Steal Hotel Towels No More

(image credit: yoshiffles)

The New York Times reports that a Miami company has developed a washable RFID (radio-frequency identification) chip that are attached to hotel towels, robes and bed sheets. Linen Technology Tracking reports that three hotels in Honolulu, Miami and Manhattan are using the tags. All three requested to remain anonymous. The Honolulu hotel reports towel thefts have been reduced from 4,000 a month to 750 saving more than $16,000 a month.

The tags also assist the hotel to manage their linen stock. Hotels would know when linens are running low and a new order is needed. With the rising cost of cotton, hotels are ordering linens less frequently.

I kind of picture that hotel guests will be subject to airport type of security when LEAVING the hotel. Imagine guests lining up to see if any hotel goods with a computer ship shows up through a scanner. As long as there's an amnesty bin.