CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Extended Stay America announced the debut of a new initiative, STAY Confident, to focus on the health, safety, and comfort of its guests. STAY Confident will build upon Extended Stay America’s experience as the only major hotel brand to remain 100 percent open since the beginning of the pandemic and the already high standards of housekeeping and hygiene at its 634 locations. “STAY Confident is our way of increasing our commitment to provide a stay that is healthy, safe and comfortable,” said Bruce Haase, President and CEO of Extended Stay America. “With so many guests looking to Extended Stay...

SKOKIE, ILL.—Nominations are open for the first annual Guest Room Attendant Excellence Award, which acknowledges the contributions of guest room attendants (GRAs) at hotel companies across the United States. Sponsored by UMF Corp., the award celebrates the often unheralded workers who serve as the first line of defense in ensuring a safe guest environment. The deadline for nominations is Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. “As the world faces an ongoing battle with COVID-19, the hospitality housekeeping department is emerging front and center, ensuring guest safety, satisfaction and loyalty,” said UMF CEO George Clarke. “Industry associations and thought leaders have reacted quickly...

BOTHELL, WASH.—There has been an ‘ick’ factor associated with hotels for a long time. Think TV remotes, shared keyboards, key cards that have touched who knows how many hands, etc. “Ninety-six percent of keyboards have pathogens on them,” says Mark Beeston, VP of Sales and Marketing at Vioguard, a company now offering three solutions that use UV-C, a type of ultraviolet light, for disinfection. “Keyboards are a shared item. Upwards of 40 percent of pathogens transfer.” Think about your own mobile phone. “Ninety-two percent have pathogens on them,” Beeston adds. In a COVID-19 world, it is no longer acceptable for these...

LEBANON, N.H.—FreshAir, an industry leader in the development of sensors to detect and alert for hazardous chemicals, announces its unique and highly effective FreshAir1 Smoking Detection System. The FreshAir system is ideally suited for use in hotels, casinos, and other hospitality industry settings. The only technology available to monitor for, immediately detect, and prove tobacco smoking and marijuana smoking, FreshAir1 Smoking Detection Systems are ideal for enforcing no-smoking policies, protecting infrastructure investments, securing cleaning fees, and avoiding chargebacks. Unlike typical smoke detectors which use light or radiation to detect general particles (dust, smoke, steam, etc.), FreshAir sensors are capable of...

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.—As people around the world adjust to a new normal, the health of our buildings—and how they influence personal health—is critically important. Carrier has introduced its Healthy Buildings Program, an expanded suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy, safe, efficient, and productive indoor environments across key verticals including commercial buildings, healthcare, hospitality, education, retail and marine. In support of this, Carrier also launched Corporate.Carrier.com/HealthyBuildings to help customers consult with Carrier’s experts to take advantage of the broad range of industry-leading healthy building technologies. Carrier Global Corp. is a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating...

As businesses prepare to reopen their doors and begin operating in the wake of COVID-19, they should consider the new expectations—and concerns—of their customers. Whether your hotel doors have been closed or you have repurposed your rooms to support nonprofit and government efforts, your hotel requires certain measures prior to re-opening to the public. What those measures are, however, may be less clear. It may be difficult to discern where to begin when making these unprecedented business decisions, especially with 24/7 updates on the virus. Rather than wait to endure the potential consequences of a haphazard plan, consider orienting your...

HONOLULU—Outrigger Hospitality Group announced its commitment to providing an elevated standard of cleanliness and safety in preparation for the anticipated re-opening of its domestic and international beach resort properties. Outrigger’s Clean Commitment guidelines were designed in consultation with healthcare leaders and developed with Ecolab. It also meets the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Stay Safe enhanced industry-wide hotel cleaning standards as well as the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) COVID-19 Health, Safety & Security Standards. The global platform incorporates state-of-the-art technology, cleaning products and procedures in compliance with the latest COVID-19 codes, regulations and brand standards. The program applies to all...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released four new Safety First Pilot Credits in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The credits outline sustainable best practices that align with public health and industry guidelines related to cleaning and disinfecting, workplace re-occupancy, HVAC and plumbing operations. The credits can be used by LEED projects that are certified or are undergoing certification. The Safety First credits are part of USGBC’s economic recovery strategy released last month, which focuses on sustainable solutions to rebuild a stronger and healthier economy by prioritizing healthy people in healthy places. The credits were created...

Here is a challenge for all of you: Given the current pandemic, still try your hardest to do things in a sustainable manner—focusing on worker and guest safety, energy and water conservation, waste reduction, and enhancing, not worsening indoor air quality. With each step you take to stop COVID-19, ask yourself if you are helping or hindering environmental protection. I know it will not be an easy thing to do, or even accomplishable in some cases, given the severity of the virus. This past week I heard from Allied Feather + Down. The maker of bedding is now manufacturing reusable...

NATIONAL REPORT—While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is most concerned about the spread of COVID-19 through the air, it can also be spread by touching a recently affected surface and then one’s mouth, nose or eyes. Because of this, hand sanitizer has become a necessity in hotels—in guestrooms, entrances, and lobby areas, and elsewhere where guests and employees travel on property. While initially a challenge to find, hand sanitizer has become readily available to the lodging industry. Even brewers and distillers are making it. Not all hand sanitizers are the same—the percentage of alcohol content can...