PUBLISHED June 11th, 2020 06:00 am | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 05:11 pm
Before COVID-19, we barely gave a thought to picking from the same buffet spread, touching the same door handles, or sleeping in proximity to hundreds of strangers. In a few short months, the world has turned upside down – and our hotels might never be the same.
With safety concerns at an all-time high, hotels round the world have been trooping out armies of measures to ensure hospital-grade cleanliness – without skimping on hospitality. If you’re wondering how your post-coronavirus stay will look like, we check in with major hotel groups for a sneak peek.
Going No Contact
Contactless is the new name of the game – you’ll scarcely need to touch a soul or surface more than absolutely necessary. Some hotels are replacing face-to-face welcomes with mobile check-ins, and taking keycards in-app. Hotels and resorts giant Hilton, for one, has announced plans to double down on their Digital Key tech as part of their CleanStay arsenal; you can soon use their nifty app to check in, unlock your room, and access common areas.
The paperless trend will take over our rooms as well, with measures to replace in-room directories and stationery with digital options. Oh, and restaurant menus? They’re set to be a rare breed in our post-coronavirus world.
High-Tech Hygiene
It goes without saying that hotels will be more spanking clean than ever. Most hotels are rolling out frequent cleaning for high-touch areas using hospital-grade disinfectants. Few surfaces will be overlooked, as Hyatt‘s cleanliness policy details: ‘light switches, door handles, and TV remotes’, along with lobbies, guestrooms, restaurants, meeting and event spaces, restrooms’… the hefty list goes on.
Some hotels, however, are upping the ante with cutting-edge cleanliness. Marriott International is going high-tech with electrostatic sprayers to sanitize surfaces, along with UV light to clean devices swiftly and thoroughly. Four Seasons is exploring similar gizmos across its luxe properties, along with ozone generators for air purification. You can expect more reassuring transparency as well – think ‘last cleaned’ charts and seals to signal a room as untouched.
Communal Experiences Are Out
Sumptuous buffet spreads are high on our list of hotel joys, but these high-risk feasts might be one more casualty of the COVID-19 crisis. Experts predict that the days of the hotel buffet might be over due to fears about virus spread. American group MGM Resorts will suspend buffet services for its reopened properties; Four Seasons plans to have nearly all restaurants offering à la carte services with digital menus.
The future of shared spaces like swimming pools, gyms, and saunas is also in jeopardy. Shangri-La Group has indicated that such spaces will be temporarily closed, depending on local guidelines for social distancing; meanwhile, Hilton will trial closing fitness centers multiple times a day for disinfecting. One thing’s for sure: wandering freely through communal areas will sadly be a thing of the past.
Private Experiences Are In
That doesn’t mean you’ll stay bored in your room, of course. Personalized experiences are likely to be the solution to social distancing restrictions, with more hotels moving toward cosy private sessions for fitness and wellness. Spa resort group Banyan Tree, for instance, has outlined plans to conduct its cooking sessions, fitness classes, and wellbeing consultations in-room – or even through Zoom.
Another luxe resort brand, Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, has released plans to keep personal training sessions to small groups only. Guests will also be able to book personal shopping times for partner boutiques, enabling them to have the run of the store safely and exclusively. Will such measures translate to higher room rates? Time will tell.
More Healthy Options
Wellness starts from within, as they say. Aside from sanitizing external spaces, some hotels are helping us stay healthy with immune-boosting options. Cue the Bangkok-based Dusit International, which is amping up its refreshment fridges with a complimentary range of healthy drinks and snacks, along with more wholesome in-room dining options. Wellness is on the menu too at Anantara, which will offer immune booster programs featuring fortifying meals and juices.
Sanitizers Everywhere
By now, you’ve probably gotten used to seeing hand sanitizers on every corner when you’re out – these little germ-fighting bottles will be your hotel best friend. Most hotels are set to have sanitizers and disinfecting wipes at entrances, lift lobbies, restaurants, and other high-touch points. Disinfectant mats are the new welcome mat – these nifty shoe-sole sanitizers will likely be at every entrance. Some hotels are also going the extra mile with personal cleaning kits; Accor Hotels, for one, will offer individual sanitizers, wipes, and masks to each guest.
Top Image: Four Seasons Hotel Singapore