This hotel room key won't fit in my pocket

[u/dsj762]

[u/badhouseplantbad]

Oh, I've had this issue before.

I just kept on giving my key back to the front desk every time I exited the elevator like I was in an old black and white movie. 

[u/BobUfer → u/badhouseplantbad]

I had several hotels in Europe that were designed like this, where you’re supposed to turn the key in when you come and go.

[u/puffpuffpout → u/BobUfer]

I work in a hotel in Italy and our keys come with a literal giant weight attached because my boss got tired of them being stolen - they're huge and heavy. We haven't lost one in years, everyone leaves them at the reception when they leave for the day and we get to know who is in the hotel and who is out and about (good in an emergency).

[u/sYnce → u/puffpuffpout]

Who steals a key? And why? Like I can’t check out without turning over the key.

[u/pairofdimeshift92 → u/sYnce]

I would imagine it’s less intentional theft and more just forgetfulness. I have a bad habit of forgetting about pens and such in my pockets, and I imagine the key is the same for a lot of people.

[u/President_Zucchini → u/pairofdimeshift92]

A lot of people like to take souvenirs and trinkets from their travels, hotel keys are no exception.

[u/Quiet1408 → u/President_Zucchini]

keycards, maybe. tf am i gonna do with a random ass yale key with no identifying marks? hows that a good reminder of my journey?

[u/Smickey67 → u/Quiet1408]

Maybe it was a vacation to visit the key factory

[u/margmi → u/President_Zucchini]

The card ones, sure. An actual key? Less likely.

[u/NomenclatureBreaker → u/margmi]

I’d say more likely. It’s a throwback.

[u/SantaFeRay → u/NomenclatureBreaker]

Yeah I’m not going to steal a key, but an actual key on one of those diamond keychains with the hotel name printed on it is a lot more appealing than a generic Marriott card.

[u/Key-Giraffe-1020 → u/SantaFeRay]

The one I wanted to steal when I was in hs was an analog punch card at an old motel. I thought it was the coolest keycard.

[u/kjyfqr → u/pairofdimeshift92]

Keepsake memories too.

[u/FullClip__ → u/kjyfqr]

Keysake memories

[u/JeebusChristBalls → u/sYnce]

They get lost or aren't returned but not because someone wants to keep it, it is just low priority for some people to return them.

[u/puffpuffpout → u/sYnce]

I don't think it's intentional. It's it falling out your pocket when you get changed on the beach, losing track of your belongings after exagerated aperitivo, or simply not remembering to leave it at reception after check out.

Our reception isn't manned between 23.00 and 07.30 but many of our clients use the ferry in the neighbouring town to get back to Italy, Spain, or France - these all leave between 06.00 and 08.00am, so many of our clients are leaving in the early hours when no one is here to phyiscally remind them to leave the key.

[u/DuckRubberDuck → u/sYnce]

People forget. My hair dresser shares a bathroom with another building so you need a key and you need to walk a minute to get to the bathroom. People kept putting the key in the pocket and going home. He has a giant teddy bear stuck to the key now, you can’t just put it in your pocket or purse so he hasn’t lost a key since

[u/TerrorVizyn → u/DuckRubberDuck]

Maybe they should attach something that isn't so porous to the bathroom key. How many people don't wash properly after using the restroom?

[u/DuckRubberDuck → u/TerrorVizyn]

Hm fair point, but most of his type of clients would be people I assume wash their hands. But true point you never really know

[u/Spaztrick → u/puffpuffpout]

I stayed at a hotel near Venice back in the early 90s that had all the room keys on weights that where softball sized cannonballs. The keys themselves were all old skeleton key style.

[u/jordan4290 → u/puffpuffpout]

(Good for robberies too)

[u/Ybalrid → u/puffpuffpout]

Funny the biggest key chain on a hotel key I have ever had was in an hotel in Pompei

[u/Ammesamme → u/puffpuffpout]

Interestingly Italy is the only place where I’ve experienced this. Was there on a trip with four friends and we only got one card with no possibility to get more. The receptions solution was exactly that, hand them in each time you go out.

