Hotels combat towel theft with electric tags

Hotels combat towel theft with electric tags

Hotels combat towel theft with electric tags. The days of mistakenly checking out with hotel towels and bathrobes in tow may be coming to an end. Miami based Linen Technology Tracking has patented a washable RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that can be sewn into towels, bathrobes and bed sheets allowing theft plagued hotels to keep track of their linens. Currently three hotels–in Honolulu, Miami and Manhattan–are using the technology both to prevent theft and track linen stock.

While the hotels asked to remain anonymous, one unnamed Honolulu establishment has attested to the success of the new system. The Honolulu hotel says it has reduced theft of its pool towels from 4,000 a month to just 750 since installing the chips last summer. That’s a savings of more than $16,000 a month–a number certain to draw the interest of businesses dealing with similar problems.
When considering the cost of their stay many guests feel entitled to a misplaced towel or bathrobe. Of course, this kind of behaviour (beyond being illegal) is self-fulfilling and virtually guarantees that room rates will continue their upward spiral. Washable RFID chips seem like a great idea, hopefully we’ll see hotels passing the savings on to us rather than just reaping the profits while embarrassing guests who set off the towel alarm.

Have you ever found yourself checking out with something extra in your luggage? Would you steer clear if you knew a hotel was tracking their linens?

Source: reuters