COVID-19 has redesigned Hotel SOPs!

Post-Corona times will see a change in how hotels operate. Hotels will need to redesign their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to promote sanitization and safety. Here is an illustrative series of recommendations for Hotels to redesign their SOPs to encourage safety hygiene and social-distancing:

1.) N95 Masks: Wearing of WHO-approved masks (like N95) for hotel staff and guests should be compulsory to enter hotel premises.

2.) Temperature Checks: Regular temperature checks for hotel staff will be a new normal. Rosters can have an additional column to schedule regular checks for each staff.

3.) Space Management: Hotels should have tables and other seating furniture at a minimum 2-meter distance, aligning with the WHO guideline.

4.) Order while Booking: Hotel guests can see a menu while booking a table and order food, so that the overall dining time can be decreased.

5.) Touchless Dining: Hotels must completely eliminate buffets for the time being and encourage concepts like 'Thali'. It is essential promote private dining options among hotel guests.

6.) Lift Usage: Hotel staff members in PPE ( Personal Protective Equipment ) would be operating lifts for the hotel guests. With no more than 3 guests at a time or similar upper limit in accordance to the lift capacity.

7.) Room Occupancy Policy: Norms need to be specified by each Hotel to maintain social distancing among hotel guests occupying a hotel room.

8.) Room Allotment: The same room would be allocated only after 24 hours of Check-out. After being thoroughly disinfected so as to avoid any transmission from previous guests to next guests.

9.) Touchless Check-in: Hotel Check-ins to be facilitated via apps or web links with pre-registered information to avoid hassle at hotel receptions.

10.) Sanitizers: All prominent locations within the hotel premises should have sanitizers available for use without any extra costs- for both guests and hotel staff.

11.) Hotel Vehicles: All vehicles to be disinfected at entry points and after every single use to ensure guests' safety.

12.) Hotspot Regions: People coming from Hotspots (highly affected areas) should be discouraged in hotel premises as a precaution.

13.) Guest Luggage: All guest luggage in the hotel premises needs to be disinfected from outside upon arrival.

14.) Aarogya Setu App: Display of 'SAfe' status on Aarogya Setu app for staff and hotel guests should be must to enter the hotel premises.

To help hotels fight coronavirus, we have launched a mentorship program for independent hotels across India.

Inspired by the altruistic mindset of our mentor and distinguished hotelier, Diwan Gautam Anand, we present Hotel Mentorship Program. It is a social initiative that aims to support independent hotels across India to stabilize again quickly. We hope the program to make a three-fold impact:

• Mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the employment of the hotel industry

• Prepare the hotel industry to be ready for post-COVID times

• Sustain the Indian economy through the fast recovery of its hotel industry