Travel with Confidence: Have a Worry-Free Staycation with These Hotels’ Health Protocols

This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has impaired the ease of travel among other activities. A number of countries were forced to temporarily suspend international flights for non-essential purposes in order to rein in the transmission. This has not only affected international travel but its domestic counterpart as a number of new requirements have now been introduced for domestic travel, including requiring passengers to carry the Rapid Test or PCR Test result.

While we wait for vaccines to hit the market and bail us out from the pandemic, staycation can be a quick solution to cure that wanderlust.  Before going ahead and confirming that hotel booking, let’s take a look at the elevated health protocols currently being implemented in various hotels.

To give you a peace of mind for a  worry-free staycation, we’ve reviewed the health protocols of major hotel chains, namely the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), MELIÁ Hotels & Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, and Dusit Hotels & Resorts.

After going through this article, you’ll be sure to travel with confidence.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

To prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, IHG launched the Clean Promise and Way of Clean programs, where guests will get to observe the security and hygiene procedures being implemented in all areas across the property. These procedures include:

Comprehensive Cleanliness Improvement:

• Increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfection.
• Minimizing guests’ touchpoints
• Provision of hand sanitizers in all public and work areas
• Extensive protective equipment for staff
• The enforcement of physical distancing and visual cues
• Mandatory IHG Way of Clean training completion for all staff
• Clean Champions Award at every hotel

Arrival and Reception Area

• Minimizing physical contact during check-in
• Implementation of new cleaning procedures for frequently touched surfaces with regular disinfectants
• Enforce physical spacing protocols
• Provision of hand sanitizer

Public Area:

• The enforcement of physical distancing, also extending to furniture placements
• Increased frequency of sanitizing and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces
• Provision of hand sanitizers in all public areas

Guest room:

• Increased disinfection of all furniture and solid surfaces in the room
• Provides guests with the option of moving non-essential items outside the room
• Room cleanliness inspection
• Improved laundry protocol

Food & Beverage:

• Updated food handling and service guidelines
• Additional hygiene and sanitation protocols
• New buffet, banquet, and catering procedures
• Self-serve beverage option is replaced by an ordering system
• Use of disposable menus or cleanable laminated menus
• The cleaning of tables and chairs between guests
• The implementation of physical distancing through tenuous table placement
• Additional seasonings provided upon request
• The restaurant bill is included into the room bill while encouraging non-cash payment
• The application of physical spacing in the bar area

Meetings & Events:

• Rooms are arranged and configured to allow physical distancing
• Rotating meal times to avoid crowds
• Tables and chairs are cleaned during meeting breaks
• Strict food handling and service protocols
• Hand sanitizers being dispensed at a number of points
• Recommending the use of a personal device for taking notes
• New pens or notebooks will be provided upon guest request

Amenities:

• Updates to operational practices for swimming pools, fitness centers, club lounges, and other facility spaces
• Improved cleaning of equipment and furniture
• Cleaning wipes are available for guests
• Physical spacing protocols are enforced

MELIÁ Hotels & Resorts

As one of the largest hotel chains in the world, Meliá Hotels & Resort is renowned for its warm and efficient services. In the midst of the pandemic, all Meliá Hotels & Resort properties remain committed to providing guests with an exclusive stay experience through the My Room My Temple program.

The program includes:

• Maximizing hygiene standards

Meliá Hotels & Resort collaborates with leading American brand, Diversey, to provide the latest cleaning products and equipment

• Hygienic cleaning equipment

All Meliá Hotels & Resort cleaning staff are required to equip themselves with personal protective equipment while on duty

• Additional hygiene protocol

Meliá Hotels & Resort utilizes official virucidal products for areas requiring deep cleaning

• Extra cleaning

Following a room’s disinfection process, Meliá Hotels & Resort performs extra cleaning for frequently touched items, such as TV remotes, cups and dispensers

• Extra cleaning in between guests

Meliá Hotels & Resort will vacate the room between each guest to allow for extra and thorough cleaning. All amenities will be replaced with new ones.

