The last time we were in Flagstaff we stayed in a cute, recently-renovated motel called Hotel Elev8. It was pet friendly, had free wifi and little local gifts for sale in the lobby.
Gift shop goodies!
There’s also an outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, and a sauna – in case you need to warm up or cool off.
When I say the place was recently renovated, I mean some of the construction was still in progress when we were there, but it was already a nice place to stay.
Landscape photography and a “renovations in progress” sign at Hotel Elev8.
This summer travel season promises to be a bit wild, as restrictions are lifted and people rush to the places they’ve been longing to go. Although the availability of vaccines has made us collectively safer, the pandemic isn’t over.
With hotels preparing to meet this pent-up demand, what COVID precautions are they continuing to take? Which 2020 policies will become permanent? And what changes should you expect when you return to travel?
Hotel responses to the onset of the pandemic were all over the place. However, as I researched these properties’ current policies, they actually had a lot in common.
Of course, specifics can vary from brand to brand or location to location, but this is an overview of what I’m seeing within the North American hospitality industry now.
The lenient booking policies of last year are as passé as hoarding toilet paper. Before reserving a room, check the fine print for fees and cancellation deadlines.
Hotel brands with loyalty points programs are allowing members to stay at their pre-pandemic membership level / status longer and have extended expiration dates for previously-earned points. If you’re still not going to be able to use your points, consider donating them to a charity – perhaps one that helps those affected by COVID-19.
Depending on the individual location, food service (including restaurants, room service, catered meetings, and free breakfast) may be modified or off the table altogether.
Some hotels have canned their breakfast buffets, opting to instead offer pre-plated or pre-packaged breakfast items.
A surprising number of unrelated brands call their pre-packaged breakfast offering “Grab & Go.” I don’t know why there doesn’t seem to be another name for it. I’m thinking Continental Carry Out. Or Buffet Take Away. Eat on Your Feet. Dish & Dash. Serve & Scram. Or just a straightforward Get It & Get Outta Here.
7. The housekeeping team is doing more – but you may see them less.
Training on new protocols.
More thorough room cleaning in between guests.
Little to no room cleaning during your stay. Housekeeping services may be by-request only. They may leave replacement linens and amenities outside your door.
The most frequented areas of the hotel are basically bathed in virus-killing chemicals. In some cases, this means hospital-grade disinfectant or technologies like overnight electrostatic fogging.
So, even if they’re not coming to make your bed every day, they’re working harder than ever. Tip generously!
8. Hotels are down with PPE.
Employees are provided – and required to wear – gloves, masks, and other personal protective equipment.
Face covering policies for guests defer to the “guidance of local authorities.” Since the CDC updated their mask recommendations, some U.S. properties have eased up on requirements for fully vaccinated guests.
Only two of them responded – neither of which provided details. Perhaps, it all still feels too uncertain and nebulous to say “THIS is what we’re doing.” Or maybe they’re just swamped since things are reopening.
Regardless, I did my own research. Below are any noteworthy updates or ways these brands differ from the pack’s policies.
Some of their brands: BW Premier Collection, Glō, Vīb.
A very nice Best Western PR person responded right away to my inquiry about the company’s COVID policies in 2021, saying she’d try to find answers for me. And then I never heard from her again.
Is it because it of the article where I questioned their policy of not entering guest rooms for 24 to 72 hours after check-out? And referred to the “potential guest grossness”* left for days before being cleaned? I was really just looking for a clarification.
[*By “guest grossness,” I’m thinking of messes people make that do not age well. What if someone leaves behind half-eaten takeout? Or dirty diapers? Or clogs the toilet? Or spills red wine? Or vomits on something? What if someone dies in their room? Does no one know until 1-3 days after the deceased was supposed to have left? I mean, in a way, they did depart. Would that be the ultimate late checkout?]
Vintage sign at Casa de Coronado, Yuma, AZ
Checking In: Accessing the Mobile Concierge platform via Best Western’s site allows you to communicate with the hotel before you arrive, at check-in, and during your stay. There’s no app download required.
