Hospitality: How to prepare for the post-covid world

As restrictions of Covid-19 continue to ease, we see the ‘new normal’ fast approaching. How will this look for hospitality, and what can businesses in the industry do to make this transition as smooth as possible?

The big reopening

As of 17^th May 2021, hotels in England and Wales were allowed to reopen and resume providing a service. This followed on from the reopening of hotels in Scotland as of the end of April.

This saw a steady return to those booking hotels within the UK, but there is an expected boom approaching as summer continues to arrive. With most countries being placed on the red and amber lists for travel, many Brits are planning a staycation this year which could see British hotels taking many bookings.

Where is expected to receive the most bookings?

Coastal towns and big cities such as Cornwall, Blackpool, and London are all expected to see many travellers flooding to them for their yearly holiday break. With most B&Bs and hotels in Cornwall already booked up for the summer, those running these establishments must keep up with the increasing demand to operate safely and responsibly.

How can hotel and B&B owners keep their businesses safe?

Business owners in the hospitality industry, including those who run pubs, cafes, and restaurants, will need to adhere to government guidelines closely and follow strict hygiene regimes to help stop the spread of the virus.

Hotels will have a high turnover of people in them at any one time, so it’s important that thorough cleaning is paramount.  Guests should be encouraged to wear masks when in shared communal areas and when moving from one place to another (for example, when travelling from their hotel room down to the breakfast area).

Ensure that guests are following track and trace procedures and that they know not to arrive if they are feeling unwell. If you can afford to, give them up to 24 hours before their stay to cancel free of charge or to move their reservation to the next available date. This will stop people from still turning up if they are unwell due to worries that they will lose their money.

At breakfast, there should be table service where possible to avoid cross-contamination and refillable drinks should be replaced with a fresh cup each time. Rooms should be well maintained and upon guests checking out they should be cleaned and sanitised accordingly.

Make sure that you have sturdy hotel insurance that will cover you if something should happen. Guest should be made aware that they are staying at the hotel at their own risk.