BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, which for 92 years has been recognized as a hospitality leader for its commitment to quality, exacting standards, and rigorous training, announced that it will be rolling out a multi-pronged platform to elevate its cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviors to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment. “We are living in a new age, with COVID-19 front and center for our guests and our associates,” said Arne Sorenson, President and CEO, Marriott International. “We are grateful for the trust our guests have shown us through the years. We want...

MCCOMB, OHIO—Crushproof Tubing launched its Simple Drain product (see video), an easy-to-clean and self-plunging drain trap, to the hotel industry. The decline in customers throughout the hotel industry is resulting in rooms being empty for extended periods of time. This can result in a very dangerous situation called “dry trap” where the water evaporates out of the traps that are critical in keeping sewer gasses from coming into living spaces through drain pipes. “We have heard from several hotel chains that they are paying people to flush toilets and run water in their sinks and showers to avoid the potential...

AIKEN, S.C.— To do its part amidst the coronavirus pandemic, Riegel Linen is now manufacturing masks in addition to surgical towels, sheeting and mattress pads for existing and new customers. Known nationwide for its quality sheeting, terry, and table linen products for hotels and restaurants, the hospitality textile manufacturer is also helping the local community. As part of its new “Hospitality Strong” initiative, Riegel Linen CEO Bill Josey gifted 75 washable cloth face masks to international students at the University of South Carolina - Aiken (part of the University of South Carolina System) who are unable to return home due to...

NEW YORK—OYO Hotels & Homes is opening the doors to its hotels and offering free stays to doctors, nurses and other medical first responders who are helping in the fight against Coronavirus (Covid-19). Medical first responders will receive free accommodations at any OYO Hotel in the United States so they can sleep, shower or just get off their feet and recharge. “All of us at OYO are grateful for the bravery and sacrifices all the medical personnel are making to save lives and stop the spread of Covid-19,” said Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes. “Our hearts...

SAN DIEGO—World Amenities, a global manufacturer of sustainable guest amenities, announced efforts to import and distribute emergency PPE globally. In response to the Coronavirus pandemic and the request from both federal and state medical emergency services and institutions, World Amenities has diversified and pivoted their business to emergency supply needs. World Amenities has been in contact with state governors, the Federal Government and health leaders on the front-line of the emergency response to the PPE supply chain issue. Due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 across the United States, the country is suffering a severe and unprecedented shortage of PPE supplies...

LONDON—Crave Interactive, a leading global hospitality technology company, announced ServeSafely, an innovative range of solutions that enable restaurants to protect staff and customers by using technology to maintain social distancing at all times and eliminate the need to handle menus, cash or payment terminals. Crave expects the initiative will enable restaurants to re-open quickly for business while social distancing restrictions are enforced or encouraged, and for customers to return to eating out with confidence that it is safe to do so. Crave’s ServeSafely solutions include ordering and payment via mobile phone at the table, and host greeting and seating at a...

PARIS—Accor, a global leader in augmented hospitality, and Bureau Veritas, a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification, have joined forces to develop a label designed to certify that the appropriate safety standards and cleaning protocols have been achieved to allow businesses to reopen. Franck Gervais, CEO Europe Accor, said, “Welcoming, protecting and taking care of others is the very DNA of Accor and at the heart of what we do. Today, more than ever, our employees, customers and partners need to be reassured of our ability to offering them the best welcome possible. As the European leader in hospitality,...

ATLANTA—ASHRAE has published two statements to define guidance on managing the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease (Coronavirus) with respect to the operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems in buildings. “In light of the current global pandemic, it’s critically important that ASHRAE responds with guidance on mitigating the transmission of the virus, as well as ventilation and filtration recommendations,” said 2019-20 ASHRAE President Darryl K. Boyce, P.Eng. “ASHRAE has a significant role to play in ensuring safe and healthy building environments and these statements offer the expert strategies needed at this time.” ASHRAE developed the...

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The GreenShield Company, a division of BigSky Technologies LLC, is responding to the global Coronavirus pandemic with concern and hope for those being impacted by the disease. GreenShield is taking this opportunity to evaluate its products’ effectiveness in reducing the ability of the Coronavirus to contaminate and transmit on different surfaces. The small amount of fluorochemical used in the GreenShield finish provides a surface that repels oil-based materials, such as viruses, like COVID-19, which has an oily lipid outer layer. The lipid layer is essentially a fatty envelope that holds the virus. This envelope is what appears to be...

I wrote my first Green Lodging News Earth Day column 13 years ago. So much has changed on our planet since then. For example, last year was the fifth year in a row that was the hottest on record. We all have different priorities now, but I challenge you to keep your eyes on sustainability this 50th Earth Day (April 22) and every day—even as you fight your way through the current crisis. When COVID-19 is solved, we will still have global warming, air pollution, a dramatic decline in biodiversity, species extinction, etc. In fact, with recent rollbacks in emissions...