COVID-19 Outreach: You can donate points to Project C.U.R.E., which supports frontline workers fighting COVID-19.
Some of their brands: Ascend, Comfort, EconoLodge, Quality Inn, Rodeway Inn, Sleep Inn.
Guest Rooms: If you’re staying awhile, you can expect housekeeping after every third night. Otherwise, you’ll need to specifically request it.
COVID-19 Outreach: Choice Hotels is currently matching rewards points donations to “Stay Home, Send Beds,” a program that provides beds to hospitals facing shortages.
Reservations + Cancellations: Although cancellation penalties are no longer waived, they do recommend you call Guest Reservations (800-899-9841) if you need to make a change in your reservation.
COVID-19 Outreach: They participated in the American Hospitality and Lodging Association’s (AHLA) Hospitality for Hope program. This helps the hotel industry connect with health workers struggling to find housing during COVID-19.
Some of their brands: DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Homewood Suites, Waldorf Astoria.
Checking In/Out: Loyalty program members can use the Hilton Honors app for contactless check-in and -out with Digital Key at an increasing number of properties.
Guest Rooms:
After a room is thoroughly cleaned, the housekeeping inspector verifies the room meets the standards of Hilton’s new CleanStay program.
A CleanStay Room Seal is then stuck from the front of the door to the door jamb to show that a room has not been accessed since it was cleaned.
Some of their brands: Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental, Kimpton, Staybridge Suites.
IHG was the only other brand to reply to my inquiry.
Their statement: “We continue to evaluate updated guidance from health authorities and governments around the world and adjust our policies as appropriate and necessary.”
So. No new information there. But at least they wrote back.
Checking In/Out: Reduced contact via their app.
COVID-19 Outreach:
Partner to #FirstRespondersFirst, providing free accommodation across the U.S. for frontline COVID-19 workers and access to a dedicated VIP reservation service to match local needs with nearby hotels.
Supporting food banks through funding, donating excess food, and assisting with deliveries.
Some of their brands: AC Hotels, Aloft Hotels, Courtyard, Fairfield, Four Points, Renaissance Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, Sheraton Hotels and Resort, W Hotels, Westin Hotels.
Checking In:
Web check-in available for less contact. You’ll get a notification when your room is ready but still need to stop by front desk to pick up keys and swipe your credit card.
Marriott Bonvoy members can use the Marriott Mobile App to check in, order room service and other amenities, and chat with associates. In many hotels, members can use the app to access their rooms (instead of a physical key)!
Common Areas: Using air purifying systems that are effective against viruses in the air and on surfaces.
Some of their brands: Days Inn, Howard Johnson’s, La Quinta Inns & Suites, Ramada, Super 8, Travelodge.
Checking In: Mobile check-in/out available at select hotels through the Wyndham Hotels & Resorts app.
Guest Rooms: More thorough cleaning and disinfecting in guest rooms between stays — with a recommended 24–72 hour rest period between guests checking out and new guests checking in.
COVID-19 Outreach:Everyday Heroes Complimentary GOLD membership upgrade for Wyndham Rewards Members who are essential workers has been extended through June 30, 2021. If you’re not a member, you can sign up for free.
Meetings!
Are you ready for summer travel? What are your plans?
I found myself researching hotels recently, even though I don’t currently have plans to travel farther than the grocery store.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise, I’m certainly not advocating that everyone hit the road. But I know you might need a place to stay due to quarantining, an evacuation, family emergency, essential travel, change in living situation, etc.
So what are hotel brands in the U.S. are doing in the wake of the coronavirus?
Photo via Marriott: an employee using an electrostatic sprayer.
So Fresh and So Clean
Major hotel companies have ramped up their cleaning procedures and are doing an interesting dance in order to let the public know about it. It’s like they want to say “our hotels have always been spotless, but now they’re spotless-er!”
And they probably are, in fact, more spotlesser than ever. Things people are most likely to touch, like door handles and elevator buttons, are getting wiped down and disinfected frequently. Unsanitizable stuff is being taken out of rooms. (Where are they putting all those extra throw pillows and notepads? Are they just tossing them? Are they all in storage somewhere? Listed on eBay?)
