NATIONAL REPORT—At this time of crisis, those associated with the hotel industry make every effort to take care of their own, as well as others in the areas that they serve. Here are some organizations that are helping any way they can during the coronavirus pandemic:
The Statler Dallas Opens to Medical Workers
The Statler Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton, in Dallas is offering free rooms to medical professionals during the crisis. Two floors in the downtown luxury hotel will house personnel working on the front lines at area hospitals including Baylor Medical Center, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Children’s Medical Center and Parkland Memorial Hospital.
“I am very blessed to be in a position that allows me to help many people,’ said Sean Terry, VP, entitlements for Centurion American, the hotel’s owner. “I am proud to work with Centurion American and our partners to help those medical heroes on the front line to get much needed rest while preserving the safety of their families.”
Each medical professional will be given a meal voucher for box breakfast, lunch and dinner provided daily by Refined Hospitality Concepts, which operates the restaurants at The Statler.
“It is the responsibility of all of us to find creative solutions to the problems created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Terry. “I would call upon other corporate leaders who want to support this effort to reach out to our team, and we’ll take their donations to help allocate additional space to those first responders at cost.”
Wyndham Helps Team Members Find Jobs
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has partnered with leading organizations to give team members whose positions have been furloughed or eliminated access to job opportunities opening up across various industries including retail, grocery and senior living.
The new relationships offers Wyndham’s affected hotel-level and corporate team members with opportunities to align their hospitality experience with thousands of newly available full-time, part-time or temporary positions within corporations that are rapidly expanding their workforces to meet changing demands.
Team members whose positions were furloughed or eliminated may access employment opportunities with national and regional organizations such as Albertsons Companies, Amazon, Dollar Tree & Family Dollar, Domino’s, Lowe’s, Pizza Hut, Senior Living Works, University of Texas Medical Branch, Walgreens and Walmart.
Red Roof Opens Doors to First Responders
Red Roof has launched Room in Your Heart: Opening Doors to First Responders, as part of the brand’s giving program, Room in Your Heart. Through May 31, Red Roof is donating a limited number of available rooms to these brave heroes, giving them a place to sleep and stay in between shifts at participating properties across the country.
“In response to the growing need of accommodations for frontline workers, Red Roof will open its heart—and doors—to those working to save lives on a daily basis,” says Marina MacDonald, CMO, Red Roof. “Our Room in Your Heart program was created to assist those in need, and we hope this small gesture to help first responders and recognize their bravery will make their lives a little bit easier during this difficult time.”
Rooms can only be booked directly at participating hotels. Each guest must provide valid medical, firefighter or police identification. In addition, many Red Roof locations are exterior corridor properties where separate hotel room doors open to the outside of the building, instead of an interior hallway. After check-in, guests drive to their room instead of walking through the building, reducing contact with interior touchpoints.
Group of Preferred Hotels Help Out
A number of independent properties that are part of Preferred Hotels & Resorts are doing their part to help out during the crisis.
- Hotel Captain Cook: The Anchorage, AK, hotel has donated rollaway beds, bedding and toiletries to the nearly shelter at Covenant House Alaska that houses more than 100 homeless youth.
- Nemacolin Woodlands Resort: The resort in Farmington, MA, is closed to guests but continues supporting its team. Many of the staff have been given projects such as extensive deep cleaning and detailed maintenance both inside and out. It is also offering virtual personal and group tours of the property via FaceTime or video conference.
- Solmar Hotels & Resorts: The Solmar Foundation is putting all efforts behind educating and preparing small poverty-stricken communities in the Cabo San Lucas area that don’t have access to electricity about the current world situation and COVID-19. A team of five Solmar Foundation leaders and 12 volunteers, led by director Dinorah De Haro, have been working to educate these communities, sharing hygiene instructions and providing food and paper goods. Hotel workers from Solmar are also providing self-employment tips—teaching jewelry design, carpentry, etc.—and donating 100% of the supplies.
- Sophy Hyde Park: The Chicago hotel has opened its doors to University of Chicago Medical Center staff free of charge. The offer will run through April 17, and then reevaluated according to the need in the coming weeks.
Las Vegas Sands Aids Restaurant Workers
In an effort to assist the employees of several third-party restaurants that partner with The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas Sands has announced a new program to cover emergency pay for approximately 1,200 employees of several partner restaurants during the current COVID19-related shutdown.
For 14 restaurants that partner with The Venetian Resort, Las Vegas Sands will cover payroll costs during the current shutdown of each restaurant’s salaried employees and a weekly stipend for hourly and part time employees.
The restaurants include a number of establishments by renowned chefs including Bouchon, Buddy V’s Ristorante, Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Lagasse’s Stadium and Solaro by Wolfgang Puck.