Every major hotel brand has announced a significant cleaning program as they reopen closed properties and work toward increasing occupancy in the coming months by reassuring travelers about health and safety measures. But what about independent hotels? Can advisors expect any kind of consistency from them as far as cleanliness and the well-being of guests?
Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), a venerable network of over 400 luxury properties, says it can provide that kind of reassurance to advisors and their clients-and even offer a safer experience that goes beyond that of the mega-brands. Shannon Knapp, who became president and CEO of LHW last year, told TravelPulse that research shows travelers associate branded hotels with larger crowds and less control of cleanliness while they associate independent hotels with less crowded conditions.
She also said that with independents not being bound by chain guidelines, there is greater flexibility based on the needs and physical situation of each individual property. "We have seen hotels do creative things with social distancing," said Knapp. She said that the Hotel Sacher Wien in Vienna has turned 152 rooms into pop-up mini-restaurants called Sacher Séparées where up to four guests (plus two children) can occupy the room for three hours for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Another example: Malibu Beach Inn has stayed open throughout the pandemic and launched a remote working package where locals can reserve a hotel room from 9 am-5 pm, enjoy lunch, free Wi-Fi, calls and more.
"If you need social distancing," said Knapp, "why not turn it into something attractive and local-and we can do that because we have the flexibility."
Flexibility does not mean, said Knapp, that member hotels do not have to adhere to strict standards of cleanliness. After speaking with 10 different possible partners, said Knapp, the company settled on several for different initiatives. LHW came up with a health program to provide members not only with immediate guidance but long-term guidance that includes monitoring of standards but also taking into account that each of the hotels is independent and has unique operating principles.
The three elements are:
-Medical guidance. LHW collaborated with doctors and experts from RemoteMD, ProHealth Environmental and a FEMA emergency response trainer to develop a 30-page guide specifically for members with doctors making themselves available for questions around implementation.
-Certification. LHW partnered with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA, the cleaning industry association. They will provide a GBAC STAR facility accreditation to LHW members. Knapp said the accreditation has been used by United Airlines, the NFL and Hyatt. It is a rigorous 6-8-week process that includes an annual review.
-Enhanced hygiene standards. LHW partnered with Leading Quality Assurance (LQA) to develop new hygiene standards for hotel audits. Each hotel is assessed annually by an LQA audit. The inspection report is based on more than 800 stringent criteria that cover social distancing measures, access to hand sanitizer, a temperature-checking process for employees and more.
Knapp said LHW is eager to partner with travel advisors in driving the recovery. "They have always been crucial to Leading Hotels," said Knapp. She said advisors will be even more important to their clients as travelers begin to navigate the post-COVID-19 world. "Our global sales team is here to support advisors and understands the importance of flexibility during this time," said Knapp, adding, "Leading Hotels looks forward to working with advisors to support the resurgence of the travel industry."
LHW's North America Travel Trade team, said Knapp, has been hosting exclusive webinars for its members with various consortia during this time designed to provide an overview of program participation and "how to set up for success as we navigate this unique moment with our advisor partners." (see LHW.com).
At the peak of the pandemic, said Knapp, 80 percent of LHW hotels were closed. For the first time since February, the number of open hotels has increased recently and they are ready to welcome guests. Over 30 percent of the portfolio is open, with another 150 members expected to open in June and July and over 70 percent projected to be open by the end of August. Knapp said that two-thirds of LHW members are in Europe and travel restrictions are beginning to be lifted on the Continent. North American travelers, she said, will be traveling regionally and locally and members will gear their programs to that market.
Looking ahead, said Knapp, LHW has maintained a three-phase strategy: fully impacted, early recovery and full recovery-each of these phases depending on the market in which a member property is located.
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