The hospitality industry has always had a unique concern with problem-solving, management teams continually look for ways to meet the needs of guests while anticipating what they'll want next from future visits.
In a post-coronavirus world, that means thinking more about health and safety concerns than hotel design.
Until treatments and vaccines become widely available, everyone must adjust to a new way of life. People who travel for vacations or book rooms for business trips need to know they'll be safe while away from home.
Read on to learn about reshaping the guest experience for a post-coronavirus world. These considerations will demonstrate how management and hotel staff can ensure a safe, comfortable and convenient environment.
1. Explain Cleaning Standards Upfront
Increased cleaning is a necessity during a pandemic. Properties will have to invest in more sanitation supplies like wipes and sprays. Public spaces and suites must receive cleaning multiple times every day, but what's even more important is advertising this practice to guests.
Whether people book a room over the phone or the hotel's website, walk them through the new sanitation routine. Even something as simple as allowing 48 hours between guests in each suite will show a dedication to maintaining everyone's safety.
2. Supply Extra Hand Sanitizer
It isn't easy to find a constant supply of hand sanitizer at grocery and convenience stores, so guests who drive or fly into town may not be able to buy any once they arrive. Supply extra bottles in each room instead of leaving chocolate on pillows or towel sculptures on beds. Guests will appreciate booking with a property that makes this extra safety effort compared to those that leave guests to their own devices.
3. Create Room Service Options
A recent Japanese experiment demonstrated how COVID-19 spreads quickly at buffets, so removing breakfast or lunch buffets from the hotel property is a wise choice. Many guests look forward to the included breakfast with their stay, so create room service options instead.
Some properties might even expand the dinner or dessert room-service menus for added guest luxury and ease. When clients can order from their rooms, there will be less congregating in the lounge and dining areas.
4. Provide Outdoor Dining
Hotel management can also adjust their on-site dining by providing outdoor seating. This set-up allows guests to enjoy their meals in well-ventilated spaces at least six feet apart. High-quality furniture also adds value to hotel properties, which can translate to a boost in revenue through slightly increased room prices or property fees.
5. Start Online Check-In
COVID-19 is an airborne virus, so it's dangerous for guests to gather in lobby areas when they check-in on arrival. Although they can wear face masks to reduce the transmission of droplets, not everyone will bring a mask or want to wear one.
Hoteliers can go one step further and start online check-in through their app or website. Guests can walk up to the front desk when they arrive, get their room keys and head to their suite. It protects both guests and hotel staff members from contracting the virus by spending extended periods close together in the lobby.
6. Upgrade Your Tech
Hotel management may also choose to upgrade the property's tech. Update the hotel app to act as the key for suites and a resource for controlling the thermostat. With these options, guests have less physical contact with hotel surfaces.
Upgrading the hotel Wi-Fi may also prove beneficial. More business meetings have become virtual, even when people travel in from out of town. Increasing the speed and bandwidth of the property's internet ensures that all guests have the same high-quality online experience, no matter how many people use video chat platforms at the same time.
Review Guest Feedback
These steps are simple ways to reshape the guest experience in a post-coronavirus world, but reviewing guest feedback is still important. Adjust property services as needed to meet guests' needs and provide a safe place to stay as everyone learns to live in a new normal.
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Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Ruffled, and more!
www.driftercollective.com
