The world is finally getting out of this hard pandemic period. Public spaces and people’s homes are reopening their doors, and hotels are reopening their doors to guests.

What’s important is doing it in complete safety implementing the correct measures to ensure the health and safety of guests and employees. Yes, you got it, the keyword is SAFE.

Campaigns by the name “Book with confidence” or “We take care of you” arose throughout the world, new partnerships with specialized companies have started and slogans promoting hygiene and safety are on every website. The most important thing is that guests want to feel reassured right now and all you need to do is to keep this promise you make to gain back the trust some of them have lost due to the pandemic. Guests travelling now want to take a break from this difficult period, they don’t need to stress wondering about the cleanliness of their rooms or about whether or not touching that coffee cup is a good idea.

Let’s have a look at some of the COVID-19 safety measures you as a hotelier should take in your property, besides the ones you should have already taken, and make sure you clearly communicate it on your website, through social media or emails directed at your guests.

This is your basic checklist to start:

• Wear mask and gloves in your property, alongside with your whole staff. Keep some spare ones for guests.
• Keep hand sanitizers available in the common areas and the rooms, and encourage guests to use them.
• Place stickers on the floor to secure social distancing between guests in line at check-in or areas that could become crowded.
• Place perspex screens at reception desks to avoid contact.
• Implement extra cleaning routines and contract specialised companies to help you with it.
• Avoid buffet breakfast and provide room service with no extra cost.
• Inform people about safety measures you have in place by using signage around the property.
• Check your entire staff’s temperature as a first thing when they start their shift.
• If your property offers a pool or SPA area, set a maximum number of people who can enter at the same time.

If you’re looking for some more inspiration, here’s some best practices from a few of eDreams ODIGEO Connect’s direct partners:

Generator, among a series of rules put in place, is also enhancing their staff training about essential hygiene rules.

H10 has put together a clear presentation about their Safety Program to list all the measures they’ve implemented in each of the property’s environments. Among others, they check their staff’s temperature every day and have made sure they have a correctly functioning contactless payment system to minimize contacts. Also, their rooms are free for 24 hours in between guests.

Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts have committed to their guests through 4 pillars they use to make sure the environment they offer is safe. On the same page, Vincci Hoteles developed Vincci Care under the slogan “Vincci Hoteles takes care of you”, while NH commits to 10 pillars, among which they mention a new way to communicate between guests and hotel staff through a mobile app as well as enhanced support to medical facilities or pharmacies.

A smart thing to do, is to add an FAQ section on your website, as guests will want to know how you are cleaning their rooms and ensuring their health is your priority. Here’s an example by Premier Inn, explaining their CleanProtect protocol. They’ve also created a video, surely faster to assimilate for guests.

Related to restaurants facilities instead, Palladium is encouraging guests to reserve in advance to avoid overcrowding.

Accor has created a badge by the name ALLSAFE, which represents the effort taken by the hotel group to meet the extra hygiene and safety standards required in this period. They have also opened a dedicated hotline to answer guests’ questions before their stay.

Let’s close the COVID-19 safety measures’ best practices with Meliá telling us how they plan on welcoming guests with an inspiring video that makes us all want to take vacations right now.