How are hotels and spaces prepared for reopening?
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The reopening protocol of the hotel sector that is being prepared by the Institute for Spanish Tourist Quality (ICTE), the Hotel Technology Institute (ITH) and the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations (CEHAT), will be available on May 8. A document that includes the hygiene-sanitary regulations that hotels must take into account to be able to reopen in phase 1 of de-escalation, which begins on May 11. The objective is to have a single guide that encompasses all the protocols that certify the minimization of hygienic and sanitary risks compared to the Covid-19, and that is suitable for any type of hotel or establishment, large or small, chain or independent, for provide security, trust and guarantees in the reopening. Also the Hotel Business Association of Madrid, promoter of the “COVID free” seal (an initiative that the Institute of Tourist Quality of Spain has joined) are working against the clock to arrive at that date with the duties done.
One of the conclusions of the virtual meeting of the Spanish Association of Business Travel Managers (AEGVE) with representatives representing hotel chains was that hotels will prioritize safety in business trips and events. SERCOTEL Hotel Group, is working on creating new quality standards and guarantees in terms of security, customer communication and internal training for employees. “Without forgetting the cost control so that it does not affect the rate and the customer”, Beatriz Torrentó, Head of Sales and Business Travel. At ILUNION HOTELS, they will wait to have all the guarantees and in the meantime they will not open the establishments. They are still open for hospitals and health personnel. They will manage the services that are being authorized in accordance with the legal guidelines established by the official organisms. “We are open to receive information on the demands of client companies and adapt to the needs”, Oliver Benalal, Director of Sales and Distribution.
B&B Hotels
The hotel group is implementing security protocols in its 36 hotels with certified disinfection, cleaning and technological measures for employees, clients and collaborators for the reopening in Spain and Portugal. These measures consist of limited capacity in common areas, disinfectant gel in these areas, methacrylate partition walls at receptions, daily temperature control, installation at hotel entrances and door mats with disinfectant solution to clean the soles of shoes and suitcase wheels, as well as the use of masks and gloves. The buffet will be removed and breakfast will be served individually in the rooms in take-away. In addition, they will use materials that minimize the survival of viruses for furniture, and comprehensive and frequent disinfection and cleaning protocols will be implemented. They are also piloting a continuous disinfection method through bipolar ionization at one of their hotels thanks to the support of several companies. All this work will make it possible to guarantee and certify by an external company that the clients are in a hotel where a safe stay can be guaranteed.
For its part, the technological measures consist of a new complete self-check-in process that the client can carry out from their smartphone to their room, including reading their document, paying and facial recognition without interacting with anyone and from their own mobile device.
Vincci Hotels
The hotel chain has created VINCCI CARE, a quality seal dedicated to the well-being of its guests and employees, under a single message: “Vincci Hotels takes care of you”. Vincci Hotels is working on an internal action plan for the entire chain, which reinforces the high standards of hygiene and quality that it already had, promoting and increasing protocols in the face of new challenges that have arisen to offer a safe stay. Some of the measures that will be applied are:
- Security and control: selection of certified suppliers, body temperature control for guests and employees, specialized hygiene and cleaning audits, new protocols for suppliers when receiving goods.
- Work organization: modification of hygiene and safety procedures, creation of specific protocols, redesign of operations for safety.
- Protection systems: protection measures (PPE) for clients and employees, hygiene measures in common areas.
- Training and continuous information on Civid-19 and security recommendations.
- Cleaning and hygiene: daily disinfection of textiles and facilities, adaptation of the amenities service, use of new, safer and more hygienic materials.
- Technology: new utilities in the app to improve the experience and reduce contacts, administrative improvement to reduce waiting time.
- F&B service adaptation: operational reorganization at the points of sale, distribution and adaptation of spaces, time adjustment, “contact 0” service at the customer’s choice; process automation, design of new presentation formats, exhaustive disinfection of kitchenware, material and tablecloths, rethinking of the gastronomic concept, new product formats.
