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I just spent three nights at my favorite Las Vegas hotel. I won't name it because this is a big gripe against its electronic key cards and a snippy security person. Several times in the past, I have tried to get into my room at various hotels and the key card failed. This had never happened at my Las Vegas hotel before until this trip.

It was early evening and I made the mistake of saving my need to go to the bathroom until I reached my 22nd floor room. Big mistake! The card key didn't work. I called hotel security and was told someone would be right up. After 15 uncomfortable minutes waiting and hopping in the hallway, I called security again. The duty guard informed me with great sarcasm that the hotel was having problems with its main computer system and I should be patient, because the repair guy had to go first to other rooms in another part of the huge hotel. After yelling some choice words about why I hadn't been told this 15 minutes ago, I slammed the phone and rode the elevator down to the front desk. Of course, I stopped at the public rest room first.

A much more friendly desk clerk made me a new card key and accompanied me up to the room. The new key worked. Just then, the repair guy showed up, at least 30 minutes after my first call. I had a few choice words for him, too.

My original electronic room key had worked when I checked in, and I assume the computer glitch cancelled it by mistake. Another possible annoyance with the electronic key is that when your check-out date and time arrive, it automatically stops working. So, if you've forgotten something after you drag your bags out and closed the room door, you'll have the fun of getting an employee to open the room again. Of course, all my griping included my wish that hotels would have just stayed with the good old-fashioned metal keys, which always worked.

My advice about the electronic key cards is to make sure they work smoothly when you first arrive at your hotel room. Also, if the hotel is having computer problems, before you return to your room, check at the front desk and get a new key. And always use the public bathroom first in case you find yourself stranded in the hallway.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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