What this does
By default, Portal creates a key for every guest on a reservation: the main guest and each companion. Each guest gets their own doorcode or keycard.
The Reservation Key Recipients setting lets your property choose between two options:
All guests: the main guest and every companion on the reservation receive their own key.
Main guest only: only the main guest on the reservation receives a key. They share access with the rest of their party.
Doorcodes and keycards follow the same rule as keys.
Where to find it
Go to Settings, then select Customization. The Reservation Key Recipients section shows your property's current choice. You can view it here, but not change it.
Existing properties are set to All guests. When you add a new property in the dashboard, you choose one of the two options before the property can be created.
Changing the setting
To change who receives reservation keys, contact our support team. The setting can be changed at most once every 24 hours per property.
Important: A change applies to reservations arriving from tomorrow at your Reservation’s Arrival Time onwards. For example, if the setting is changed at 15:00 and your Reservation’s Arrival Time is 14:00, it applies to reservations starting tomorrow from 14:00 on. Reservations already in-house, or starting before that time, are handled as described below.
How it works with "Main guest only"
When a new reservation with companions arrives from your PMS, only the main guest receives a key.
When a companion is added to a reservation in your PMS, they do not receive a key.
If the main guest is changed in your PMS, the previous main guest's key is revoked and the new main guest receives one, even if the previous main guest stays on the reservation as a companion.
If you revoke a companion's key, it stays revoked, even after later reservation changes.
If a companion who holds a key is removed from the reservation in your PMS, their key is revoked.
What happens when you switch
Switching to "Main guest only"
Companions on reservations arriving from tomorrow at your Reservation’s Arrival Time onwards lose their keys automatically. No PMS change is needed.
Companions on in-house reservations, or on reservations arriving before that time, keep their keys. Those keys keep following reservation changes such as new dates, a room move, early check-in, or check-out.
Switching to "All guests"
Companions on reservations arriving from tomorrow at your Reservation’s Arrival Time onwards receive their keys automatically. No PMS change is needed.
Companions on in-house reservations, or on reservations arriving before that time, receive their keys the next time the reservation is updated in your PMS.
Frequently asked questions
What happens at check-out or cancellation?
Every key Portal created for the reservation, for the main guest and companions, ends or is revoked as usual, whichever setting was active when each key was created.
Are manually created keys affected?
No. Keys you create manually in the Portal dashboard are not affected by this setting.
How does a companion get in with "Main guest only"?
A companion without a key can't find the booking in the Guest app, and the Guest app doesn't support key sharing. The main guest shares their doorcode or keycard with their party in person.
I revoked a companion's key with "All guests" and it came back. Why?
With "All guests", a revoked companion key is created again the next time the reservation changes. This is expected behaviour. With "Main guest only", a revoked companion key stays revoked.
What if a reservation has no main guest?
It behaves the same as before this setting existed.
Why can't the setting be changed again straight away?
Each change updates all of your property's upcoming reservations, so it can only be changed once every 24 hours. If you ask for a second change within that window, our support team will let you know when it can next be changed.