American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)
AHLA launched Safe Stay, a commitment to thorough enhanced cleaning measures and safety guidelines.
Employees follow CDC guidelines and procedures for washing hands and using hand sanitizer. AHLA hotels are careful to ensure their soap products are available in restroom sinks, employee washing stations, and other areas for hand washing. In addition to soap, AHLA hotels also have hand sanitizer dispensers that include no less than 60% alcohol content. Employees are instructed to clean their hands or change gloves between cleaning guest rooms. At a minimum, hand sanitizer is available in lobby reception areas and employee entrances. In addition, AHLA hotels may also have hand sanitizer available in any other reception areas, entire hotel lobby areas, restaurant entrances, meeting spaces, elevator landings, pools, exercise areas, and other public spaces on the property.
In addition to adequate hand sanitizer and soap, AHLA hotels are placing health and hygiene reminders throughout high-traffic areas on the property indicating the proper way to wear, handle, and dispose face coverings. The signs will also be posted in the employee break room and cafeteria to remind employees of proper hygiene. In addition, employees will receive COVID-19 safety and facility sanitation protocols training recommendations from the CDC.
AHLA employees who show COVID-19 symptoms are instructed to immediately contact a manager. At a minimum, hotels are CDC guidelines for employers and businesses, including instructing employees to self-isolate for the required amount of time, as defined by the CDC, from the onset of symptoms and be symptom-free for at least three days without medication. In addition, confirmed cases of COVID-19 should be immediately reported to local health authorities.
AHLA hotels are enforcing thorough cleaning protocols throughout their properties. High-traffic surfaces touched by many people are cleaned and disinfected at least daily. Cleaning and disinfecting protocols will require that particular attention is paid to high-touch, hard non- porous items including television remote controls, toilet seats and handles, door and furniture handles, water faucet handles, nightstands, telephones, in-room control panels, light switches, temperature control panels, alarm clocks, luggage racks and flooring. Additionally, housekeeping staff must wait at least 15 minutes before entering a guest’s room for cleaning to allow for adequate time for the air exchange following the guest’s departure. Linens, towels and laundry should be washed in accordance with CDC guidelines. Where possible, launder items using the warmest permissible water setting for the items and dry items completely.
AHLA is also following CDC guidelines in the event of a presumptive case of COVID-19 and the affected guestroom will be removed from service and quarantined for a minimum of 24 hours.
Food and beverage services at AHLA hotels are also minimizing in-person contact with guests. Traditional room-service is replaced with a no-contact delivery method and traditional buffet services are limited, but when offered, served by an attendant wearing cloth face coverings.
Physical distancing, disinfecting and management protocols and processes for pool and beach areas should be conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines on aquatic venues, including public pools, hot tubs and water playgrounds.
Safe Stay Advisory Council Is Comprised of Industry Leaders Representing All Segments of the Hotel Industry.
The following are a part of the Advisory Council:
- Accor
- AAHOA
- Aimbridge Hospitality
- Best Western Hotels & Resorts Choice Hotels International Davidson Hotels & Resorts
- G6 Hospitality LLC
- Hersha Hospitality Trust
- Hilton
- Host Hotels
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
- Loews Hotels & Co.
- Marriott International
- My Place Hotels
- Noble Investment Group Omni Hotels & Resorts Pebblebrook Hotel Trust Radisson Hotel Group
- Red Lion Hotels Corporation Red Roof
- Remington Hotels
- Vision Hospitality Group Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Safe Stay is endorsed by:
- Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)
- Association of Lodging Professionals
- Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI)
- Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)
- Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI)
- Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG) Hotel Association of Canada (HAC)
- Latino Hotel Association (LHA)
- National Association of Black Hotel Owner,
- Operators & Developers (NABHOOD) US Travel Association
Partner State & Local Associations:
- Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association Alaska Hotel & Lodging Association
- Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association Arkansas Hospitality Association
- California Association of Boutique & Breakfast Inns California Hotel & Lodging Association
- Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association Connecticut Lodging Association
- Delaware Hotel & Lodging Association Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association Hospitality Maine
- Hospitality Minnesota
- Hotel Association of Los Angeles
- Hotel Association of Washington, D.C. Idaho Lodging & Restaurant Association Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
- Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association Iowa Lodging Association
- Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association Kentucky Travel Industry Association Louisiana Hotel & Lodging Association Long Beach Hospitality Alliance
- Maryland Hotel Lodging Association Massachusetts Lodging Association Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association
- Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association Montana Lodging & Hospitality Association Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association
- New Jersey Campground Owners and
- Outdoor Lodging Association
- New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association New Mexico Hospitality Association
- New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association
- Oklahoma Hotel & Lodging Association
- Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association Rhode Island Hospitality Association
- South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association South Dakota Hotel and Lodging Association Springfield (MO) Hotel Lodging Association
- St. Louis Area Hotel Association
- Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association
- Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
- Utah Tourism Industry Association
- Vermont Chamber of Commerce
- Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association
- Washington Hospitality Association
- West Virginia Hospitality & Travel Association
- Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association
- Wyoming Restaurant and Lodging Association
Hilton Cleanstay
In addition to helping AHLA develop their safety strategies, Hilton also developed their own global program for their new standard of hotel cleanliness and disinfection called Hilton CleanStay with Lysol Protection to ensure a safer stay for guests from check-in to check-out.
