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Tourism & Hospitality vocabulary · Front Office

Key card

Meaning in tourism & hospitality, with examples

/ˈkiː kɑːrd/nounCore term

In tourism & hospitality, key card means: A plastic card used instead of a metal key to open a hotel room door; in many rooms it also switches on the electricity.

In Turkish: kart anahtar, oda kartı, anahtar kartı

How it is used

Front desk staff encode (program) key cards at check-in. When a key card stops working, the guest comes back to the desk and staff re-encode it or make a new one. Useful phrases: "Insert your key card in the slot", "I'll re-encode your key card."

Example sentences

  1. Here are your key cards. Your room is on the third floor, and the lifts are on your right.

  2. Put the key card in the slot by the door to turn on the lights.

  3. My key card isn't working. – I'm sorry about that. I'll make you a new one right away.

Common collocations

  • encode a key card
  • key card slot
  • spare key card
  • deactivate a key card
  • front deskThe counter near the hotel entrance where guests check in, check out, pay and ask for help; also the team that works there.
  • check inTo arrive at a hotel, register your details and receive your room key. Staff also check a guest in.
  • receptionistA person who works at the hotel front desk, welcoming guests, checking them in and out and answering their questions.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Front Office

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