The COVID-19 situation has caused many hotel operators to redefine the meaning of cleanliness. Following Marriott International’s unveiling of their Global Cleanliness Council, various other brands have found ways to upgrade their standard of hotel cleanliness, including Hilton Hotels, Accor and Kempinski Hotels.
Hilton CleanStay
In collaboration with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, and Mayo Clinic, the hotel conglomerate is slated to launch “Hilton CleanStay with Lysol Protection” in June 2020. Experts from Mayo Clinic’s Infection Prevention and Control Team will assist Hilton in updated Hilton’s cleaning and disinfection methods, as well as team training development and the creation of a quality assurance program.
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“Our first priority has always been the safety of our guests and team members,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, Hilton president and CEO. “Hilton CleanStay builds on the best practices and protocols we’ve developed over the last several months, allowing our guests to rest easy with us and focus on enjoying the unforgettable experiences we have to offer—while protecting our team members who are on the front lines of hospitality.”
Details of cleaning protocols are still under review and are expected to be announced soon. There are numerous newly developed standards under consideration, including:
- Hilton CleanStay Room Seal
Room seals will be placed on doors to ensure guests that their room has not been used since being thoroughly cleaned.
- Extra cleaning of 10 High-touch Areas
Increased disinfection of most frequently touched room areas—such as light switches, door handles, remotes, thermostats and more.
- Remove paper amenities
Remove paper, pen and guest directory; replace with digital supplement or make available upon request
- Focus on fitness centers
Improved guidelines for disinfecting fitness centers, potentially closing to clean multiple times a day and limiting number of guests allowed at one time
- Disinfecting wipes
Provide sanitary wipe stations at primary entrances and high traffic areas
- Contactless Check-in
Enhanced digital key technology for guests who want a contactless experience. Guests will be able to check in, choose their room, access their room and check out with their digital room key using their mobile device through the Hilton Honors mobile app.
- New disinfection tech
Addition of new technologies, such as electrostatic sprayers—which uses an electrostatically charged disinfecting mist—and ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces and objects.
Accor and Bureau Veritas Team Up
Accor recently collaborated with Bureau Veritas, a France-based provider in testing, inspection and certification of hygiene and cleanliness, to ensure that safety standards and cleansing protocols are being met to allow businesses to reopen. This was also developed with the help of various trade associations, including UMIH, GNC and GNI.
In this joint venture, Accor will provide a label—which will show as a Bureau Veritas certification—that sets the sanitary standards to Accor’s hotels, as well as other chains and independent hotels. Proposals have not been approved yet, but after sharing the project with Alliance France Tourisme, Accor and Bureau Veritas hopes to extend it to the rest Europe.
After the sanitary measure pass, guests will be able to check if a hotel has been certified by Bureau Veritas before booking their stay.
“With this label, today we have the ability to meet the new expectations of our society in terms of health and safety. This label will contribute to the hospitality and restaurant industry reopening with confidence. We are proud to work with Accor, at first in France and subsequently in all European countries. This approach will benefit the entire industry as every company could request to be certified by Bureau Veritas,” Jacques Pommeraud, CEO of Bureau Veritas Africa and France, said.
Accor North and Central America launched ‘ALL Stay Well,’ which will focus on new health and safety standards. The program will focus on 20 key points, such as public restrooms, housekeeping, in-room dining, concierge, spa rooms and event spaces.
Another partnership, with insurance provider AXA, which will offer medical support for guests across 5,000 Accor properties globally.
Kempinski Launches “White Glove Service” and Opens in China
Some of Kempinski Hotels properties have reopened their doors, and to ensure guests that their hotels are making safety and cleanliness a top priority, they have launched the “Kempinski White Glove Service.”
Kempinski employees will now be required to don gloves and masks during all guest interactions, in compliance with new government regulations. All furniture in communal areas have been rearranged to abide by the social distancing rule of keeping maintaining a distance of 6 feet.
Various measures will be taken to ensure high-touch areas remain clean, such as sanitizing stations will be placed throughout each hotels, key cards will be disinfected before and after each use and replacing cloth towels in public toilets with one time use, disposable ones.
Following eased lockdowns in China, Kempinski reopened all its hotels in the country. New hygiene and cleaning measures include temporary temperature checks for everyone entering the hotel, daily air purification in dining areas, frequent disinfection of all equipment, complimentary hand sanitizer and masks for guests and employees, and enforcement of social distancing laws in all public areas.
HEI Hotels Extends Safety Protocols
HEI Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a combination of new procedures, changes to hotel spaces and disinfecting technology and PPE equipment for their 80 hotels.
Cleaning protocols have been enhanced. Electrostatic sprayers, which will spray a hospital-level disinfectant, will be used in all spaces. Rooms that have been sanitized will have a seal placed on the door to ensure guests of its cleanliness.
In high-touch locations, such as the front desk and bars, partitions have been placed to separate guests from staff.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Four Seasons has collaborated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International to create Lead With Care, which includes real-time guidance from the medical experts.
A hygiene officer will be appointed at each property; public areas will be cleaned hourly and guest rooms disinfected daily with EPA-approved products; Lead With Care kits, consisting of masks, hand sanitizer and wipes will be issued to employees, who will also be given education focused on health and safety.
First Hospitality
First Hospitality, which manages various Hilton and Marriott properties across the globe, has collaborated with Ecolab, a water, hygiene and energy technology solutions company, to bring about the Cleanliness First Plan. The first step of this plan is to place a hygiene specialist at every First Hospitality hotel.
The brand will maintain social distancing rules in public spaces, such as food service areas, restaurants and bars, by arranging furniture to allow for a six-foot radius between guests.
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando
Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) has committed itself to becoming the world’s largest Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR-accredited facility. In collaboration with International Association of Venue Managers, being accredited with GBAC STAR will mean OCCC has implemented rigorous protocols to eliminate or mitigate biorisk situations.
This commitment coincides with OCCC’s new recovery and resiliency guidelines, which outline the facility’s five-step plan to keep guests and employees safe and healthy. OCCC’s plan includes:
- 13 ozonated water-cleaning systems
- Ultraviolet germicidal radiation to kill bacteria and viruses
- Industrial-grade scrubbing machines to clean exhibit hall floors
- 128 hand-sanitizing stations throughout facility
Omni Hotels & Resorts
Omni Hotels unveiled their Omni Safe & Clean program, which features new cleaning guidelines and procedures to keep guests and employees sickness. These guidelines follow what has been set by the CDC and the “Stay Safe” initiative set by the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock’s “Safe + Sound” program adheres to WHO and CDC’s reopening protocols, as well as Atlantic City Casino Industry’s reopening plan. In addition to required masks temperature checks for guests and team members, Hard Rock will also partner with AtlantiCare to focus on contact tracing, proper training and telehealth.
A designated Safe + Sound clean team will focus on the cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces throughout the property, although there will be a deeper focus on gaming areas, hotel rooms, restaurants, pools and public areas. Air filters will be placed around the building to increase the flow of fresh air.
