The American Hotel & Lodging Association on Monday released new industrywide health and safety protocols in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The standards set a minimum guideline for hotels to follow and were developed under the guidance of an industry advisory council in conjunction with public health experts and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The guidelines, dubbed Safe Stay, were "developed specifically to ensure enhanced safety for hotel guests and employees," said AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers. "While hotels have always employed demanding cleaning standards, this new initiative will ensure greater transparency and confidence throughout the entire hotel experience."
AHLA will revise these standards as needed based on the recommendations of public health authorities, in compliance with any federal, state and local laws. Highlights of the new guidelines include:
- hand sanitizer dispensers placed in key guest and employee entrances, with not less than 60 percent alcohol content
- front- and back-of-the-house signage highlighting CDC recommendations, such as how to wear, handle and dispose of masks
- reporting of confirmed Covid-19 cases
- employee hand-cleaning protocols, Covid-19 safety training and personal protective equipment use and disposal
- use of disinfectants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that meet CDC requirements for effective use against viruses, bacteria and other airborne and bloodborne pathogens
- frequent cleaning of public and communal spaces, including elevator panels
- enhanced guest room cleaning; with stipulations that housekeeping shall not enter a guest room during a stay unless requested or approved by the guest and that rooms will be thoroughly cleaned after check-out
- linens, towels and laundry shall be washed in accordance with CDC guidelines
- room service shall be replaced with a no-contact delivery method; traditional buffet service shall be limited, but when offered, it should be served by an attendant wearing PPE; sneeze and cough screens shall be present at all food displays; for certain segments, use of prepackaged food and "grab and go" items will be the preferred method of food delivery
- marking public areas for appropriate social distancing and, where applicable, lobby furniture and public seating areas will be reconfigured to promote social distancing
- meeting and convention spaces will follow CDC recommendations for physical distancing
- encouraging the use of technology to reduce direct contact with guests, the lobby population and the front-desk queue
- encouraging contactless payments
- van and shuttle service shall be limited and disinfecting of contact points required
The AHLA advisory council for Safe Stay includes representatives from 25 hospitality companies, many of which have released enhanced cleanliness and safety guidelines in recent weeks that build off the Safe Stay program, including Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels Corp., Best Western Hotels & Resorts, Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.