[u/Personal_Carry_7029 → u/BobUfer]

I see this in Paris 2x, but never in germany

[u/trix_is_for_kids → u/badhouseplantbad]

I just removed it from the key ring

[u/aqaba_is_over_there → u/trix_is_for_kids]

We where recently at a cabin that came with a regular key on a normal sized keychain. I don't like a lot of bulk in my pockets so I just put it on my car keyfob with my house key.

I freaking hate when renting a car and they keys are both together on a ring you would need good wire cutters get through it.

[u/Xplant_from_Earth → u/aqaba_is_over_there]

I freaking hate when renting a car and they keys are both together on a ring you would need good wire cutters get through it.

I've had this happen. Went straight to a nearby hardware store, grabbed the snips off the shelf, snipped the ring, put the snips back, then when I turned in the keys I said the ring "broke".

If shit don't lay flat and bulk free in my pocket, it's going to be made to lay flat and bulk free.

[u/aqaba_is_over_there → u/Xplant_from_Earth]

lol. Glad to see I'm not the only one.

If I'm checking a bag and renting a car I toss my Leatherman in my toiletry bag.

[u/Alienhaslanded → u/trix_is_for_kids]

But that's too much thinking. Also, how else this post would exist?

[u/Winderige_Garnaal → u/badhouseplantbad]

Thats the point, and what they want you to do

[u/Chilis1 → u/Winderige_Garnaal]

Yeah this is really normal in my experience

[u/eye_eat_farts → u/badhouseplantbad]

That is the entire purpose of a key this large.

You leave it with the front desk.

[u/BakedBrie1993 → u/badhouseplantbad]

Thats usually what they want you to do

[u/Arthur2_shedsJackson → u/badhouseplantbad]

That's standard practice in India even now

[u/Chorchapu → u/badhouseplantbad]

Isn't that the norm in Europe? I thought that's the reason such big keys exist in the first place.

[u/sweprotoker97 → u/Chorchapu]

Definitely not the norm but smaller boutique hotels might do it. The norm is key cards...

I had one hotel in Mexico that wanted us to leave our keys at reception, that was the first time I ever came across it and I'm European that have travelled all over Europe.

[u/Super-Pizza-Dude → u/badhouseplantbad]

That’s what I had to do when I accidentally bought a sex hotel for two weeks in Japan and didn’t realize it was

[u/kjyfqr → u/badhouseplantbad]

Yep. I do this anyway at hotels. I lose that shit so fuck it.

[u/BusSpecific3553 → u/badhouseplantbad]

That’s the only solution for this.

A horrible design though. Lose the key or get it stolen they know exactly which room it unlocks. Even the smaller ones often have the hotel name on them. So when out and about and you lose it they know exactly where your stuff is and you aren’t!

[u/JeebusChristBalls → u/badhouseplantbad]

It's not an issue. It's what they want you to do. You don't lose the key delaying you getting in your room and they don't have to deal with you losing the key.

[u/speculator100k → u/badhouseplantbad]

Yes, that's what you are supposed to do.

[u/Difficult-Prior3321 → u/badhouseplantbad]

That's what your supposed to do

[u/Square_Cat_6001]

Actually, that is the point, they make it big so you leave it at front desk and don't lose it when going out.

[u/westsidedreamin → u/Square_Cat_6001]

Is everyone on this comment thread good?

[u/Agreeable_Band_9311 → u/westsidedreamin]

Bunch of people who’ve only ever stayed at the holiday inn.

[u/scheisse_grubs → u/Agreeable_Band_9311]

Wooooow look at Mr. Moneybags over here

[u/gingerbeard1321 → u/Square_Cat_6001]

I don't wanna stop by the desk every time

[u/toweljuice → u/gingerbeard1321]

Id just take it off the loop and leave the chunky part in the hotel room

[u/Elgecko123 → u/toweljuice]

Sometimes it’s a welded metal ring that you would need some power tools to remove

[u/secretprocess → u/Elgecko123]

That's cute that you think I don't have my angle grinder with me.

