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Bangkok's Chaophya Park Hotel Has The Best Multi-Use Key Cards Ever

Where: Bangkok, Thailand
October 1, 2009 at 4:21 PM | by | Comment (1)

Security issues aside for the moment, Chaophya Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand has what are possibly the best hotel room key cards ever: they also function as one-day subway passes. It's the first hotel in Bangkok to offer the amenity of hotel-keys-as-subway-passes since it lies along the MRT route of public transportation. But it won't be the last; the MRT is looking to partner up with further hotels in Bangkok and make this a regular perk.

Still, the Chaophya Park might look like your typical business hotel in the picture above, but judging from this new feature and the fact that they've got iPod docking stations in the rooms, have greening initiatives, and are the first hotel in Thailand to offer free internet, the Chaophya Park is more dynamic than boring.

Now let's talk security...

At first you might think, "oh no way am I using my room key card on the subway; what if I drop it and someone picks it up and uses it to rob my room?" But then remember that hotel key cards are programmed at the main desk and do not say your room number on them. So in the rare event that this does happen, then the aspiring hotel room robber would have to try the locks on each of the 400+ rooms. Other than this possibly worry, we can't think of any other reason why hotels shouldn't be doing a key card/subway pass more.

Forget a welcome plate of chocolate-covered strawberries or a free one-hour lobby wine "tasting"; give us a day of public transportation and that's some major points towards guest loyalty.

[Photo: Chaophya Park website]

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Forward Looking

A wonderul yet simple idea which adds real value for visitors.  We all know of the frustrations trying to buy a local travelcard for the first time - this gets you up and on your way the moment you check in.

It is with great relief that that the difficulties in Thailand were being overcome.  I too have tickets to fly to Bangkok later this year and was expecting to check out the wonderful architecture and design of Bangkok's new airport before venturing into the capital city. It was surprising that Thailand's prime minister easily survived a no-confidence vote tabled in parliament in the wake of recent deadly street protests.

           

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