Cristina Hodgson
THE hotel sector is studying all kinds of security measures with a view to reopen once the coronavirus health crisis has passed.
Hotel experts predict that the pandemic will drastically alter hotel stays, prompting many properties to embrace a host of new practices.
Check-ins and check-outs will most likely be performed virtually, with no human-to-human contact or with screens set up in reception.
The president of Paradores in Spain, Oscar Lopez, has said that there will be a ‘corner’ set up in each Parador which will offer all guests gloves, masks and disinfectant gel.
The use of lifts could be limited to one guest per car and room service discontinued.
It’s most likely that a hotel’s new dining option will be similar to meals served on planes i.e. pre-made boxed meals, while the deep cleaning of the rooms will take place after guests leave.
Ideally the rooms should be left vacant for a full 24 hours after a guest checks out, before the cleaning staff, wearing appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) are allowed to enter, after which the room should be left empty for another 24 more hours before new guests use it.
In the case of AC Hotels by Marriott, some of their accommodations are already open because they provide essential services.
Room keys in AC Hotels now consist of a code registered on the guest’s mobile phone.
Other measures may involve downsizing the contents of guest rooms, so there are fewer opportunities for germs to spread, such as the removal of minibars and excess linen.
Data from the Spanish tourism sector points to a drop in revenue of over €120 billion.
It’s vital for the industry to reopen as soon as possible, and experts in the sector are considering all kinds of options to ensure that reopening takes place sooner rather than later.
