How to stay safe in a hotel during COVID-19

While Canadians are advised to stay at home and avoid all non-essential travel during this second lockdown, some people will have important or necessary reasons to be away from home. And others might just have a bad case of pandemic cabin fever. Before you book that hotel stay, here’s what you should know.

[Photo Credit: tpap8228]

This is a tricky question, and a personal choice to be made. Staying home and practicing social distancing is the safest way to avoid potential exposure to the virus. While there is a degree of risk involved in staying at a hotel during the pandemic, hotels are working hard to keep guests and employees safe. Most have embraced public health and safety guidelines and implemented enhanced cleaning protocols. Major chains have upped their sanitation game in public space, trained staff on deep cleaning guest rooms, and invested in disinfecting processes and equipment.

Most hotel chains post detailed COVID-19 safety and cleaning protocols on their website. Call to inquire about how busy the hotel is, and how long the room has been empty since the last guest. Letting the room breathe for one to three days can lower the risk of any infectious disease lingering in the room.

Use the yp.ca search engine when you need to find a hotel and book your next stay.

You can expect to undergo a screening procedure when you arrive at a hotel, which may include a temperature check and questions about recent travel and health. Screening may be repeated every 24 hours during your stay. Wearing masks is required in all public spaces and while the staff is present for in-room services.

Look for visible signs of cleanliness in the guest room. Some hotels add safety seals to guest room doors after being disinfected and wrap extra towels and blankets in plastic to keep them clean. Sealed water glasses and strapping on toilets are also now commonplace.

• Bring extra PPE, hand sanitizer, and always wear a mask in all public spaces.
• Download your hotel’s loyalty app. In most cases, you’ll be able to bypass the front desk access contactless check-in and check-out, manage payment, and use keyless room entry.
• Bring your own disinfecting wipes and wipe down all commonly touched surfaces. Go for keys, door knobs, light switches, remote controls, phones, lamps, toilets, and sinks. Even though hotel staff will have sanitized your room since the last guests departed, it doesn’t hurt to do a quick clean for your own peace of mind.
• Decline housekeeping service in favour of limiting contacts. The same goes for valet parking and baggage handling services.
• Skip the amenities like the pool, salon, spa, and gym, if they’re open. Opt for room service or at-your-door dining service.

Craving a staycation? While restaurants remain closed, except for takeout, luxury hoteliers across North America have found a creative way to continue to deliver a distanced, fine-dining experience.

High-end hotels, including Old Montreal hotels such as Hotel Nelligan, Hotel Place d’Armes, and Hotel William Gray, offer in-room meal services that turn the guest room into a private dining room, with or without an overnight stay. With hotel occupancy rates at record lows, it’s a pandemic-driven idea that might just catch on.

Call or visit the website of your favourite local hotels to learn more about in-room dining experiences near you.