Traditional digital key systems often require guests to download a hotel app, log in, and navigate multiple steps before accessing their room. That friction has long limited adoption. With Wallet-based keys, however, the process becomes virtually invisible.By Dustin Stone, HTN staff writer – 10.10.2025
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Time Magazine just announced its annual list of The Best Inventions of 2025, and one of the standout honorees is reshaping how hotels think about guest access. Alliants, a UK-based hospitality technology company, was recognized for its Apple Wallet Digital Hotel Keys, an innovation that lets guests unlock their rooms without downloading an app or using a physical keycard.
At Resorts World Las Vegas earlier this year, Alliants debuted the technology for both Apple and Google Wallets. The system, which integrates with major door lock providers including Vingcard, Salto, and Dormakaba, uses near-field communication (NFC) to enable app-free, card-free entry. Guests can simply tap their phone near the lock, just as they would when making a contactless payment.
The recognition from Time highlights how Alliants’ approach could redefine convenience and security in hotel operations. Traditional digital key systems often require guests to download a hotel app, log in, and navigate multiple steps before accessing their room. That friction has long limited adoption. With Wallet-based keys, however, the process becomes virtually invisible. Guests receive their room credential directly to their phone’s native wallet app, ready to use upon arrival.
For hoteliers, the implications go straight to the heart of guest experience and operational efficiency. Removing the need for an app simplifies adoption, accelerates check-in, and reduces reliance on physical cards. It also allows hotels to extend secure digital credentials across multiple guest touchpoints, including fitness centers, spas, conference rooms, and parking gates.
Technologically, the system builds on the same secure architecture used for contactless payments. Credentials are stored within the Wallet’s secure enclave, making them highly resistant to cloning or tampering. If a phone is lost, credentials can be revoked instantly from the hotel’s system. Alliants’ back-end infrastructure synchronizes with property management and lock systems to ensure that only authorized guests have access, with the ability to deactivate or modify credentials in real time.
Another key (no pun intended) advantage lies in interoperability. Because the solution works with multiple major lock providers, hotels can upgrade without replacing expensive hardware. This lowers implementation barriers and makes digital wallet integration a realistic near-term step for many operators.
Hotels piloting the solution have reported faster check-ins, fewer lockout incidents, and improved operational efficiency. Employees spend less time managing physical cards or troubleshooting mobile key issues, freeing them to focus on higher-value guest interactions.
For guests, the experience feels natural and intuitive. There is no need to download an unfamiliar app, remember passwords, or worry about spotty Wi-Fi. Their room key simply lives alongside boarding passes, credit cards, and event tickets in the digital wallet they already use daily.
Several other technology providers are also experimenting with app-free or wallet-native digital keys, though few have matched the level of interoperability and simplicity achieved by Alliants. FLEXIPASS, for example, offers digital wallet keys that can be added directly to Apple or Google Wallet without requiring a separate app download, while Salto’s WebKeys technology allows guests to unlock rooms using credentials delivered via web link. OpenKey and Mews have also introduced wallet integration features, though these typically require guests to authenticate through a hotel app or booking interface before activating access.
Still, Alliants distinguishes itself by combining a truly app-free guest experience with broad compatibility across multiple lock providers, signaling a major step toward seamless, scalable digital access. Its recognition on Time’s Best Inventions of 2025 list underscores a broader shift in hospitality technology toward simplicity, security, and seamlessness. As hotels continue to balance personalization with operational efficiency, digital wallet keys may soon become not just a convenience but an expectation.
The app-free key may seem like a small step, but it represents a major leap toward the frictionless hospitality experience the industry has long promised and guests have long wanted.
Appeared first on: hoteltechnologynews.com