How FLEXIPASS Hotel Mobile Keys Improved Guest Experience at Mirror Lake Inn
FLEXIPASS + ASSA ABLOY Vingcard + Hey Fetch + Maestro PMS
Client USP
Imagine you have three kids and you just arrived at your vacation accommodation with your partner and the children. You have been driving for hours, stuck in heavy traffic, and the kids spent the last two to three hours whining and screaming. At your booked accommodation, the reception is overcrowded, since everyone seems to be arriving at the same time. The reception staff looks overwhelmed and stressed. All signs point to one thing: you will probably have to wait a while before finally getting to your room, although waiting is the very last thing you want right now.
Sounds terrible, right? Our client, the Resort & Spa Mirror Lake Inn, wants to avoid exactly this kind of arrival experience at all costs. That is why they give their guests the option to check in digitally and use FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys to access their rooms without even having to stop by the reception desk.
Dive into this Case Study to discover how a mix of physical and digital check-in helps Mirror Lake Inn not only ease the workload of the reception staff, but also elevate the Guest Experience for every guest, no matter which type of check-in they prefer.
Photo Courtesy: Mirror Lake Inn
About Mirror Lake Inn: What Makes It Unique
The Resort & Spa Mirror Lake Inn has been family-owned since 1976 and is located in a truly special setting: the Adirondack Mountains, about five hours north of New York City, right on the shores of Mirror Lake. Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, the resort offers 122 rooms, a spa with indoor and outdoor pools as well as a sauna. For food lovers, the hotel features two restaurants: the lakeside “Cottage Café” and a fine dining, four-star gourmet restaurant. Guests who prefer spending time outdoors will not miss out either, thanks to a tennis court, a private beach, and boat rides on the lake.
Mirror Lake Inn is also the only resort within walking distance to downtown Lake Placid, making an afternoon stroll through town an easy option. The resort is designed to let guests fully unwind and relax without ever needing to leave the property.
Unique Selling Point: The Staff at Mirror Lake Inn
One of Mirror Lake Inn’s biggest advantages compared to competitors, according to Andrew, the hotel’s General Manager, is its incredibly dedicated and friendly staff. Exceptional customer service and a memorable Guest Experience are part of Mirror Lake Inn’s philosophy, making every guest feel as if they have entered another world the moment they arrive.
Through personal, genuine, warm, and welcoming service, Mirror Lake Inn ensures every guest feels seen. At Mirror Lake Inn, it is not just the reception staff who show care and attention, every member of the team does, even the gardeners while maintaining the resort’s natural surroundings.
Especially in today’s world, where finding skilled hospitality staff is difficult and interactions often become impersonal, Andrew values his team highly. Guest feedback repeatedly highlights the extraordinary friendliness of the staff as one of the resort’s greatest strengths.
Daily Operations BEFORE implementing FLEXIPASS
Before using FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys and its certified partners, Mirror Lake Inn operated a traditional reception system with physical keys. This naturally led to typical challenges, like long waiting times during peak arrival hours, which had a direct negative impact on the Guest Experience. In fact, Numbers of Hotel Tech Report show that 43% of luxury guests expect not to wait in lines, which is a significant number, hotels have to react to.
Reception bottlenecks also create stress for the reception team, who were left dealing with frustrated and impatient guests. But all receptionists were simply trying their best to deliver great service, which includes keeping guests happy.
Challenges: Hotel Mobile Key Technology That Doesn’t Work
In an effort to improve the Guest Experience and reduce reception stress, Mirror Lake Inn had previously introduced a Digital Key solution from another provider. However, instead of helping, it created new challenges. The Digital Key was not user-friendly, causing problems for guests. On top of that, the digital check-in process was incompatible with Mirror Lake Inn’s old PMS.
So instead of simplifying operations with new technology, the resort faced two main challenges: modernizing the traditional check-in process and replacing the ineffective Digital Key with a more suitable Hotel Mobile Key solution.
Solution: A New Tech Stack
To overcome these challenges, Mirror Lake Inn updated its entire tech stack about 1.5 to 2 years ago. Together with Vingcard ASSA ABLOY door locks, FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys, HeyFetch for Guest Communication, and Maestro PMS, the resort introduced a fully digitalized check-in and check-out experience powered by Digital Keys.
Hotel Mobile Key: FLEXIPASS
FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys are stored as digital credentials in a mobile app. Guests can either download the super fast standard FLEXIPASS app or the hotel’s own branded app. The advantage: the Hotel Mobile Key also works offline, without an active internet connection.
At Mirror Lake Inn, guests simply open the app on their smartphone, hold it up to the door lock, and FLEXIPASS communicates in the backend with the tech stack to unlock the door.