Many hotels are either using or looking into using electrostatic spraying / fogging, a technique for disinfecting surfaces by spraying them with positively-charged chemicals. (Yeah, I don’t totally understand it, either, but it’s supposed to be very thorough and good for hard-to-reach spaces.)
A lot of amenities are temporarily suspended for safety reasons. Buffets are out. Workout rooms and pools are on thin ice. Daily housekeeping is becoming more of a DIY situation.
This spring, when everything was suddenly being shut down and postponed, most hotels waived cancellation fees. At this point, however, a lot of those more lenient policies are expiring. So don’t forget to read the fine print when you book!
Keep in mind:
Reservation policies I’ve summarized below apply to direct, individual bookings. (All dates are 2020.)
For bookings through a third party (Expedia, Hotels.com, etc.), you’ve got to deal with their rules. And group bookings are a whole different mess altogether.
Most rewards program levels and points expiration dates have been extended.
You can also opt to convert your unused rewards points into a monetary donation to a charity the hotel has partnered with.
As much as hotels may be attempting to follow guidelines from the WHO, CDC, and local authorities, those recommendations can change quickly. Also, the general policy for a hotel chain can still vary from one location to the next. Call ahead if you have questions.
Reservations + Cancellations: They had been waiving all cancellation fees until June 30, and then went quiet on the subject. Double check your booking details.
Checking In: Check-in and check-out streamlined to minimize contact (theoretically) using the Best Western Mobile Concierge platform – which I have not been able to find and have no clue how you access.
Common Areas:
Disinfecting the lobby and touch points throughout the hotel regularly.
Providing hand sanitizer or wipes.
Cleaning fitness centers, swimming pools, meeting rooms, and other public amenities with disinfecting chemicals, as well as electrostatic fogging, ozone generators, or ultraviolet devices, when available.
Guest Rooms:
Enhanced cleaning protocols with chemicals aimed at killing COVID-19.
If possible, guest rooms will not be entered for 24 to 72 hours after check-out. (I just keep thinking about the potential guest grossness that could be left to sit there for three days. Did they consult anyone from housekeeping on this?)
On that note, let’s move on to breakfast options….
Most hotels are currently offering a “Grab & Go” breakfast with pre-packaged food and beverage options, like a whole piece of fruit, bottle of water, granola bar, and a pastry.
Some hotels may serve or pre-plate breakfast in lieu of a buffet. This may include a breakfast sandwich or burrito, hot and cold cereals, yogurt, pastries, and fruit.
Employee Policies:
Must use Personal Protective Equipment and follow frequent, stringent hand-washing protocols.
Workstations cleaned and disinfected after every shift.
If unwell, employees are “empowered to stay home.”
Option to Donate Your Reward Points? Yes, to a variety of charitable organizations via their Rewards Redemption Mall.
Photo via Choice Hotels. WoodSpring Suites, Everett, Washington
For new reservations with arrival dates through September 30, there is no charge for cancellations up to 24 hours in advance. (Does not apply to bookings with a pre-paid rate. Also several other exclusions. Definitely read the fine print when you book.)
Common Areas:
Cleaning high-traffic areas such as the front desk, fitness centers, and pool area with hospital-grade disinfectant.
Furniture arranged to encourage social distancing.
Guest Rooms: Housekeeping “on demand.” You can request delivery of additional toiletries, towels, linens, or coffee without having a housekeeper enter the room.
Dining: Offering pre-packaged breakfast items instead of buffets at many hotels.
Photo via ChoiceHotels. Handmade masks for healthcare heroes!
Employee Policies:
Creating the new position of “Commitment to Clean Captain” (which I can only picture as a comic book character. Like a grime-fighting superhero!)
Every Choice-branded hotel will designate a Commitment to Clean Captain, who will be in charge of implementing new cleaning protocols at the property.
COVID-19 Outreach: Special room rates for front line workers, including nurses, doctors, FEMA employees and American Red Cross volunteers.