• Optional Room Service

During the pandemic, Meliá Hotels & Resort will optionally offer room service to reduce direct contact

• A la carte minibar

A minibar will be provided upon request

Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts

Shangri-La Hotel makes for a fabulous choice for a worry-free stay due to the implementation of a health and safety commitment called Shangri-La Cares across all of its properties. These commitments include:

Arrival

• Documentation of temperatures, health declarations and travel history of all guests
• Guests are required to wear a face mask before entering the hotel
• Guests will always be reminded to maintain a safe distance of 1-1.5 meters while on the hotel premises
• The welcome mat at the entrance is cleaned periodically, as well as disinfection of guest luggage

Public Area

• Hand sanitizing stations are available at crucial points
• Furniture is properly spaced to ensure physical distancing standards are met
• The maximum lift capacity is placed at four people
• Hourly cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, common areas, and food and beverage outlets
• Perspex divider between guests and staff at reception

Guest room

• Shangri-La Hotel Singapore is the first hotel to be awarded the SafeGuard Hygiene Excellence and Safety Label from Bureau Veritas, a testing and certification body with 192 years of experience.
• The latest in cleaning and sanitizing technology, including ultraviolet light technology and electrostatic spray devices
• The 12-point cleaning is most frequently touched in the room with a hospital grade disinfectant

Food and Drink

• Tables and food / beverage outlets are spaced 1 to 1.5 meters from each other
• Maximum 5 guests at one table
• Increased contactless interactions through the QR Code menu and digital payments.
• Guests are asked to continue wearing their masks when visiting restaurants and are only allowed to remove them when eating and drinking

Our People

• The health and safety of guests and staff are always the utmost priority. The #ShangrilaCares commitment launched in early June is part of an ongoing effort to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for guests
• A temperature check is mandatory for all staff and should there be any complaints or symptoms, the person concerned will be asked to seek medical assistance immediately and will be temporarily relieved from duty
• The operating hours of the recreational facilities are reduced so that thorough cleaning of the area, as well as its equipment, can be carried out properly
• All staff wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of gloves, face shields, hair covers and face masks if deemed necessary by medical experts.

Dusit International

The hotel chain from the Land of Smiles has been in operation for more than 7 decades and has more than 300 hotels, resorts, and luxury villas spread across 14 countries. With a commitment to always serve with the warmth of Thailand, the network, which includes five well-known hotel brands, continues to strive to maintain service quality and a unique stay experience even in the midst of a pandemic.

Through the Dusit Care – Stay with Confidence program, Dusit management strives to maintain the health and comfort of its guests with the following 5 main points:

• Flexible Stay

To provide a sense of comfort in the midst of uncertain situations, a flexible check-in feature is available at all Dusit International hotels and resorts. Flexible breakfast options are also available so that guests may have their breakfast anytime, without needing to endure the crowd or queue.

• Safety and Wellbeing

At all Dusit properties, the safety and well-being of guests are of the utmost priority. Temperature screenings upon arrival, improved cleaning and sanitizing procedures and a more spaced out layout in the restaurant are some of the main measures implemented to protect guests.

Restaurant services with healthy menus can also be enjoyed in-room. Snacks and fresh drinks are available in the guest room fridge free of charge. An outdoor fitness area has also been added to provide flexibility for guests to work out.

• Local experience

Partnering with the best culinary experts and craftsmen, Dusit brings local culinary and souvenirs straight to the guests within the comfort of Dusit properties.

• Contactless Technology

Mobile payment options, digital menus in restaurants, and other low-contact services provide the extra convenience. Meeting and conference equipment can also be tailored to suit guests’ needs. To complete the experience, all Dusit properties provide high-speed internet available in all areas.

• Dusit Care Kit

Guests can safely explore tourist destinations outside the hotel with the free Dusit Care Kit available in the rooms. Each package includes hand sanitizers, face masks, and anti-bacterial wet wipes.

So, are you ready to confirm that booking? Have you decided where to spend your next staycation? Let’s travel with confidence with Wego to hotels that have implemented strict safety and health protocols. To book the aforementioned hotels, please peruse through www.wego.com/hotels or Wego mobile app!