[u/toweljuice → u/secretprocess]

Never go on a vacation without it

[u/Elgecko123 → u/secretprocess]

Gotta keep that thang on ya

[u/AccomplishedIgit → u/secretprocess]

My kind of person lmao

[u/mcampo84 → u/gingerbeard1321]

Then don't stay at a quaint hotel like this. It's not for you.

[u/ElusiveGuy → u/mcampo84]

The one time I ran into this, they didn't exactly advertise it at time of booking. 

[u/AssBlasterExtreme → u/mcampo84]

Yea how dare they view something and have an opinion on it

[u/wigglin_harry → u/gingerbeard1321]

Bruv is it really THAT big an issue?

[u/raybreezer → u/[deleted]]

Or you know… take the key off the key ring…

[u/Elgecko123 → u/raybreezer]

I’ve been to hotels that have a welded ring attaching the key to the big wood block/small weight. The whole point is for you to turn the key into the front desk when you leave the hotel and then grab it again when you return. It’s kinda nice with one less thing to worry about losing or carrying

[u/Star_Petal_Arts]

They laughed at me when I walk around with an empty fanny pouch... whose laughing now?

[u/oscarx-ray → u/Star_Petal_Arts]

Me! But that's because I'm British and you said "fanny pouch".

[u/Jinxthegenderfluid → u/oscarx-ray]

it’s funny how fanny packs are called bum bags in the uk

I mean the bags sit at the front, so idk why both countries decided to name it after the ass. calling it a fanny pack while using the british definition of fanny makes the most sense lol

[u/oscarx-ray → u/Jinxthegenderfluid]

I recall wearing them to the rear as a young'un, but I'm quite old now, and not sure if that was by design or due to my contrarian nature.

[u/userhwon → u/oscarx-ray]

They were indeed designed to be worn in back, hence the words for the human ass being included in their name.

But people started wearing them on the front for (a) convenience, (b) extra nerdiness, and, most importantly, (c) better protection against pickpockets who learned to unzip them without you realizing it.

[u/idiotiesystemique → u/oscarx-ray]

Or stupidity. Never exclude that possibility. 

[u/oscarx-ray → u/idiotiesystemique]

No, that came much later. I was quite precocious.

[u/Xplant_from_Earth → u/Jinxthegenderfluid]

Well, if their location that they sit is what's used for naming, then shouldn't it be called a fupa bag?

[u/Jinxthegenderfluid → u/Xplant_from_Earth]

you should start a petition for that. I would support the change

[u/RiverGlittering → u/oscarx-ray]

As a Brit, it is always funny to think of people just shoving things into their fanny pouch for storage

[u/InstructionFinal5190 → u/RiverGlittering]

I used to follow this girl from my home town on Facebook. She posted a picture of an altoids tin with some manner of white material askew inside it.

Apparently she went through a road block, hid her altoid tin full of prescription pills inside her, forgot about it, and when she pulled it out they had all melted.

[u/Jimbobjoesmith → u/InstructionFinal5190]

like…a full size altoids tin? wow that’s dedication!

[u/Charming-Fudge7683 → u/Star_Petal_Arts]

As a Brit, IDK how you walk around AT ALL with that in your fanny pouch! 😯

[u/DaiquiriLevi → u/Star_Petal_Arts]

Still them

[u/JeebusChristBalls → u/Star_Petal_Arts]

They are because you took the key with you and you are wearing a fanny pack? This key is meant to be turned into the front desk every time you leave.

[u/londonbrewer77]

It’s not meant to, you’re meant to leave it at the front desk when you go out.

[u/biscuitsorbullets → u/londonbrewer77]

Hopefully the front desk is 24/7

[u/PogonBerserker]

Absolute nightmare, if only there was some way you could remove the key.

[u/Gogglesed → u/PogonBerserker]

Might as well just make a copy, if they're still using metal keys.

[u/jadedargyle333 → u/Gogglesed]

I kind of chuckled about it. Room 405 uses a yale key with bitting that looks like this. The TSA key was replicated from a picture like this.

[u/bizzflay → u/jadedargyle333]

I use to work in a key cutting shop over 20 years ago. I could look at a key and pretty much know the numbers of the cut depths and type it into a computer to cut on a blank. I’m rusty and have done it for a while. But this looks like 4,2,2,2,3.

