Guard Duty

The coordinated bomb attacks on the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels in Amman in November 2005, which killed 60 people and injured over 100, as well as Al Qaeda terrorist Dhiren Barot’s foiled plans in 2004 to cause similar death and destruction at several properties in London have amply demonstrated the security risks that hotels now face. Consequently, security has risen to the top of the agenda for many operators, particularly at the luxury end of the market.

Pierre-Louis Renou, operations manager for the Sofitel St James Hotel in London, a five-star property close to Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square, explains: "There is an important mix of staff – we have a team of security officers on duty at all times – and technology. Of course, this comprises a number of elements, including CCTV and electronic entry card systems."

CCTV may be nothing revolutionary in itself, but new systems, including smaller, unobtrusive internet protocol cameras, can observe key access points such as lift entrances and corridors and vulnerable areas such as bars. Footage can be saved directly onto a hard drive, which eliminates the need to replace tapes and improves image quality.

The Dorchester has invested heavily in CCTV technology, as well as an egress locking system, enabling staff to section off parts of the building if an incident is detected.

TECHNOLOGY HOLDS THE KEYS

Electronic access control systems built around chip plus verification via keypad are coming onto the market and biometric technology has entered the industry to a degree. Stuart McKee, VP of operations for the Dorchester Collection of hotels, says:"We have introduced fingerprint access to a couple of our suites and this technology may come in more in the future."

The major advantage of biometrics is that it leaves no doubt as to who is entering a hotel room, unlike standard key cards or even PIN-enabled systems. Indeed, fingerprints and hand recognition systems are considered more suitable for hotels than voice or retina recognition due to the lower cost and relative simplicity in which they can be implemented into an existing hotel operation.

Technology designed for guests’ convenience, such as microchips in mobile telephones that allow guests to book ahead and simply swipe handsets at their bedroom doors, can also help management know who is expected to arrive and when they do.

The cost of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems is currently considered prohibitively high for many potential users, including hotel chains. It is anticipated, though, that prices will fall as take-up becomes more widespread. For hotels, RFID offers numerous benefits, ranging from billing guests immediately when an item is removed from the minibar to limiting guest access to specific areas of the hotel.

Dr Hilary Murphy, hotel technology expert and professor at the École Hôtelière in Lausanne, Switzerland, says: "RFID tags are not common in the hospitality industry yet, but they could be used to see if someone is going into the bar a lot late at night or using the spa facilities."

Paul Moxness, head of security for the Rezidor Hotel Group, concurs: "Keycard RFID is certainly coming, probably more in the high-end sector."

BEYOND TECHNOLOGY

Rod McKenzie of McKenzie Security Consultancy, which has managed the security of hotels such as the Savoy and Gleneagles, sounds a note of caution though: "With technology, it’s a case of when do you stop? The main thing to bear in mind is regular staff training. Complacency is thebiggest problem." Moxness adds: "We are trying to build an attitude of vigilance, training staff to be aware if something isn’t right and to address that problem. It also depends a lot on the location, and we do have assistance in each country where we have a presence. Cooperating with hotel associations and local police authorities helps managers know what is going on."

In the UK, for instance, the Home Office and MI5 issue guidance on how to assess the risk of terrorist attack and how to protect people and property in the event of an act of terrorism. The regional police counter terrorism security adviser can also help with risk assessment.

Cultural attitudes can vary between countries. McKee says: "In Paris, compared with London, you can be a lot more overt with your security." And hotel consultant Melvin Gold found that guests in Turkey were far more accepting of tightened security following the attacks on Antalya and Marmaris last summer. "Guests don’t mind as much if they understand why it is happening," he says. "For example, in the Middle East people are more aware of the risks, which makes a big difference."

BALANCING SAFETY AND FREEDOM

However, recreating the security associated with entry to government buildings or airports, with metal detectors, sniffer dogs and armed personnel, is not something most hotels are keen on, as McKenzie explains: "It is very difficult to restrict people coming in and out of a hotel because you want to have that 'open door' approach."

McKee adds: "Discretion is our key principle. We try to make security as unobtrusive as possible. After 9/11 we did raise our security profile by deploying personnel with metal detectors, but after a while we phased that out."

Although hotels have had disaster recovery plans in place for many years, it is fair to say they have paid more attention to them in the wake of events such as the London bombings in July 2005. McKee says: "Now, every department is involved in security, and it is exercised more rigorously."

Technology clearly has a role to play, and future developments, such as biometrics and more advanced CCTV, will bring benefits. But at the same time, it is vital to consider guests’ civil liberties and data protection legislation. It is equally clear that, to retain their appeal, hotels need to safeguard the comfort and convenience that make them desirable places to stay.