Hygiene in hotels: Hilton leads the parade with new strict cleanliness standards

Honolulu's Waikiki Beach hotels are introducing new hygiene measures.  The major brands are all developing programs
to insure that people who brave the world of travel are as safe and protected as possible in these stressful times. 

ROAD TRIPPING HAZARDS ARE LESSENED BY CONSCIENTIOUS HOTEL PROTOCOL

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
and hotel marketing departments

Hotels are raising their sanitation standards to meet COVID-19.
Closets will be disinfected in many U.S. properties.

TRAVEL IS ALREADY entering a brave new world, and the hotel industry is making sweeping changes (no pun intended) in its hygiene protocol. So say goodbye to breakfast buffets and bellhop service, and get ready for temperature screening and keyless check-in.

Even before they travel, guests will find a new landing page at many hotels, detailing what they can expect during their stay. Property websites are updated as new cleaning protocols and procedures are implemented. 

If your hotel offers valet parking,
the attendant will be masked.

According to Riverton, Wyo., Hampton Inn and Suites general manager Ryan Preston, his property is one of Hilton's 6,000-plus properties and 18 brands promising state of the art clean stays for guests willing to travel in these trying times.

"We have partnered with RB -- makers of Lysol and Dettol -- to deliver an even cleaner stay for our guests," says Preston, noting that Hilton's standards are widely respected in the industry.  The popular chain has created the Hilton CleanStay program which Preston says builds on Hilton's already rigorous cleaning standards. "We want people to have complete peace of mind when they stay with us," he says, promising "the same level of reliable and friendly service you’d expect from Hilton,  but with the added confidence of industry-leading hygiene practices to keep travelers safe."
Besides Hilton, Wyndham, Marriott, Choice Hotels, InterContinental and Hyatt are also developing extreme hygiene protocol.
PANDEMIC-ERA policies are being developed internationally at hotels around the globe. They will vary, but it's safe to say that guests worldwide will notice huge changes the next time they check in anywhere. Heightened cleaning protocols are in place in many properties for high-traffic areas such as the front desk, fitness centers and pools, as well as other high-touch surfaces in the hotel. Hilton is using hospital-grade disinfectant approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to combat the spread of the virus. 

A housekeeping “on-demand” option is being introduced in many places.  Guests who desire no one else enter the room can request delivery of additional toiletries, towels, linens or coffee without having a housekeeper enter. They'll be placed outside in sterile wraps.

Many hotel restaurants as they reopen will feature socially distanced
tables, and separate paneled cubicles to keep guests apart.

BREAKFAST buffets are a popular feature in many hotels. There will be massive changes there as well as in food service in general. Buffets will be replaced with pre-packaged breakfast items and grab-and-go options.  Tables and chairs will be spaced to ensure proper physical distancing. Biodegradable, disposable dishes and utensils will be available upon request.

MANY HOTELS have discontinued room service, but where it is provided, guests will experience contactless delivery, with orders and single-use serviceware placed outside the guestroom door.

Pools will be frequently cleaned, and numbers of guests will be limited 
around the pool area, to observe distancing. Masks will also be required.

Hilton is proud of its new "no contact" arrival experience.  Guests can check in, choose their room, unlock the door with a digital key and check out using their mobile devices, through a free Hilton Honors mobile app. This option is available at more than 4,700 participating Hilton properties worldwide for guests who book direct via the Honors app or at Hilton.com. 

For guests who prefer a traditional check-in, physical distancing measures will be in place directing guests on how to move through the in-person check-in and check-out process in a safe way.

ENTERING THE room will be a departure from what we've come to know.

Hotel housekeepers in the major chains are using
hospital-strength disinfectants to clean.

At Hilton, the first point of contact with the guest room will be with a Hilton CleanStay room seal, placed on the door after the room is thoroughly cleaned. The service person will have used extra disinfectant on the most frequently touched guests room areas – light switches, door handles, TV remotes, thermostats and more. Guest rooms will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between guests, doubling the measures of pre-Covid times.
ALL MAJOR chains are revamping their public spaces, with socially-distanced furniture and increased cleaning. Some fitness centers will be closed for cleaning multiple times daily. 

Equipment will be properly adjusted and placed to enable physical distancing, and the number of guests will be limited. Pools and pool areas will be cleaned frequently throughout the day, and physical distancing measures will be in place there, too. Stations with hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available throughout the property at entrances and in key high traffic areas.
MARRIOTT IS combating the virus with its new

Hilton Palm Springs is among the many Hilton brand properties with
an ambitious new hygiene protocol  in place for travelers. www.hilton.com    

Global Cleanliness Council which, like Hilton and other major chains, requires the use of “hospital-grade” disinfectants in public spaces and guest rooms.
Hyatt's program is called its Global Care and Cleanliness Commitment, using a cleaning, disinfection and infectious-disease-prevention accreditation program. By September, the brand also plans to staff hotels with  a trained "hygiene manager." That person will oversee more-frequent hotel cleanings, make sure hand sanitizer is easily available for guests and employees  and distribute masks to staff, among other duties. Brave new world indeed.

Montana's rivers are one of its most seductive attractions.  We're fortunate
to have the West Fork of the Stillwater River nearby, and the source of
the Stillwater within an easy drive, for beautiful hiking and picnicing.

UP NEXT: Back in Montana! With masks in tow and cooler packed to avoid unnecessary human whereiscookie.com
contact, we made it from San Diego to Montana in a leisurely four days, staying in safe, sparkling clean Hilton properties (see above for their state-of-the-art hygiene protocol.) We'll share our re-entry to The Treasure State, "Big Sky Country," as A.B. Guthrie aptly named it.  Masking, distancing, and dealing with COVID-19 has changed our Montana experience.  But we're finding both friends and strangers are mostly masking and treating one another with the respect this critical time demands. We'll report on our trip and share Montana photos and observations. Remember to explore, learn and live, and please wear a mask. Catch us each Friday for a new take on travel, the arts, nature, family and more at