Quality Inn in Sylva, NC donated toilet paper and other essentials to senior centers and is currently providing shelter for people experiencing homelessness.
Comfort Suites in Carlisle, PA sponsored a blood drive.
Cambria Hotel in Bloomington, MN helped to send essential supplies to the Minnesota Nurses Association.
WoodSpring Suites in Allentown, PA donated a dozen handmade superhero masks to healthcare workers who were staying at the hotel.
Reservations + Cancellations: Cancellation penalties were waived for reservations through July 6, but no update since then.
Checking In:
Using single-use keycards for the rest of the year.
Plexiglass hygiene guards installed at some front desk terminals.
Night windows have become all-the-time windows. If a hotel has an exterior front desk window, guests should check in there rather than going inside the lobby.
Common Areas:
More frequent cleaning and heavy disinfection of high-touch surfaces.
Adding hand sanitizer stations.
Closing pools.
Limiting the number of people in lobbies and lowering the maximum occupancy for most hotels.
Removing complimentary coffee from lobbies and microwaves from the vending area. (Caffeine addicts take note! Motel 6 also doesn’t include coffee pots in rooms, so plan on getting your fix outside of the property.)
Engaging a third-party supplier to provide deep cleaning and sanitization services, as needed.
Masks required.
Guest Rooms:
Using EPA-approved, antiviral disinfectants to sanitize the most commonly touched areas of guest rooms.
Hotel staff will not enter any occupied room.
Limiting housekeeping to pre-scheduled trash removal, amenity replenishment, and providing fresh towels and sheets outside of each room.
Quijote explores Motel 6.
Employee Policies:
Employees required to wear provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – unless the hotel is unable to get their (ungloved) hands on said PPE. (In which case, I guess everyone is off the hook-?)
Hand sanitizer stations in the team center.
Furloughed Team Members receive a lump sum payment and can remain on the company’s healthcare plan.
Partnering with several companies who have immediate job openings to assist team members in securing interim employment.
COVID-19 Outreach:
20% discount for first responders, medical professionals, and active duty military working on the front lines of the pandemic. (Must book online and provide identification at check-in.)
Partnering with local governments in several communities to provide shelter for first responders, medical professionals, other essential workers, and those who may need to quarantine.
Option to Donate Your Reward Points? Their loyalty program (My6) seems to be discount-based rather than point-based, so I don’t think there’s anything for you to donate!
Dining: Enhancing cleaning and making other changes to buffets, in-room dining, and meeting spaces, in accordance with current food safety recommendations.
Employee Policies: Additional training, protocols, and Personal Protective Equipment.
COVID-19 Outreach:
Donated hotel room nights across the U.S. to frontline medical professionals who needed a place to sleep, recharge or isolate from their families (as part of 1 Million Rooms).
Hilton Effect Foundation has pledged financial assistance to organizations to help those impacted by COVID-19.
Atwell Suites, avid, Candlewood Suites, Crowne Plaza, EVEN, Holiday Inn, Hotel Indigo, InterContinental, Kimpton, Regent, Six Senses, Staybridge Suites, voco
Reservations + Cancellations:
New Book Now, Pay Later rate allows cancellations up to 24 hours before your stay, does not require a deposit, and is at least 5% less than Best Flexible Rate (which typically allows free cancellation until 6pm the day of arrival).
It’s valid for bookings made at least 3 days in advance from March 25 through September 1 with stays ending by December 30.
IHG Rewards Club members save more on Book Now, Pay Later and Best Flexible rates.
Checking In:
Reduced contact at check-in and paperless check-out.
IHG Way of Clean already includes deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants.
Visible verification of sanitized items (e.g. glassware, remote control).
Reducing or changing furnishings.
Implementing new laundry protocols.
Cleaning with electrostatic technology.
Hotel Indigo, Anaheim
Dining:
Updating approach to buffets, banquets, room-service, and catering, based on official guidelines.
Some hotels have temporarily reduced restaurant and bar service.
Contact the individual hotel for specific details on dining options.
