The Reopening and Recovery of Hotels Round Table Virtual Webinar
The International Luxury Hotel Association (ILHA) launched their weekly webinar series, hosted by the NorthEast Chapter, with The Reopening and Recovery of Hotels. The webinar was moderated by Chelsey Leffet, Senior Vice President, HVS and included Romy Bhojwani, Head of Hospitality Asset Management, Brookfield, Prem Devadas, President, Salamander Hotels and Resorts and Jeff David, President, Fitler Club, Philadelphia.
Chelsey's check in determined that most properties had closed to follow federal guidelines but were now in various stages of reopening under reimagined operating models that would follow a more frugal, sustainable structure. Reopening costs are not as high as pre-opening costs, especially if you can bring the same staff back, but additional training would be required to deal with COVID-19 procedures as well as PPE inventory and additional measures like mobile check in and keyless entry.
Housekeeping would change substantially with many hotels taking measures to limit in stay cleaning and turn down but spending more time on a deep clean at checkout with the assistance of advanced technology. F&B will either eliminate buffets or reinvent them family style for the table, bringing them in stages, or have pre-portioned meals in a hygienic format.
Romy felt that drive-in leisure markets would open first as the cabin fever intensifies, and business transient next, depending on the strength of the corporate balance sheets, with small group afterward. Large group would be last and require effective testing or a vaccine to be in place.
All agreed that rates should not be discounted as this will make it harder to recover in the long term, but rather create more programming and personalized services that take advantage of outdoor space.
The COVID-19 crisis is the opportunity to restructure your business so that it is more efficient and profitable in the long term, with strong leadership and a good relationship with your staff, guests and vendors essential to adopting sustainable practices that are here to stay.
The webinar on The Reopening and Recovery of Luxury Hotels was sponsored by VS Importing, an importer of quality Spanish and Italian wines delivered in a Polykeg, an FDA PET approved recyclable keg that is filled right at the winery and meets today's low-touch, high sanitation standards.
Join the next webinar on Navigating Today's Hotel Financing & Transaction Environment on Wednesday May 20, at 4 pm ET, with Chelsey Leffet moderating and Deborah Friedland, Managing Director, EisnerAmper, Kathy Conroy, Senior Managing Director, HVS, Fernando Mulet, EVP, Chief Development Officer, Playa Hotels & Resorts, and Rudy Reudelhuber, Managing Director, Hodges Ward Elliott.
The International Luxury Hotel Association is offering a Name Your Price Membership for May to support the hotel industry as well as access to their online training program Luxury Hospitality Standards, which teaches four comprehensive courses aimed at elevating guest experience.