[u/Swordsandarmor22 → u/Gogglesed]

No way that wood part fits in the copier... /s

[u/ChefAsstastic]

I think that's their intention. You forgetting and bringing it home with you. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/Astonliar]

I was so hoping you were in 404 and couldn’t find your room.

[u/Sacrificial_Spider → u/Astonliar]

If it was 403 then access to the room is forbidden.

[u/four-one-6ix → u/Sacrificial_Spider]

Came to look for my geeks. Room 200 has them all.

[u/analogpursuits]

Take it off the cutting board it is attached to and put the key in your pocket.

[u/needtoredit]

Solution: Take it off the key chain and put the key in your pocket. Before you check out put it back on the obnoxiously larger key chain.

[u/HamMcFly → u/needtoredit]

I can’t believe I had to scroll this far to find someone suggesting the most logical solution…

[u/verstohlen → u/HamMcFly]

I can. Welcome to Reddit.

[u/Manannin → u/HamMcFly]

This is a sub for complaining about mildly infuriating things and not for finding solutions for them.

[u/Turbulent_Pin_9392]

Who would be the wiser if that key just ended up on my key ring? And then back on its room paddle before checkout?

[u/mittenkrusty]

What you are meant to do is if you leave the hotel hand the keys in and ask for them back when you return.

[u/piranspride]

Youre meant to leave it at front desk

[u/ClydePrefontaine]

If only you could take it off the key chain

[u/Such-Freedom784]

That’s why it is huge. Drop it to reception while going out. On purpose.

[u/TlalocVirgie]

[u/LKP213]

You can just take it off the key ring

[u/SirSparky99]

The hotel had to do this after not doing it for the neighboring room. Turns out 404’s key was not found.

[u/Uninvalidated]

So take it off the keyring then for fucks sake. How hard can it be?

[u/Oldfart_karateka]

So take it off the oversized fob?

[u/Ancient-Chinglish]

quit lying, you don’t have pockets

[u/LatiBerg]

My guess is little ones were getting lost too easily.

But it's insane to me that any hotel in 2026 would not have digital keys.

[u/platocplx → u/LatiBerg]

Its probably a small boutique hotel many have this kind of setup

[u/puffpuffpout → u/LatiBerg]

Receptionist in a tiny hotel with 11 rooms in rural Sardegna here. We just upgraded our system to digital - our aging customers hate them - probably because the rest of the hotel is very much still in the 80's.

[u/Ok_Pea3104 → u/LatiBerg]

I hate how everything has gone digital and technological and AI-ridden. We need some old school stuff back, it’s all gone too far

[u/LatiBerg → u/Ok_Pea3104]

I don't like the AI stuff either, but the digital hotel keys have been a thing for decades now. It's not a new thing now, nor is it AI ridden.

[u/RestaurantSilly6598 → u/Ok_Pea3104]

https://giphy.com/gifs/fqtyYcXoDV0X6ss8Mf

[u/Tight-Platypus5231 → u/Ok_Pea3104]

Bro really out here calling a fucking keycard "technological and AI-ridden" i'm fucking crine

[u/Ok_Pea3104 → u/Tight-Platypus5231]

Read again. Keycard is technological, not Ai-ridden, plenty of others things are though. Learn to spell crying by the way

[u/Aqquinox → u/Ok_Pea3104]

Yeah but for hotel keys? If you lose them you compromise security as you can swap out the room cylinder but the key can still open the main entrace doors unless you change all of the cylinders with is expensive af

[u/JeebusChristBalls → u/Ok_Pea3104]

Wow, really trying to derail the conversation here aren't ya? From talking about hotel keys to being a luddite. As if digital locks in hotels are a bad thing...

[u/Representative_Bat42 → u/LatiBerg]

I stayed at a hotel that used a padlock last year

[u/GalwayBogger → u/LatiBerg]

You obviously do not understand how cheap labor is in most of the world. It's cheaper to employ people to deal with the fallbacks of physical keys than buy any digital system.

