What will be different during your stay in hotels after covid-19 epidemic?

Since the coronavirus outbreak hit the world, the hospitality industry has certainly been among the sectors suffering the maximum negative impact. The reason obviously is the cancellation of all tourism and travel programs. This being the case, a most important question is “How will hotel services be effected and what kind of changes will be practiced after the epidemic is in control?” In other words, “Will hotels have to put into effect a series of moves very unusual as far as “standard operating procedure” for accommodation facilities is concerned?”

The answer to this question as noted by experts is, “Hotels will try to ensure they have almost no touch points in the entire facility, which is very unusual in regards to a hotel’s nature of being hands-on and kind”. Within this framework, check-ins and check-outs will be carried out on a virtual basis for instance, with no human-to-human contact.

– Precautions such as “limiting elevator rides to one guest at a time and discontinuing room service as well as keeping restaurants and bars etc. closed (for an indefinite time). Instead, the new dining options to replace the traditional method will be pre-made boxed meals, available in an industrial refrigerator in the lobby, for instance. It goes without saying breakfast buffets and other traditional services alike will not be made available.

– Most hotels will prefer to considerably downsize the contents of guest rooms, so there are fewer opportunities for germs to spread, such as removing minibars, excess hangers, excess linens and pillows etc. Instead of traditional housekeeping system many establishments will have to follow the following method: “Guests will be given bags at arrival which will be for soiled, towels or bedding and trash. Hotel guests will place these bags out of the rooms when they need them to be cleaned and housekeeping will come to collect them, in fact without entering the rooms.

– Another important practice will be “the deep cleaning of the rooms will take place after guests leave. Rooms will be left vacant for a full 24 hours after a guest checks out. A cleaning crew will come in fully protected and do a deep cleaning, after which the room will be left empty for 24 more hours”.

– On the other hand to minimize human contact hotels will need to encourage guests to take advantage of a digital key program, which will enable guests to check in virtually.  Guests will be able to check in, select their room and use their phone as their room key, without ever having to interact with the front desk.

– As for sports and exercise activities in the facility it will be essential to keep the social distance by offering guests the opportunity to sign up for a specific gym time slot and also improving in-room exercise alternatives.

– And eventually we should not be surprised to see nurses taking temperatures of all guests at the entrance and denying those with fever entry to the hotel. Also guests may even face the situation where they have to report their health and travel histories at the time of reservation.

As safety will be important more than ever hotels should be obliged to follow health and safety guidelines as set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To recap, as can be seen from all above developments to come hotel managements and guest may expect to adapt to very unusual new practices thanks to the monster called covid-19.