How COVID-19 Will Change Future Hotel Stays

While the coronavirus crisis is far from over, businesses around the country are opening up and life is starting to return to “normal.” It is a new normal, however, and many things will be very different from what they were like before. Hotels are among the businesses that will need to make major changes to adapt to the new reality. Here are nine changes you’re likely to see the next time you hit the road.

More Intense Cleaning

Since the coronavirus is known to survive for days on surfaces, expect hotels to make cleanliness a priority like never before, with hotels eager to announce their vigor.

Self-Service

Hotels will do everything they can to limit human interaction, including self-service digital check-ins.

Temperature Checks and Masks

Expect all hotel workers to be wearing masks for the foreseeable future, and be prepared to have your temperature taken as part of the check-in process.

Limited Spacing

Hotels will likely not be allowed to operate at full capacity, with some rooms left empty and shared spaces beholden to strict social distancing guidelines.

No Buffets

As long as the pandemic lasts, buffets will likely fall out of favor, for the obvious threats of contamination that they pose. More people will likely opt for room service than ever before.

Reservations Necessary for Shared Spaces

With pools and barbecue areas kept at a lower capacity, guests may well have to register in advance to use them.

Lower-Capacity Elevators

Hotels will likely ask that people limit the number of passengers in elevators, and should provide hand sanitizer for common use.

Less Third-Party Bookings

The chaos created by the sudden onset of travel restrictions in March will leave many people second guessing the wisdom in using third-party booking services. When so much is liable to change and hotel policies are so difficult to keep track of, a direct reservation might make more sense.

New, Creative Programming

Between the hit to the economy and the understandable health concerns, many Americans will be thinking twice about traveling in the months ahead. That puts the onus on hotels to get creative in creating and marketing fun new activities, with what once might have seemed gimmicky suddenly sounding like a good idea.