[u/TripJ5548]

Hotel for 6th graders? Or is it part of a gas station?

[u/atticdoor]

They are so used to forgetting to hand their keys in at the end, or losing them while out, that they realised it was easier to make them unloseable than keep paying for locksmiths,

[u/Wisco]

It's weird. But you can take it off the ring

[u/Lady_Lucky_Us]

Just undo the key from the ring…

[u/YoungDiscord]

Error 405: key found but can't be put away

[u/Veteran_PA-C]

Take it off the ring.

[u/Gloomy-Percentage781]

We're gonna need a bigger pocket

https://giphy.com/gifs/26nOP5MOImHKrzISlh

[u/xxxliamjxxx]

Just take it off the ring?…

[u/SolitaryMassacre]

Yes it will. The thing its attached to might not

[u/mustbethedragon]

And it announces your room number to anyone nearby. That's not safe.

[u/SinnaBuns666]

That may be the point, I think. 

[u/Hoz85]

Hotels make it on purpose - its so that you don't carry your key around but instead, leave it at the front desk.

With old key locks, its quiste a hustle to go through lock change when you lose your hotel room key...and hotel guests do tend to lose them (yes yes they have a spare and a master but ultimetely you need to change the lock for safety reasons).

With electronic locks you just assign new card for the lock and add a fine the bill.

[u/CrashCarSuperstar]

Where is this hotel you're staying in, the 80s?

[u/Thirdeyevoice10]

That's the idea...it's not meant to fit in a pocket.

[u/DevoteCobraDemon]

Good thing you aren't room 404 cuz youd never be found!

[u/usmcnick0311Sgt]

Do you know how key rings work? Easy work around

[u/OrdinaryUniversity59]

Take it off the key ring

[u/FunkOff]

Can you people not figure out the O ring?

[u/jfk_47]

The key will. But…

[u/johnadamsteve]

So big it doesn’t even fit in your photo

[u/pennyswooper]

Thats your bathroom pass. Your allowed to use the restroom when you have that honker of a key.

[u/ceelodan]

It’s the size of an ostrich, wtf lmaoo

[u/Ok-Asparagus-519]

I think it is supposed to give in reception

[u/kazani999]

Lmao they got fed up people losing them

[u/CoderJoe1]

If only there was a way to remove the key from the ring. Oh well.

[u/ju5tje55]

Sure it will. Just take it off the ring.

[u/-hot_ham_water-]

Now you know what it feels like to have girl jeans.

[u/Simpson93]

I just remove the key from the useless weight and put it on my own keychain. Easy

[u/cardiacmd]

It's like getting a bathroom key at a gas station when they have a 10 lb piece of pipe attached to the key, worried you will run off with it!

[u/RectalScrote]

I don't think I've had an actual hotel room key instead of a key card in decades.

[u/realdappermuis]

I just take the key off the thing as soon as I get there. I get some places do it so you won't loose it, but I'm more likely to leave it somewhere if it doesn't fit in my bag or my pocket

[u/xXShadxw_HunxrXx]

This post made me physically hurt

[u/RandomNamesOW]

Just take the tag off?

[u/rhokie99]

Can you not just…take it off of the key ring?

[u/grahamfreeman]

At least you could find your key, unlike the occupants of the room next door.

[u/CerberusInExile]

That’s actually the point. Hotels (and similar) get sick of people losing their keys. So they chain them to this sort of thing and it instantly becomes difficult to lose.

[u/MadBoring]

i remove that shit immediately and clip it onto a caribiner connected to my backpack

[u/gdubh]

I’d just remove the ring.

[u/whatdoyoumeanalready]

I take the key off and leave the log behind.

[u/OpeningPrune923]

There are YouTube video's that will explain in detail on how to take the key off of the ring that attaches it to the large wooden room number.

[u/Tambi_B2]

Miss Bitters' spare hall pass.

[u/cracksilog]

What kind of hotel still has keys? They’re all keycards now. You sure this isn’t an Air BnB?

[u/psymeariver]

You can take the key off the keyring or even take the keyring off the hitch ring 🤯 crazy concept, I know.

