Rodeway Inn In Gallup, New Mexico: Master Hotel Key Given To Guests [Video]

The video titled “Our hotel had an interesting key policy…” has gotten 1.3 million views since being uploaded to YouTube on June 4. That’s because the video exposed a major security flaw at the Rodeway Inn, located on the popular Route 66 that some folks travel for nostalgia’s sake. In the video, a man can be seen openings several doors at the Rodeway Inn with one hotel key. The video’s description explains that the duo performed their experiment at the Rodeway Inn in Gallup, New Mexico.

After being surprised by a person entering their hotel room at the Rodeway Inn in the middle of the night, the duo decided to ask the Rodeway Inn personnel why someone would be able to enter their hotel room. That’s when they claim they were told that the person had been given a master hotel key.

They decided to perform a little experiment to see if their key was also a master hotel key. Lo and behold, their hotel key was also able to open several doors at the Rodeway Inn, as displayed in the video. It is a shocking experiment that is likely warning many people away from the budget hotel in Gallup, New Mexico.

One of the men in the viral video is Chris Taylor, as the video’s description explains.

“Complete hotel key fail at the Rodeway Inn, Gallup, New Mexico. (Yes we had separate beds…) Took place during our epic 4,000 mile trip to the Rubicon Trail in California. For more great videos of our trek, Chris took some great video and will have some up soon I’m sure. Check out Chris’ channel at [Chris’ YouTube channel].”

Despite all the amenities listed in the description of the self-described low-rise budget hotel, the approximately $30-per-night hotel will likely lose customers as a result of the viral video. Or, the Rodeway Inn will get travelers who make sure to bolt their hotel room doors while they are inside, and remove any valuables from their hotel rooms when they are not on the premises.

“Set on Route 66, this low-rise budget hotel with an old-school vibe is a mile from downtown Gallup and 9 miles from Fire Rock Navajo Casino. Accessed by exterior corridors, the modest rooms offer free Wi-Fi, TVs, microwaves and mini-fridges. Some add coffeemakers. Free amenities include basic continental breakfast, and parking for buses and trucks. There are also coin-operated laundry facilities. Pets are allowed for an additional fee. Address: 1709 W Historic U.S. 66, Gallup, NM 87301.”

The Rodeway Inn hotel chain is owed by Choice Hotels International, a company that left a popular comment on the YouTube video. As reported by the Daily Mail, the Choice Hotels YouTube account mentioned that they were thankful to the duo for letting them know about the problem with the hotel keys that opened multiple doors. They also stated that it was due to an error in the key system, and that they were taking steps right away to correct the problem.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have contacted the hotel and determined that there was a malfunction in their key system. They have taken immediate action to address this.”

As reported by Philly.com, Manuel Baez was a homeless prostitute in Philadelphia who strangled 75-year-old psychiatrist Dr. Howard Baker at a Rodeway Inn. That incident occurred on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

Another crime that occurred at a Rodeway Inn, as seen in the top photo above, happened at a Rodeway Inn in Atlanta, Georgia. Barbara Jane Mackle was kidnapped from the Rodeway Inn around December 17, 1968. Located near Emory University, Mackle was the 20-year-old daughter of a rich land developer in Florida. As reported by ABC News, she was buried alive but survived after three days. Police would not state the specific Rodeway Inn room where Mackle stayed.

[Photo by AP Photo]