Guest Communication: HeyFetch app
As a Guest Communication Provider, HeyFetch ensures that FLEXIPASS Hotel Mobile Keys are automatically and reliably sent to each guest at Mirror Lake Inn via text message once check-in is complete. Either on the day of arrival or upon check-in, guests automatically receive an SMS with a code to access their hotel room and a link to download the FLEXIPASS app. They can then simply install the app and enter the code to open their room door.
The Result: Today’s Digital Guest Check-In Experience at Mirror Lake Inn
With its updated tech stack including Vingcard ASSA ABLOY, Maestro PMS, the HeyFetch app, and FLEXIPASS Keys, Mirror Lake Inn’s check-in experience now works like this:
On the day of arrival, guests receive an SMS letting them know the resort is excited to welcome them, along with a link to start the digital check-in. Once their room is ready, they can complete the check-in digitally and receive another message with the option to download their FLEXIPASS Digital Key. If the room is not ready yet, they will get a separate notification once the key becomes available.
In both cases (room ready or not), guests are reminded that if they have questions or prefer a physical key, they are always welcome at the reception desk.
Digital Guest Experience & Hotel Mobile Keys: Mirror Lake Inn’s Advantages
Mirror Lake Inn now offers two options: a fully digital Soft-Check-In with Digital Keys and a traditional Hard-Check-In with physical keys. According to Andrew, the split between digital and traditional is fairly balanced, bringing several advantages.
By allowing digital check-in with FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys, the resort significantly reduces reception workload, since not every guest needs to stop by the front desk for check-in and key collection. In times of staff shortages, this benefit is particularly valuable.
The dual approach also helps the resort meet changing guest needs. For returning guests, the digital check-in is especially convenient. They already know the property and its offerings, so they can head straight to their room with the Digital Key. New guests, on the other hand, often prefer the personal touch of a traditional check-in to get more information. Thanks to fewer people at reception, because some guests go digital, their first arrival experience is also much smoother.
Mirror Lake Inn has a large share of loyal repeat guests, making it especially important to meet their expectations and continuously improve their Guest Experience. At the same time, new guests benefit from a calmer, less crowded reception area.
Guest Feedback
So far, we have focused on the resort’s perspective. But what do guests themselves say?
Guest feedback at Mirror Lake Inn consistently shows strong appreciation for the digital check-in and Digital Key options.
The fact that Mirror Lake Inn receives mostly positive responses proves the system is working as intended and that guests are satisfied.
Implementation Process of FLEXIPASS Mobile Hotel Keys and its Certified Partners
Andrew pointed out that with any tech update, you have to expect some adjustments and a learning curve before everything runs perfectly. Anything else would be unrealistic.
Some adjustments were necessary for Mirror Lake Inn during implementation, such as renaming doors in Apaleo and Vingcard ASSA ABLOY. Overall, however, there were no major complications.
A key advantage during implementation was the strong integration and collaboration between HeyFetch and FLEXIPASS, which made the process smooth.
Mirror Lake Inn also had a head start: years earlier, when replacing all of its door locks, the resort had already invested in Bluetooth enabled Vingcard ASSA ABLOY locks, anticipating the future of Digital Keys.
Conclusion
Two years ago, Mirror Lake Inn took the leap and, apart from the already installed BLE enabled Vingcard ASSA ABLOY locks, completely overhauled its tech stack, integrating FLEXIPASS Mobile Keys, HeyFetch, and Maestro.
Today, this digital transformation allows the resort to optimize reception workflows without losing the personal touch. At the same time, both new and returning guests enjoy a much improved Guest Experience. Newcomers can still choose the traditional reception welcome, while regular guests who know the resort can skip reception altogether.
For Mirror Lake Inn, the combination of digitalization and physical presence seems to be the future of modern hospitality. This unique blend enables the resort to elevate every individual guest’s stay from beginning to end.
Interested in a similar solution for your property? Contact us today!
About HeyFetch
HeyFetch is a Guest Communication Provider trusted by hotels worldwide. Its platform allows hotels to interact with guests in real time via SMS or WhatsApp messaging. This improves efficiency in daily operations.
In addition, HeyFetch offers task management and feedback tools that help hospitality teams better identify guest needs, personalize interactions, and ultimately boost satisfaction and the overall Guest Experience.
About FLEXIPASS
Since 2017, FLEXIPASS has been an innovative Digital Key Provider operating worldwide. The company offers three types of Digital Keys: Wallet Keys (new in 2025), Webkeys, and Mobile Keys. With its open API and flexible SDK, any guest technology provider can integrate FLEXIPASS.
Its network of more than 100 certified partners includes PMS systems, Guest Communication Providers, and door lock companies. With this open approach and strong partner ecosystem, FLEXIPASS helps properties modernize their Guest Experience and meet the needs of today’s tech-savvy customers, not only in hotels but also in coworking spaces and offices.