NH Hotel Group
The company will collaborate with SGS (leader in inspection, verification, analysis and certification) in the development of a protocol for measurements and diagnostics that allows reactivation with the maximum health and safety guarantees and build trust. The new processes will include the review and adaptation of all the hygiene and disinfection protocols of the facilities, specific training for employees and control and monitoring of the measures. The NH Collection Barbizon Palace in Amsterdam and the NH Nacional in Madrid will be the first where these sanitary standards will be applied for monitoring. In addition to maximizing sanitation and disinfection, NH Hotel Group works on redesigning its customer experience to ensure that the requirements for safety and social distancing in its facilities are met. A project in which the management of check-in, customer service or the buffet concept are being reviewed, in addition they will implement preventive medical evaluation controls for employees and collaborators, which will be carried out daily upon arrival at the hotel.
Room Mate
The hotel group of Kike Sarasola has launched its Covid-Free protocol that will be applied in its 28 hotels, and which are already operating in 13 active hotels to host health workers and the elderly. These measures will apply specific protocols certified by the health authorities and there will be additional cleaning and sterilization protocols, such as doormats with water and bleach solution at the entrances and elevators to ensure disinfection of shoes and suitcase wheels; temperature controls at the entrances; receptions with methacrylate partitions and safety distance marks on the floor; Masks and gloves of compulsory use for employees and guests will be delivered; reinforcement of cleaning and ventilation shifts in common areas, disinfectant gels, wipes and posters to remember the measures of social distancing. All employees will receive training to ensure safety and hygiene measures and protect the health of customers.
Marriot International
In this company, it has created a program for its 7,300 hotels called the “global cleaning council” aimed at applying a new system of criteria adapted to guarantee the health safety of guests and minimize the risk of Covid-19 infection. This global cleaning tip has a holistic approach involving enhanced hospital-grade disinfectant electrostatic spray technologies that allow constant disinfection and aerosols to quickly clean and disinfect different areas of the facility. The chain’s hotels will also have air purification systems and are testing ultraviolet light technologies to disinfect keys and shared devices. Guests will have sanitary kits and disinfecting wipes in each room, they will be reminded of social distancing protocols and the furniture will be removed or rearranged to have more space and facilitate this distancing.
Eurostars Hotel Company
The Hotusa group hotel area has sent a message of tranquility to its customers, announcing that, in a very short time, they will send them safety and hygiene protocols so that when travel is reactivated, they can return to their accommodation with all the guarantees of safety. To do this they are working to raise cleaning and hygiene standards to the maximum, minimize risks and improve the safety of guests and employees. The company is putting all its means and resources, following the recommendations of the WHO and the Ministry of Health. In addition, they have the accompaniment of technical advisers and partner companies that assist them in the different processes, from disinfection, food safety, occupational health and guest well-being.
Wizink Center
The Madrid venue wants to resume its activity from September and works on innovative short-term formulas: disinfectant nebulizers at the entrances, playpens on the dance floor and closed-door and streaming concerts to save the present and adapt to the future. “We are drafting an entry and exit protocol to avoid crowding into the lobbies, which will not be very complex considering that it takes 30 seconds at most from the access doors to any locality. We have also designed a total disinfection plan for the premises, before, during and after events. We will install some accesses in which disinfectant will be sprayed, in addition to the hydroalcoholic gel dispensers. In any case, it will be necessary to standardize criteria in all venues with large capacity, “Manuel Saucedo, CEO of Impulsa Eventos e Instalaciones, managing company of the WiZink Center. The space rules out interspersing occupied and unoccupied seats, but they are thinking of sectorizing the track, making a kind of playpens with partitions to prevent people from accumulating. The WiZink would be opened in an online version, with streaming programming until the doors are opened to the public. Nothing will be comparable to the magic of a live event, but the sector has to be revived, and technology is the alternative now.