COVID-19 Outreach:
Partner to #FirstRespondersFirst, providing free accommodation across the U.S. for frontline COVID-19 workers and access to a dedicated VIP reservation service to match local needs with nearby hotels.
Working with hotels and charity partners to ease pressure on foodbanks through funding, donating excess food, and assisting with deliveries.
Option to Donate Your Reward Points? Yes, to Red Cross / Red Crescent COVID-19 relief fund.
AC Hotels, Aloft Hotels, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Delta Hotels, Edition Hotels, Fairfield, Four Points by Sheraton, Gaylord Hotels, JW Marriott Hotels, Le Méridien, The Luxury Collection, Moxy Hotels, Protea Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Hotels and Resort, SpringHill Suites, W Hotels, Westin Hotels
Reservations + Cancellations:
New reservations for dates between July 6 and September 30 can be canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival date.
Reservation refunds may take up to 90 days from the date of cancellation to be processed.
Checking In:
Adding partitions at check-in.
You can use the mobile app to check in, access your room (instead of a physical key!), and order room service (in over 3,200 hotels).
Common Areas:
Using electrostatic sprayers and other technology to sanitize surfaces throughout the hotel.
Cleaning surfaces more frequently and using hospital-grade disinfectants.
Installing hand sanitizing stations at hotel entrances, front desks, elevator banks, and meeting spaces.
Some lobby furniture removed or rearranged to allow more space for distancing.
Guest Rooms:
Thoroughly cleaning all surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectants.
Placing disinfecting wipes in each room.
JW Marriott, Los Angeles
Dining:
Food and beverage operations are required to conduct self-inspections for compliance to food safety standards. Results are validated by independent audits.
Designing new approaches to buffets and in-room dining.
Employee Policies:
Voluntary transition program for employees choosing to leave the company to pursue other opportunities.
The TakeCare Relief Fund (TCRF) makes need-based financial grants available to associates who are facing financial hardship.
Forming the Marriott Global Cleanliness Council with in-house and outside experts in food and water safety, hygiene and infection prevention, and hotel operations. The council will work to develop a new cleanliness standards, norms and behaviors for Marriott properties.
AC Hotel, Tucson, Arizona
COVID-19 Outreach:
Partnering with Rooms for Responders to provide hotel stays for healthcare professionals leading the fight against COVID-19 in the U.S.
Community Caregiver Program provides significantly discounted rates for first responders and healthcare professionals who want to book rooms near the hospitals where they’re working.
Some properties have been donating meals and supplies, like cleaning products, masks, gloves, anti-microbial wipes, sanitizers, and shower caps to medical and other frontline workers.
Option to Donate Your Reward Points?
Yes, to relief organizations that are active in COVID-19, including the American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, UNICEF and World Central Kitchen.
Marriott has also said they’re working on an option for donating points to organizations focused on advancing racial equality and social justice that they will then match.
Essential workers get 15% off Best Available Rate for stays booked by September 30.
Everyday Heroes Complimentary GOLD membership upgrade for Wyndham Rewards Members who are providing essential services in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic between April 14 and September 30. (If you’re not a member, you can sign up for free.)
Option to Donate Your Reward Points? Yes, to preferred charities, many of whom are working to help those affected by COVID-19.
I took any photos requiring travel before the pandemic. The hotel interiors probably look a bit different now!
I’m hanging out with Quijote, who has decided the safest place to be is in our closet.
Initially, he played it cool – like the noise of the 4th of July fireworks wasn’t going to bother him. Then, all of the sudden, it was too much, and he began scampering wild-eyed around the house in a panicked search for the best hiding spot.
Even before Quijote, we didn’t always go to see fireworks. In the middle of the sweltering Arizona summer, it’s a good day for brunch with friends or swimming or barbecue or staying inside and crafting.
San Diego
Of course, we were way out of the house when we had our first Independence Day with Quijote on our San Diego trip a year ago.
It was a similar story, where he started out unfazed, and then suddenly switched to terrified.
