Mixed Use Access Control Worth Celebrating
Tucked in Fargo, North Dakota, Brewhalla comprises more than 100,000 square feet of hotel rooms, event space, and commercial properties under one roof. With 83 different lock devices to manage, Brewhalla’s Operations Manager, Hailey Von Wald, often breathes a sigh of relief that she doesn’t have to worry about handing off, tracking down or replacing all those keys. Nor does she have to stress about access for the 500 daily visitors, hotel guests and staff that visit and work at this self-proclaimed “good times factory.” RemoteLock’s access control solution ensures that all of Brewhalla’s varied users get streamlined access when and where they need it.
Managing Access Control in Mixed-Use Spaces
Attached to Drekker Brewing Company, the mixed-use space of Brewhalla features a food hall, market, event venue and hotel. Surveying all the access challenges, Von Wald and MBA Architects tackled hotel access first, which looked to be the trickiest. As Von Wald sums up, “How do we have a hotel that’s 24/7 access without letting guests into the market shops after the market shops are closed?”
Streamlining Hotel Guest Check-In
“They can come right to their room. They don’t have to contact anyone. They don’t have to stand in line.”
Via RemoteLock’s integration with property management software (PMS) provider, RoomRaccoon, and an architectural tweak, it was easier than expected. Once reservations are approved, hotel guests automatically receive unique access codes from RemoteLock in their RoomRaccoon communications. Those access codes grant guests access to a separate door off the main entrance labeled “Hotel After-Hours,” which leads to a private elevator to their rooms when the market is closed. “The access code does not become active until the reservation’s start time, but then they can come right to their room. They don’t have to contact anyone. They don’t have to stand in line,” relays Von Wald.
Customizable Access for Employees and Visitors
RemoteLock is also convenient for managing access for retail employees, property staff and up to 2,000 visitors during a busy weekend. Vendors need access to their stores around the clock so they can set up and break down before the retail spaces open, but they shouldn’t have access to hotel facilities. Cleaning staff need access to the hotel and common guest spaces, but not the insides of retail establishments. Maintenance might need emergency access to every area of the building. With features like door groups, access groups, and scheduled access, RemoteLock allows Von Wald to easily specify access permissions for all of Brewhalla’s varied users and their needs.
Convenient Remote Access Management
“It’s really nice to not deal with physical keys. And hotel keys? People just lose those.”
RemoteLock’s remote control of all connected lock hardware also means that Von Wald and Brewhalla’s other staff members don’t have to be on-site for every access need. Von Wald remembers a recent morning when a contractor needed access to the roof at 7 a.m. “Tap-tap-tap … I gave him access right from my phone,” she recalls. “It’s really nice to not deal with physical keys. And hotel keys? People just lose those.”
Best of all, Von Wald can ensure peace of mind by tracking access across the entire giant commercial space with just a quick look at the RemoteLock dashboard. “The ability to track who is getting into which store is really nice from a security standpoint,” she comments.
“Honestly, RemoteLock has been one of the best parts about this building,” remarks Von Wald. “There have been a lot of challenges and RemoteLock has worked very seamlessly.”
From contactless check-in for hotel guests to easy, secure management of employee access, RemoteLock has been a valuable element of Brewhalla’s streamlined operations. “RemoteLock helps us easily get people access to the things that they need and not the things that they don’t,” sums up Von Wald. “That’s been a huge lifesaver for us.”
RemoteLock
Universal Access Control
We provide cloud-based, access control software that empowers those in the multifamily, vacation rental, commercial and related industries to remotely manage and control access to any space from anywhere in the world.
