Hotels around the country are prepping for travelers to start showing up again amid the coronavirus pandemic. But how can guests know that it’s safe to stay there?
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has unveiled its SafeStay guidelines on Monday, an effort made in conjunction with major brands like Hilton, Marriott and Best Western to standardize cleanliness.
“It’s really an effort to make sure that no matter if you’re staying at an extended-stay economy hotel or you’re staying at the nicest luxury resort, that there will be at a minimum common standards across the entire industry,” Chip Rogers, AHLA president and CEO, told USA TODAY on Sunday.
The report outlines baseline hotel practices and procedures (you can find the full guidelines here) meant to protect employees and guests, including but not limited to:
- Hand-washing and hand sanitizer use; dispensers, when possible, should be at major employee and guest entrances and contact spots (i.e. lobby reception, employee entrances, etc.)
- The installment of signage reminding both employees and guests regarding how to wear, handle and throw away masks
- A significant upheaval of cleaning practices, with places like hotel guest elevators, front desk check-in stations and public bathrooms cleaned frequently
- A request that housekeepers not enter a guest room during a stay unless asked to by guest, or otherwise adhere to established safety protocols
- For guests: Physical distancing of at least six feet from other groups of travelers
- For employees: Physical distancing in dining rooms, training classrooms and more; front desk agents should use every other workstation
- Contactless check-in encouraged when possible