We were staying at the Hawthorne Historic Inn, which has a deck that’s great for watching fireworks. Phillip found us a couple chairs and brought up some wine and snacks. It was so sweet and lovely until we realized Quijote was not going to be able to deal with noise after all.
We gathered up our stuff and climbed back down the wooden steps.
Phillip and I propped up pillows and sat drinking wine and watching tv in bed, while Q burrowed under the comforter.
Indiana
On the other hand, Phillip and I began one 4th of July on a red eye to Indianapolis.
We arrived, caught a few hours sleep, stopped by a square where there was a music festival we were too early for, and then drove to Madison County to see my extended family.
We ended the day outside a different hotel, watching fireworks and fireflies and mysterious orange lights that were floating across the sky.
When you’re with ones you love, you can have a good time whether you’re standing in an open field or hunkering down in a closet.
I’m not particularly good at mornings. And, as much as I like the idea of jumping out of bed and tackling the day, I don’t magically transform into an early bird when I travel.
Here are a few things I’ve found helpful.
1. Get organized for the next day.
Anything you can do the night before is one less thing you’re stumbling around trying to do in the morning.
Either shower at night or at least get your shower stuff set up. You’re not at home where everything is in a place you’re used to, so make it easier on your sleepy self. Unpack your razor and unwrap the soap. Make sure there’s a towel within reach.
I also get out everything I’m planning to wear the next day, down to my skivvies. Finding out you need to iron a top or don’t have a crucial part of your outfit is a bigger issue when you’re traveling. I’d rather not have that type of surprise in the morning.
Getting your purse/bag/daypack stuff together, as well, will help make sure things don’t get forgotten in a last-minute groggy scramble.
2. But first, coffee.
If you require morning caffeination, make sure you plan for that too. Figure out the coffeemaker in your room or pick out your tea or find a nearby coffee shop. Or if you’re particular enough to feel it’s worth the hassle, bring your own.
I like to set up the coffeepot the night before (sometimes doubling up on the coffee packets), so all I have to do when I get up is turn it on. Even if coffee comes with breakfast and even if the hotel does not have good coffee, I like having a hot cuppa right away while I get ready.
3. Plan for breakfast.
Stay somewhere that serves breakfast, find a spot nearby (check the hours ahead of time), or bring your own.
Easy BYOB(reakfast) ideas:
If there’s a fridge, you can pick up yogurt, local fruit, etc.
We like those individual oatmeal cups that you just add hot water to.
Trail mix or granola bars work pretty much anywhere. No kitchen required.
4. Time or sleep?
For me, a little extra time to ease into the day is even more beneficial than a little extra sleep. Even when it’s hard getting up, an earlier wake up time is better for me than having a rushed, hectic morning.
Maybe this is the case for you or maybe not. It’s worth paying attention to what works for you, even before your trip.
5. Set multiple alarms.
Traveling often throws off your sleep cycle and routines, which can make it even more difficult to get up.
If you really need to be somewhere at a certain time – catch a flight, make a meeting or tour time – don’t count on just one thing to wake you up. Some ideas:
Set more than one alarm on your phone, but don’t rely only on your phone.
Request a wake up call (or two).
Don’t use black-out curtains. Allow natural light in.
If you’re traveling with someone else, ask them to wake you up (or knock on your door or call you) if they haven’t seen you by a certain time.
6. Give yourself permission to sleep in.
If you have flexibility in your schedule, don’t make every morning an early one. Plan for some more relaxed days that allow a later start.
Of course, this requires some compromise if you happen to be traveling with a morning person. In that case, come up with a plan so that they’re not just going crazy in the room (and driving you crazy in the process).
Things a morning person can do while you’re sleeping (i.e. take all that annoying AM energy elsewhere!):
Go for a run, swim, or work out.
Take a walk and get familiar with the area.
Bring you breakfast.
Visit a sight (or go do something) you’re not interested in.
Start on an activity you can join when ready. (Head to the beach, begin working their way through a large museum, etc.)
As much as you can, honor your natural rhythms instead of constantly fighting them. Resting better will help you make the most out of your trip.
In case you’re curious, here’s where I took all the photos:
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