As Properties Reopen, Hotel Industry Puts Spotlight on New Safety Protocols

With COVID-19 travel and social distancing restrictions easing up – and increasing numbers of properties reopening – the hotel industry is putting the spotlight on new protocols to ensure the safety of both guests and staff.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the new safety programs being enacted at hotels.

Westgate Resorts created a Westgate Resorts Mobile App for contactless check-in at its 24 U.S. resorts. By using the app, guests drive to the hotel entrance, where a concierge brings them their room keys and resort information.

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As part of its Be Well. Stay Well. program, Highgate has unveiled stringent social distancing measures in all public, event and back-of-house areas at its portfolio of 100-plus properties.

Dallas’ Hotel Crescent Court is using hospital-grade products to clean rooms, along with electrostatic sanitation devices.

Montage Palmetto Bluff is introducing contactless room service delivery. The property, which is located in Bluffton, S.C., has limited its seating capacity in its restaurants, bars and lounges.

The Brazilian Court Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla., created the “Salon Social Distancing” program, designating two guestrooms within the property for salon treatments, including one for manicures and the other for hair services.

Bowling Green, Fla.’s Streamsong Resort unveiled the “Curbside Clubhouse” for curbside pickup of resort merchandise, golf apparel and accessories from the Streamsong Black Clubhouse.

Blue Diamond Resorts created an international safety assurance team to protect the safety of guests and staff at its 47 properties in the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico.

Bungalows Key Largo instituted mandatory employee screenings with temperature checks at the beginning of each shift.

Trump Hotels’ properties are participating in on-site training conducted by Ecolab’s Ecosure team, which is providing customized valuations and training in order to maintain high safety standards.

La Coleccion Resorts introduced the “Travel With Confidence program,” with new protocols that begin as soon as guests arrive at the resorts.

Karisma Hotels & Resorts, which is scheduled to begin reopening properties in Mexico and the Caribbean on June 15, unveiled the Karisma Peace of Mind program, which features new health protocols, updated guidelines and more.

Iberostar Group, which is scheduled to begin scaled reopening of hotels in Spain, Montenegro, Budapest, Greece, Portugal and Mexico later this month, is instituting stringent health, safety and staff training measures that align with its Wave of Change sustainability program.

On July 1, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort will begin welcoming back guests with an arsenal of safety and hygiene protocols using the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization.