only drawback with this digital check-in is that older visitors and non-technical travelers aren’t comfortable using such technology.

Although technology provides convenience, some guests fear adapting to this change which makes them feel frustrated.

To make the check-in process more seamless and convenient, train your staff to guide them on how to use this digital system.

Things to know before adopting this technology

Before adopting the contactless technology for your property, you need to consider a lot of things such as:

What type of property do you have – boutique hotel, traditional hotel, multi-unit apartment etc? 

What results you’re expecting after having the technology installed – increased revenue, reduced operational cost, less staff, improved guest experience, etc.

The largest access hurdle is modernizing your locks because it’s required for the contactless/ keyless entry in the hotel rooms. Pick the ones that will work best for your doors and visitors.

Finally, you’ll need skilled staff who are aware of using this technology. You need to plan training programs for them so there is no hustle in running a hotel after adopting the technology. 

How to use BOTSHOT for contactless check-in hotels? 

If you want to improve the guest experience in 2025, you need to use automation at your hotel. And, the first thing under automation is contactless technology.  

Thus, you can automate your hotel’s check-in and provide an enhanced experience to your guests. Just book a free demo with us to see how it works. 

Frequently asked question:

Q.) How do i use mobile hotel check-in?

A.) Guests will receive the pre-arrival check-in link on their mobile device, they will fill in their registration details, collect the room key from front desk and send an automated invoice for making payments.

Q.) Do you need an app for mobile hotel check-in?

A.) Various hotels offer e-check in option through apps. The Hilton honor app for instance provides Hilton honor members to complete their check-in process by downloading an app. They can unlock the room door using room keys.

Q.) Why should i use mobile check-in?

A.) Hoteliers should use contactless check-in technology to speed up the check-in process for guests. They can skip the back-and-forth hassle of reaching out to front desk staff every time. This saves guests time and enhances their experience.

Q.) Is it safe to use the hotel mobile to check in?

A.) While digital technologies such as check-in provide convenience to travelers but they fear if such convenience is provided at the risk of security, then it's of no use.

Cybercriminals generally target hoteliers as they deal with voluminous amounts of guest's data. That'smeans the hotel security team needs to employ security measures such as data encryption and invest in staff training to secure the guest data.