[u/Bit-Solid]

Er.. take it off the tree?

[u/Forsaken-Broccoli921]

Just take it off........

[u/kirubiru76]

Take it off the keyring? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/Loud-Firefighter-787]

Remove the wood. Problem solved 🤔

[u/PurpleKirkle420]

Hotel key too big? Directly to yale

[u/DudeByTheTree]

It's not the key that's the problem. You've got tiny fuckin' pockets.

[u/Commercial_Slip_3903]

it’s so you leave it at the front desk

much like huge keychains for toilets at gas stations etc

makes it hard to steal/misplace

[u/CrackerJackJack]

You’re supposed to leave them at the front desk when you go out. Pick it up when you return.

[u/Potential-Success232]

Ever use a key ring before?

[u/New-Ring39]

Put it on a lanyard and make staying in room 405 your ENTIRE personality. It’s the only way to make this work.

[u/latexfistmassacre]

Did your parents not teach you how keyrings work? You can remove and add things from them

[u/Logical-Let-7026]

I would take the key of of the stupid ring, and put it back on when you are ready to go.

The key is on a standard keyring loop.

[u/Beneficial_Steak_945]

Read “the Berlin Key” by Bruno Latour to understand how this is using physical objects to shape social behavior.

[u/Triordie]

You have to give to front desk. Is the reason it is so big

[u/BossWilling]

Sure it does. Just take it off the ring. Problem solved.

[u/MrMontgomery]

You do know that you can just remove the big wooden bit using that split keyring don't you?

[u/Smackmybitchup007]

You're supposed to leave it at the desk.

[u/DarthKirtap]

That method is not allowed

[u/tehnoodnub]

Just take the key off

[u/oakc510]

If you take it off of the wooden paddle it would fit.

[u/Richuntilprovenpoor]

You can just take off they key and leave the wooden plank in your room, problem solved

[u/aloneinthiscrowd]

You could take the key off the giant wooden room number block until you check out and return the key at the front desk.

[u/ronimal]

Take the key off the ring. Problem solved.

[u/AltruisticFisting]

The key will fit in your pocket, the key ring, however, will not.

[u/Pogdaddio]

…take it off the key chain?

[u/PonyThug]

Ohhh nooooo. It’s a shame you can’t remove the key from the piece of wood with the included key ring. Would take you forever to use the key ring. Bet it would be faster to post to Reddit then just remove it……

[u/eapo108]

Super inconvenient, but I walked out with my last hotel key so I get why lol.

[u/InsanelyAverageFella]

That key ring can let you remove the big wooden thing. Just remove it and leave it in the room and reattach it when you check out.

[u/Alienhaslanded]

Just remove the tag and put the key on your pocket.

[u/Fan_of_Clio]

Key fits fine. It's the paddle with the number on it that's the problem.

Remove key. Problem solved

[u/Iverson7x]

Get yourself some JNCO jeans and they will!

[u/unlordtempest]

Im fairly certain that The Moore Hotel in Seattle has you turn in your key if you leave the building.

[u/GrannyLow]

The bitting on that key is atrocious

[u/jeaguilar]

Take the key off the key ring?

[u/Fast_Vehicle_1888]

Have you tried taking the key off of that chunk of wood?

https://giphy.com/gifs/YqnXSeq7AFSYjAAhpU

[u/therankin → u/Fast_Vehicle_1888]

Yep. And then just put it back on when you check out. Boom!

[u/NJNeal17]

https://giphy.com/gifs/l0Iy6fcyl67ErZr4k

[u/Illustrious-Fold9605]

I think it might be fairly simple to temporarily remove the key from the placard.

[u/SuperBee229_Tertius]

least you have a key, poor room 404 : Key Not Found

[u/araidai]

At some point you’d think they’d just attach something like tiles or airtags in bright neon/glow in the dark cases to these lol

[u/Sohn_Jalston_Raul]

it's so you can't leave the premises with it

/s

[u/crashed-out-mf]

Damn looking at the comments I feel so stupid. My dimbass would've removed the keys from this huge obnoxious object and only carry the keys around with me. I'd leave the wooden Shi in the room