When people think about smart locks for hotels, contactless check-in is often the first thing that comes to mind. For some properties, that’s the goal, but it’s not the only path. It’s as much about how smart locks fit into the way your property runs today, and the role they play in improving the guest and staff experience.

Whether you maintain a traditional front desk, introduce contactless check-in and remote operations, or somewhere in between, smart locks deliver value from day one — improving security and reliability, providing visibility into room access, and reducing the lockouts and access issues that demand staff attention.

You don’t have to change how your property operates to start seeing those benefits. Installing smart locks is the starting point, and the way you build on that depends on the experience you want to deliver.

The Front Deskless Maturity Model outlines how smart locks can improve daily operations, and covers the stages, the key considerations, and where the technology fits into the broader system of people, processes, and technology your property already relies on.

What Does “Front Deskless” Actually Mean?‍

“Front deskless” doesn’t look the same for every property. For some, it means operating without on-site staff entirely, beyond roles like housekeeping. For others, it means reducing reliance on the front desk — maintaining staff during standard hours (whether that’s 9 am to 5 pm or 8 am to 6 pm), while eliminating the need for late-night coverage or staffing for after-hours arrivals.

Front deskless operations exist on a spectrum, shaped by the experience you want to deliver and how your team is structured.

Before moving toward a front deskless model, the important step is defining what that looks like for your property.

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Step 1: Install Smart Locks and Keep Your Front Desk

Start by installing smart locks and integrating them into your existing setup, while keeping your front desk in place.

At this stage, focus on getting the fundamentals right. Make sure staff are trained on the system and how it works alongside your property management system (PMS) and any automation software you already use. Even if roles and staffing levels stay the same, how your team spends their time can start to shift, with less time spent troubleshooting access and more time focused on the guest experience.

Use this time to start documenting the manual processes that smart locks don’t address on their own. Think through everything your front desk is responsible for in a typical day. What would still need to be handled if a staff member wasn’t physically there?

Questions to consider:

• When is payment being collected, and by who?
• How are guests verified at check-in, if necessary, and could that process work without someone present?
• If a guest has a question or issue during their stay, who do they contact and how?
• Are there any other tasks that rely entirely on a staff member being on site to resolve?
• What capabilities do your PMS or automation partners offer that might you not be taking full advantage of?

This stage is about getting the system in place, understanding how it fits into your existing workflows, and identifying what still needs to be addressed.

Step 2: Build Processes and Limit Hours

With your access system in place and a clearer picture of potential gaps, the next step is to start building processes around those areas. 

Work through how each one could function with less direct staff involvement. This looks different for each property — it could mean introducing automation, setting up remote support for after-hours inquiries, building a digital guest guide, or exploring ways AI tools could handle routine requests. 

Your PMS and automation partners are valuable resources for defining how they can best support your specific setup and operational goals. 

From there, begin putting these processes into practice. A natural place to start is by limiting front desk hours and using them to support guests outside of that window, such as late-night arrivals or early-morning departures. 

As you do this, you’ll start to notice what runs smoothly and where adjustments are needed. Every edge case you encounter is an opportunity to refine your approach and build confidence before extending these hours further.

Step 3: Extend and Refine (and Go Front Deskless If That’s the Goal)

By this point, you’ve tested operating remotely during certain hours. The next step is to decide whether a front deskless setup is right for your property. 

While some properties will move in this direction, others find that a hybrid approach works better — offering contactless check-in while still providing on-site support during the stay. 

If you choose to take this further, start extending what you’ve already tested beyond after-hours. This might mean running front desk-less for a few days each week, or moving to a fully remote operation. 

This is an iterative stage, and new situations will come up. Stay flexible as edge cases arise. Some will be one-offs, but if something occurs more than once, it’s a signal to build a consistent way of handling it, with backup processes in place where needed.  

The goal is to build a setup that reliably supports your property, striking the right balance between automation and guest support. 

‍A Flexible Foundation‍

There isn’t a single ‘right’ way to implement smart locks. The benefits are there from day one, whether you keep your front desk or shift towards a fully remote operation, and they provide the flexibility to evolve with you as your needs change. 

The Front Deskless Maturity Model is a simple way to think about where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there at a pace that works for your property and your team. Smart locks don't dictate what that path looks like — they make sure access is taken care of, so you can build the rest around it in a way that fits how your property operates. 

If you’re exploring how smart locks could fit into your hotel operations, 33 Lock can help you build a setup that works for your property.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do hotels need to go fully contactless to benefit from smart locks?

No. 33 Lock supports a range of operational models, from traditional front desk operations to fully contactless stays, and hybrid approaches in between. 

Smart locks improve access management, reduce manual work, and enhance the guest experience across all types of operations. The system is designed to support how your hotel runs today. The upgrade starts with the locks, while everything else can remain the same. From there, you have the flexibility to evolve over time as it makes sense for your property, your team, and the experience you want to deliver. 

2. How do smart locks integrate with hotel property management systems (PMS)?

Most modern smart locks can integrate with hotel property management systems (PMS). This allows PIN codes and digital keys to be created, updated, and revoked based on reservation data, automating check-in and check-out.

3. Do 33 Lock smart locks work with hotel keycards?

Yes, 33 Lock supports RFID keycards, PIN codes, and mobile keys. You can continue using keycards for staff or guests who prefer a physical option, while introducing digital credentials to reduce manual work and improve efficiency.

4. How easy is it to install 33 Lock across a hotel?

Installation is fast and straightforward. Most doors can be upgraded in 5-10 minutes using standard tools, without replacing them or hiring an installer. Our retrofit-friendly design minimizes downtime, so you can upgrade rooms without taking inventory offline, and we provide step-by-step installation guides for your team.

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Watch: The Front Deskless Maturity Model