INTERNATIONAL REPORT—As the hotel industry readies for its reopening from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of companies and vendors are implementing new cleanliness and safety protocols. Here are some of them:
Rosewood Launches Commitment to Care
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, which currently manages 28 properties worldwide, has introduced Commitment to Care, a brand-wide health and sanitation program developed to support the safety of Rosewood’s guests and associates.
Promoting heightened standards for hygiene and cleanliness, the program includes both back-of-house and guest-facing safety protocols and policies, as guided by the brand’s partners at Ecolab and Diversey, along with local and international health experts. The procedures will be implemented across each of Rosewood’s hotel, resort and residential properties. In addition to the universal protocols, several individual properties within the collection have implemented supplementary programming that speaks to their unique destinations and service styles:
- Rosewood Miramar Beach (Montecito, CA): Increased protective efforts range from the installation of custom EMist electrostatic disinfectant sprayers; UV and ozone machines to more regularly purify the air in high-traffic resort areas; and dedicated attendants to monitor for appropriate physical distancing. The oceanfront resort will offer several servicing options based on the level of contact and attention guests wish to receive throughout their stays, such as contactless in-room dining and curbside check-in. New experiences will place an emphasis on outdoor recreation, including a new twist on dining that delivers curated picnic basket meals, contactless, for guests to enjoy throughout the resort’s grounds.
- Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort (Los Cabos, Mexico): The resort is pairing guests with their own designated cabanas at the beach and pool for the full duration of their stays. At the property’s dining outlets, new QR code capabilities will allow guests to browse the restaurant menus and place orders directly from personal devices.
- Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi (Santa Fe, NM): The property has implemented an extensive pre-arrival consultation process with guests to ensure smooth, contactless check-in and checkout services. At least 48 hours are required between room reservations for deep cleaning and sanitation, and all high-touch items such as books and magazines have been removed from the guestrooms and replaced with care kits including sets of gloves, alcohol wipes and face masks.
Drury Hotels Upgrades Cleaning Protocols
Drury Hotels Company is partnering with Ecolab Inc. to keep its guests and team members safe. In this collaborative effort, Drury will use Ecolab products as part of enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures in its more than 150 hotels nationwide.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened people’s awareness of the spread of germs and the need for increased sanitization,” said Alison Casler, chief human resources officer of Drury Hotels. “Our Travel Happy Again, Clean + Safe initiatives, solidified by our partnership with Ecolab, have allowed us to confidently deliver a higher level of cleanliness and safety for our guests and team members.”
In addition to partnering with Ecolab, Drury has updated its check-in procedure to reduce contact, implemented visual cues for social distancing and modified the service for its free hot breakfast and evening reception. Drury has continued to serve the communities where the company has hotels by keeping all of its hotels open to provide lodging to traditional guests, as well as to first responders and essential frontline workers.
Outrigger Introduces Clean Commitment
Outrigger Hospitality Group has elevated its standard of cleanliness and safety in preparation for the anticipated reopening of its domestic and international beach resort properties. Outrigger’s Clean Commitment guidelines were designed in consultation with healthcare leaders and developed with Ecolab. It also meets the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) ‘Stay Safe’ enhanced industry-wide hotel cleaning standards, as well as the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) COVID-19 Health, Safety & Security Standards.
The global platform incorporates state-of-the-art technology, cleaning products and procedures in compliance with the latest COVID-19 codes, regulations and brand standards. The program applies to all areas of Outrigger operations including host training; social and physical distancing; surface cleaning and disinfecting; general housekeeping; maintenance; and overall host and guest health.
Noble House Launches Well-being Initiative
Noble House Hotels & Resorts Ltd. has revealed a new health and safety program—Stay Safe, Start Living—designed to protect the well-being of guests and staff members through the prevention of COVID-19. The program provides enhanced processes and procedures, including physical distancing guidelines and heightened cleanliness standards to create a happy and healthy environment guests can enjoy as domestic travel begins to resume.
“The health and well-being of our guests and staff members is our number-one priority, and as our properties begin to reopen their doors, we want to take every necessary precaution to ensure they feel safe,” said Don Dennis, Noble House Hotels & Resorts president of operations. “We are entering a new era of travel and while we look forward to welcoming guests back, we also understand that the needs of travelers and staff members have changed, and we must meet those needs. The Stay Safe, Start Living program provides each property with enhanced procedures and protocols that support the safety and health of our team members and guests so we can continue to deliver meaningful travel experiences.”
Las Vegas Sands Partners With Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas has entered into an agreement with Las Vegas Sands to deploy the Safe Guard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label for all Sands properties worldwide. Designed to support the operational restart activities of the hospitality and restaurant industries, the Safe Guard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label is a suite of services offered through Bureau Veritas’ “Restart Your Business with BV” program.
As an independent, third-party partner to Sands, Bureau Veritas will:
- Review detailed safety guides and protocols to achieve hygiene excellence using industry best practices, local laws and requirements and leading medical expertise
- Leverage digital solutions to conduct audits of Sands’ properties to ensure compliance with hygiene protocols and operational requirements
- Administer Safe Guard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label upon successful audit to demonstrate Sands is in compliance, thus providing an extra layer of assurance to their team members, guests and suppliers
