CHICAGO — Hyatt Hotels Corporation today announced its path forward to welcome back guests to Hyatt hotels. With a focus on safety and wellbeing, Hyatt is adding new amenities and offerings and taking steps to implement enhanced protocols that help employees feel comfortable and confident at work.
As an extension of Hyatt’s recently announced Global Care and Cleanliness Commitment, Hyatt is collaborating with medical experts from Cleveland Clinic among other medical and industry advisors to fine-tune reopening and operating procedures such as staff reorientations, enhanced cleaning and safety protocols, and a Hygiene and Wellbeing Leader at every property.
“Over the past few months, we have been intensively engaging with and listening to guests and colleagues, and we are implementing new offerings with their safety and wellbeing in mind,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO, Hyatt. “While the most important element of opening our doors is doing it safely, we have gone beyond cleaning to advance care across the entire hotel experience to proudly and confidently welcome back our guests, World of Hyatt loyalty members, and colleagues.”
Focus on Wellbeing
Through a new, exclusive collaboration with Headspace, guests, loyalty members, and employees can access mindfulness exercises, guided meditations, and sleep content via the World of Hyatt app on in-room TVs or on the road. Enhanced fitness and wellbeing amenities in-room at some hotels include Exhale on Demand TV content, fitness equipment delivered to the guestroom (bikes, treadmills, weights), or spa kits and treatments available for delivery. In some cases, hotels have created outdoor workout spaces.
Enhanced Digital Amenities
Hyatt hotels are working to roll out enhanced digital amenities through the World of Hyatt app. The new features, available in select markets and rolling out on an ongoing basis, will allow guests to manage preferences—like scheduling housekeeping, choosing between pick-up or knock-and-go food orders, mobile key entry, contactless check-in and checkout, and more. For meetings and events, Hyatt hotels are exploring audio-visual technology to offer hybrid meeting options (on-property and remote) for large-scale events with social distancing in mind.
Reimagined F&B
Hyatt’s reimagined dining offerings include private dining in a premium suite at Park Hyatt Moscow; creating meals in private garden suites at Hyatt Pune & Residences; individual buffet-style meals that are curated and proportioned for each dining table at Hyatt Place Hyderabad Banjara Hills; and new QR code display menus that allow guests to browse options at The Confidante Miami Beach and order from their own mobile device at Grand Hyatt Seoul.
Private Activities
At some hotels, on- and off-property events and excursions are being reimagined as private bookable leisure activities in open spaces such as garden or rooftop yoga classes, private beekeeping, or exploring outdoor paths with guided maps on foot.
Halfway Points
Soon, Hyatt will help pinpoint hotel locations that are halfway points for friends and family to reunite.
“We’re continuing to evolve the guest experience as we listen and seek to understand what’s most important to our guests,” said Amy Weinberg, senior vice president global brand, loyalty, data, and analytics for Hyatt. “Flexibility and peace of mind are essential to our guests right now, and we’re delivering personal care in everything we do throughout a guest’s travel journey.”
Flexibility
Hyatt is now offering flexibility with cancellation at no charge up to 24 hours before scheduled arrival for most reservations for stays through July 31, 2021. As part of Hyatt’s new extended cancellation policy, reservations booked July 1, 2020, and beyond—for any future arrival date through July 31, 2021—can be canceled at no charge up to 24 hours before scheduled arrival on hyatt.com or via the World of Hyatt app at least 24 hours before scheduled arrival. Some exceptions apply.
Updated Work Procedures and Resources
In an effort to ensure colleagues’ safety and wellbeing, Hyatt has new work procedures, staff resources, and reorientations. Daily surveys have been introduced to measure employee comfort and wellbeing, enabling hotel leaders to address opportunities, make adjustments as necessary, and meet staff needs in real-time.
As part of the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment, by July 2020, every Hyatt hotel will have at least one person on property trained as Hygiene & Wellbeing Leader who is responsible for their hotel adhering to new operational guidance and protocols. Each Hygiene & Wellbeing Leader will help maintain the hotel’s mandatory GBAC STAR accreditation, including a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program that will focus on establishing hotel environments that are sanitary, safe, and healthy.
New measures also include daily temperature checks of all global colleagues upon arrival to the hotel; wellbeing check reminders sent to colleagues prior to arriving at work; personal protective equipment like face coverings required by all colleagues; social distance guidance and additional hand sanitizer stations in colleague areas; and complimentary access to Headspace for Hyatt colleagues to practice mindfulness and self-care.