The Hilton CleanStay made its global roll-out at the beginning of June. They’ve upped many of their cleaning protocols. At check-in, each room has a Hilton CleanStay Room Seal to indicate that guest rooms have not been accessed since they were cleaned. Housekeeping has increased focus on disinfecting the top 10 high touch areas in guest rooms like light switches and doors. In addition, housekeeping has increased cleaning and disinfection frequency throughout public areas in the hotels like the lobby, elevators, fitness centers, restaurants, bars, and more. There are also guest-accessible disinfecting wipes at entrances and high-traffic areas and the hotels have reduced the amount of paper amenities like note pads in guest rooms.
Hilton has also developed new technology to combat coronavirus concerns. They launched an industry-leading contactless check-in and check-out with Digital Key at more than 4,700 locations around the world. They’ve also started using new technologies like electrostatic sprayers with disinfecting mist and ultraviolet light to sanitize surfaces and objects.
Hyatt
In May 2020, Hyatt introduced a GBAC STAR accreditation through a performance-based cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program that will focus on establishing hotel environments that are safe, sanitary, and healthy. This includes detailed training at more than 900 Hyatt Hotels around the world and Hyatt intends to continue regular internal and third-party auditing. By September 2020, every Hyatt hotel will have at least one trained Hygiene Manager on the property who will be responsible for the hotel’s adherence to new operational guidance and protocols.
Some of Hyatt’s new protocols include colleague certification, trainings, and recertification process for hygiene and cleanliness, increased frequency of cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants, implementation of enhanced food safety and hygiene protocols in restaurants, room service, and group meetings and events, and prominent placement of hand sanitizer in public areas and entrances. Additionally, Hyatt is exploring purification and sanitization device installation in effort to ensure air quality. The Hygiene Manager will also promote social distancing in public areas across hotel properties.
Hyatt will continue to evolve their policies in consideration of guidance and information shared by various health organizations like World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local authorities, and other experts.
IHG Hotels & Resorts
Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, IHG Hotels & Resorts have been communicating regularly with their hotels to provide the necessary support needed to implement additional health and safety measures.
IHG’s goal is to provide hotels with high-impact cleanliness solutions that keep guests and hotel employees safe. Some of these solutions include individual guest amenity cleaning kits and personal-use sanitizer for guests, personal protective equipment guidance for staff, visible sanitizer stations in public spaces and employee areas, and new operating procedures to promote social distancing.
IHG has also implemented enhanced cleaning and operational procedures including touchless transactions at arrival, frequent deep cleanings of high-touch surfaces, new food & beverage standards, and advanced technology.
IHG Hotels & Resorts:
- Kimptom Hotels & Resorts
- InterContinental
- Regent
- Voco
- Hotel Idigo
- Staybridge Suites
- Crowne Plaza
- Candlewood Suites
- Hualuxe
- Avid
- Holiday Inn
- Even Hotels
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations
Marriott International:
Marriott International has also implemented special COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety of guests and staff.
Marriott hotels have hand sanitizer at the hotel entrance, and they are disinfecting guest luggage upon arrival and departure. Additionally, they are monitoring guest temperature upon arrival and minimized contact with the front desk with a digital check-in process and one-time use pens. Furthermore, they are regularly disinfecting public areas and communicating with the health authorities on guests over 65 years with chronic diseases.
