Uncertainty is a certainty after COVID-19
Up until COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill, the running of a hotel, whether it was in 1820, 1920 or 2020, didn’t differ much. Guests were welcomed, given a room, served breakfast and bid goodbye. Best practices built around this cycle were rarely changed. Yes, some things did change. Marketed as improving efficiency and resonating well with newer hotels, plastic key cards and smart locks and self-check-in kiosks began to appear.
Older establishments however, stubbornly resisted the change arguing that giving the traditional room keys preserved that single most first interaction with guests where staff got to talk to their guests. They do make a sound case - not any longer though. We have now entered a world of hospitality shrouded in the health and safety net where hotels must ‘welcome a guest, provide a room, serve breakfast and bid farewell - all with a human touch without the touch of a human!
It’s all about living in the moment. With the coronavirus crisis, this sentiment has ballooned and cleanliness has become the deciding factor when choosing a hotel. What this means is that older hotels will need to shed their worn out carpets, re-paint walls that exhibit peeling paint / flakes and replace high-contact areas that show wear and tear. It’s a ‘do it – if not perish’ situation for the grand old dames in hospitality. Put simply, the perception of cleanliness will demand upgrades, ranging from visually necessary cosmetic touchups to total renovation.
Flexible booking policies, enhanced cleanliness and hygiene, contactless check-in and room entry, social distancing in the public areas, bar restaurant and pool… every hotels claims to be doing or having it all. Yes, a slew of tech initiatives are also being rolled out to support the ‘new normal’.
Already hotel designers are approaching spaces differently as an immediate reaction to the virus. The focus is on what contact is necessary and what can be abolished without contaminating the guest experience. Solutions explored are wrapped around layouts and floor plans that; help physical distancing by redirecting guest flow so that guests’ don’t have to bump into each other in the public spaces, to floor plans that dictate how many seats and tables a space can accommodate with social distancing, to one-way systems for hallways and elevators. The challenge is to ensure that such measures converge with strategies that promote environmental and social sustainability.
For now we cannot hug or shake hands. But when a vaccine is discovered will the vaccinated masses continue to accept the ‘keep your distance’ protocols including the new wave of designed social spaces? Or will it all go back to the pre-COVID-19 era of partying?
Almost all of us believe that this severe disruption will not be permanent. It will not go away for now. Not tomorrow. Not next month. Not this year…but eventually. Until then…where do we go from here or what’s next?
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier |
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