Strawberry, formerly Nordic Choice
Hotels, is the first hotel chain the world to enable a mobile room key in
Google Wallet.

The NFC mobile key is now in use
at the company’s Clarion Hotel Post in Sweden and has been created in partnership
with Vingcard and Zaplox. It follows last summer’s announcement of mobile keys through Apple Wallet at the same property.

“We are constantly striving to deliver exceptional
experiences and a seamless guest journey, and the launch of hotel keys in
Google Wallet is an important step on that journey,” said Christian Lundén, vice
president of strategic growth at Strawberry.

“This is exactly what hotel guests are looking for and
expect, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this next-generation mobile key
solution through our strong partnerships. The initial response from the hotel
guests has been very positive.”

Guests using an Android phone can add their hotel key to
Google Wallet with one tap and then use it to unlock their room and other parts
of the property. Once the guest checks out, the key is automatically deactivated.

In 2023, Zaplox entered a close collaboration with Google to develop a proof of concept for mobile keys in Google Wallet.

“We are honored to announce the launch of mobile keys in Google Wallet. This launch demonstrates our vision of delivering next-generation technology and proves that when visionary minds unite and work together with the latest technology, we can truly leave a mark on the industry,” said Kim Lood, chief technology officer at Zaplox.