What Role Can Hotels and Aparthotels Play in the Fight Against Coronavirus?
Here in the hotel industry, we’re in a complex position with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the most part, hotels operating solely for commercial purposes have been told to shut up shop during the UK lockdown. But we’re keeping our doors open because we believe we can provide important help for many. Here’s why we think that our suites can be of great use to many in the fight against coronavirus.
Are Hotels and Aparthotels Open During the UK Lockdown?
The government lockdown orders that all non-essential businesses and premises must shut. That means that any hotel, aparthotel or hostel provider operating purely for commercial use has had to suspend their operations for the time being. However, along with a few other hotel providers, our doors are staying open because we are offering accommodation to two special groups of people.
The first is those who need an “interim abode” because their primary residence is unavailable. This could be because they need to self-isolate away from their family, or because they are high-risk individuals living with people who leave the house regularly.
The second group is key workers who need a place to stay in the city whilst they support vital services. The most obvious example is healthcare workers, who will be increasing in number in the capital when the government opens the temporary Nightingale Hospital in the ExCel Centre in East London. But there are numerous other categories of key workers, including those in essential education and childcare roles, public service broadcasters, food providers and those keeping our basic utilities ticking over.
Is It Safe to Self-Isolate in Hotels?
Speaking from our own experience, definitely. Across the country and the world, hotel and aparthotel providers have reworked their operational policies to account for the danger posed by the coronavirus. For our part, we’re restricting our staff service, meaning that there is no need for human-to-human contact, and implementing new preventative steps to make us as safe a place as possible to self-isolate in.
Learning from Chicago
It’s crucial to remember that we’re not in this battle alone, and we can take a lot of inspiration from smart and worthwhile action happening across the globe. Over in Chicago, the thousands of hotel rooms left unused due to lack of business and leisure travel are to be rented out by the council. They’ll then be given to those in need of secure short-term accommodation as they self-isolate or await test results.
This is in part what has inspired our decision to offer out our suites as temporary accommodation for those who need a safe place to stay. We have plenty of suites available across London, Brighton and Manchester which shouldn’t go to waste at a time like this. That’s why our doors are still open for those who are unable to stay in their primary residence.
If you need to self-isolate or if you’re a key worker in need of clean, short-term accommodation in London, Brighton or Manchester, we’re here to help. Please get in touch at sleep@supercityuk.com or call +44 (0) 203 818 9070, and we will do everything we can to give you a safe and secure home throughout the UK lockdown.