Ushuaïa Beach Hotel | SunMatrix Ramble

Last year in August I had written about how Ushuaïa Beach Hotel in Ibiza had become the world’s first hotel to use RFID-enabled wristbands to engage with its guests. Then in June 2012 they rolled out a biometric payment system that pushed the boundaries of cardless payments.

Guests who wished to use the new PayTouch system were required to register their credit card details along with their biometric data of their right index and middle fingers with the hotel. After which payments at all facilities at the destination were done by simply pressing the guests fingers against a fingerprint recognition device.

Now for 2013 the hotel is gearing up to replace its 2011 RFID-enabled wristbands with the above touch technology. Special touch screens are going to be installed around the hotel that provide guests access to their Facebook profiles by simply placing their fingers on a biometric sensor. However the updates on Facebook will be limited to a selection of automated actions like taking a photo, updating their current location and liking the hotel’s ongoing event.

Ushuaïa Beach Hotel is truly setting an example for others in the hospitality industry by using technology to improve customer experience and spreading the word about their hotel.

Why this move is interesting

It removes friction in two high-frequency moments. Paying and sharing become quick, repeatable actions.
It turns identity into a service layer. Your fingerprint becomes the “key” across facilities and social touchpoints.
It keeps social posting controlled. Limiting updates to predefined actions reduces risk while still enabling sharing.

In hospitality environments where guests move quickly and often, biometrics are attractive because they compress payment, access, and sharing into one repeatable gesture.

What to watch when biometrics meet social

The experience works only if trust stays intact. Clear opt-in, clear boundaries on what can be posted, and a simple way to stop using the system are essential when you connect payment identity and social identity in the same environment.

A few fast answers before you act

What is PayTouch at Ushuaïa Beach Hotel?

It is a biometric payment system where guests register a credit card and fingerprints, then pay on-site by pressing fingers against a recognition device.

How was the hotel planning to use fingerprints for Facebook in 2013?

By installing touch screens that let guests access their Facebook profiles via a biometric sensor and post only predefined actions such as photos, location updates, and likes.

Why replace RFID wristbands with fingerprint touch?

Fingerprint touch reduces the need to carry or manage a wearable token, and it can unify access and payments across the destination.

What is the main risk with this type of experience?

Trust and consent. The system needs transparent opt-in, clear limits on what gets posted, and an obvious way to disable participation.

What Ushuaïa builds with RFID and Facebook

RFID technology and its integration with social APIs is becoming more mainstream. In this example, Ushuaïa Beach Hotel becomes the world’s first hotel to use RFID to engage guests through social sharing. The installation is created by Dorst & Lesser, who also create the Renault RFID installation at the Amsterdam Auto Show.

How the pillars drive sharing across the hotel

The hotel is outfitted with pillars that read RFID-enabled bracelets. Depending on where you are and what the pillar offers, you can check in, take pictures, or post a status update. The pillars are placed at the beach, the pool, and on the dance floor, so sharing becomes a physical action you repeat throughout the experience.

Why this pattern matters beyond Ibiza

The real move is not the gadget. It is the reduction of friction. Sharing is no longer a separate step on a phone. It becomes a “tap and publish” behavior embedded in the space, making social output a natural byproduct of participation.

This RFID and Facebook integration is also used at the Coca-Cola Village in Israel.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Ushuaïa RFID Facebook sharing concept?

Guests wear RFID-enabled bracelets and use scanning pillars placed around the hotel to trigger Facebook check-ins, photos, and status updates from different locations.

Why place pillars at the beach, pool, and dance floor?

Because those are the high-emotion moments guests want to share. Putting the tech at the peak moments increases usage and makes sharing feel like part of the experience.

What is the key design lesson for brands?

Make sharing an outcome of participation, not a separate workflow. When the action is physical, fast, and obvious, publishing scales without instruction.

What should you measure if you run something similar?

Scan volume by location, repeat scans per guest, social reach and engagement of generated posts, and any lift in on-site dwell time around the activation points.