CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corporation has revealed its path forward with new initiatives focusing on safety and well-being.
As an extension of its Global Care and Cleanliness Commitment, Hyatt is collaborating with medical experts from Cleveland Clinic, among other trusted medical and industry advisors, to fine-tune reopening and operating procedures such as colleague reorientations; enhanced cleaning and safety protocols; and a Hygiene and Well-being Leader at every property.
Beyond Safe and Clean, New Guest Experiences
Hyatt is giving guests and members greater control of their hotel journey and focusing on a more holistic sense of well-being from pre-arrival to checkout and beyond. It is revising places and spaces to make social distancing not feel that way.
- Through a new, exclusive collaboration with Headspace, guests, members and colleagues may access mindfulness exercises, guided meditations and sleep content via the World of Hyatt app either on in-room TVs or on the road. Guests can also enjoy enhanced fitness and well-being amenities in-room at some hotels, such as Exhale on Demand TV content; fitness equipment delivered to the guestroom (bikes, treadmills, weights); or spa kits and treatments available for delivery. In some cases, hotels have created outdoor workout spaces.
- Hotels are working to roll out enhanced digital amenities through the app that will give guests more control over how they connect with Hyatt. The new features, available in select markets and rolling out on an ongoing basis, will allow guests to manage preferences like scheduling housekeeping; choosing between pick-up or knock-and-go food orders; mobile key entry; and contactless check-in and checkout. For meetings and events, Hyatt hotels are exploring audio-visual technology that will help offer customers hybrid meeting options—on-property and remote—for large-sale events with social distancing in mind.
- Hyatt is bringing together all the senses to deliver reimagined dining offerings in unique spaces like private dining in a premium suite at Park Hyatt Moscow or creating meals in private garden suites at Hyatt Pune & Residences. Hotels are experimenting with new F&B offerings such as individual buffet-style meals that are curated and proportioned for each dining table at Hyatt Place Hyderabad Banjara Hills. New QR codes display menus so guests can browse options at The Confidante Miami Beach and order from their own mobile device at Grand Hyatt Seoul.
- At some hotels, on- and off-property events and excursions are being reimagined as private bookable leisure activities with plenty of space, such as garden or rooftop yoga classes, private beekeeping or exploring outdoor paths with guided maps on foot.
- Guestroom decor and amenities will be curated to remove some extraneous high-touch items.
- Soon, Hyatt will help inspire new ways to travel and connect with family and friends by helping pinpoint hotel locations that are convenient halfway points for friends and family to reunite.
“We’re continuing to evolve the guest experience as we listen and seek to understand what’s most important to our guests,” said Amy Weinberg, SVP global brand, loyalty, data & analytics, Hyatt. “Flexibility and peace of mind are essential to our guests right now, and we’re delivering personal care in everything we do throughout a guest’s travel journey.”
Caring for Colleagues
In response to COVID-19, Hyatt has also reimagined the colleague journey to include new work procedures, colleague resources and reorientations in an effort to ensure colleagues’ safety and well-being. Daily surveys have been introduced to measure comfort and well-being, enabling hotel leaders to address opportunities, make adjustments as necessary and meet colleagues’ needs in real time.
As part of the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment, by July, every Hyatt hotel will have at least one person on property trained as Hygiene & Well-being Leader who is responsible for their hotel adhering to new operational guidance and protocols. Each Hygiene & Well-being Leader will help maintain his or her hotel’s mandatory GBAC STAR accreditation, including a cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention program that will focus on establishing hotel environments that are sanitary, safe and healthy.
The new hotel colleague journey also includes the following:
- Daily temperature checks of all global colleagues upon arrival to the hotel
- Well-being check reminders sent to colleagues prior to arriving at work
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) like face coverings required by all colleagues
- Social-distance guidance and additional hand-sanitizer stations in colleague areas
- Complimentary access to Headspace for Hyatt colleagues to practice mindfulness and self-care