Can hotels track your phone? Why shouldn’t you put hotel room card next to your phone?

Hotels generally cannot track your phone without your consent or knowledge, but there are some exceptions.

Some hotels offer apps or services that allow guests to use their smartphones to unlock their room doors, order room service, or control various room features such as lighting and temperature. In order to use these services, guests may need to grant permission to the hotel to track their phone’s location and use.

Additionally, hotels may use technology such as beacons or Wi-Fi tracking to collect data on guest behavior and preferences for marketing and advertising purposes. However, this data is generally collected in an anonymous and aggregated form and does not include personal identification information.

It’s important to note that hotels have a responsibility to protect guest privacy and cannot track phones or collect personal information without the guest’s knowledge and consent. If you have concerns about your privacy, it’s always a good idea to read the hotel’s privacy policy and ask about any tracking or data collection practices before booking.

Why shouldn’t you put hotel room card next to your phone?

It is often advised not to put a hotel room key card next to your phone or other electronic devices because the magnetic strip on the card can be affected by the electromagnetic fields generated by electronic devices. This can cause the magnetic strip to become demagnetized or damaged, which may prevent it from functioning properly and could result in the guest being locked out of their room.

While modern key cards are generally more resistant to damage from electromagnetic fields than older ones, it’s still a good idea to keep your key card separate from your phone or other electronic devices as a precaution. Some hotels may provide guests with protective sleeves to shield the key card from electromagnetic fields.

If you do accidentally demagnetize your key card, most hotels will be able to issue you a new one, but it’s always best to avoid any inconvenience or delay by keeping your key card separate from your phone or other electronic devices.