Global hotel consultancy HVS London is predicting a major change in store for hotels and their future operations resulting from the Coronavirus lockdown.

They predict that basic hygiene and cleanliness will be foremost in guests’ minds in future, at least in the short term. Global hotel operators Marriott, Hilton and Accor are already launching programmes designed to communicate and promote high standards of hygiene and cleanliness – not just in the bedrooms.

Hilton Hotels, for example, has teamed up with the makers of ‘Dettol’ to launch a new standard of hotel cleanliness and disinfection. The programme - Hilton CleanStay – is being launched worldwide from June 2020. Hilton CleanStay Room Seal will indicate that guest rooms haven’t been accessed since they were last cleaned. Extra disinfection will be applied to the top 10 high touch areas in guest rooms including light switches and door handles plus there will be an increased cleaning frequency of public areas.

Hotels will introduce new hygiene practices extending to screens at check-in, social distancing in public areas such as restaurants, controlling the numbers of people using lifts at any one time, as well as making safe the use of leisure facilities, pools, gyms and spas.

The buffet breakfast is likely to become a thing of the past. IHG has already dispensed with it offering an entirely a la carte breakfast option.

As far as the type of hotel is concerned one view is that budget hotels and aparthotels will more successfully adapt to the future because guests can self-isolate more easily, order take-away food rather than eating in hotel restaurants and not mix in the communal areas found in traditional hotels.

The major question concerns the future existence of hotels themselves with some commentators predicting that banks that have financed hotels will be stepping in and handing over the properties to new investors from different industries. Hence a possible big reduction in the number of hotels is one view of the future

Only time will tell what the future holds for the hotel and particularly the conference and meetings market.

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