CORONAVIRUS
LEADING HOTEL brands in India and across the globe are adopting several precautionary measures to keep their guests and staff safe and secure amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Their initiatives range from frequent cleaning of high-contact areas and surfaces in their property to issuing waiver on the cancellations.
THE INDIAN HOSPITALITY chain is waiving cancellation fees for hotel stays up to April 30, 2020. Those who wish to modify or cancel booking can contact the Leela reservations contact centre’s toll-free number at 1800 1031 444. Guests, who have booked through a travel agent or other third parties, are advised to contact their booking provider for information on their cancellation policies. The brand has also arranged for crossfunctional response teams, including round-the-clock doctor assistance and occupational health experts to provide guidance and help address specific requests when needed.
ALL OF THEIR PROPERTIES are adhering to special sanitising and disinfecting protocols with more focus being paid to hightouch items, surfaces and fixtures, with increased frequency and intensity of cleaning public spaces and back of the house areas. Guests with existing reservations for any future arrival date, including reservations with pre-paid rates, will be allowed full changes or cancellation without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival, as long as the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020.
Furthermore, the expiration of all Club ITC Green Points scheduled to expire until April 30, 2020 have been halted for now. Further, all membership tier changes have also been paused during this period (with the exception of movements to the next higher tier).
THE HOTEL BRAND’S measures include staff briefings to highlight rules and practices of good personal hygiene, provision of medical masks for staff and guests, as well as hand sanitisers that are placed at guest contact areas such as hotel lobbies. Deep cleaning measures have been undertaken in the restaurants, staff lockers and all the public areas, restaurants and meeting spaces across the hotels.
MARRIOTT HAS MADE some temporary amendments to its loyalty programme. Marriott Bonvoy points have been paused until August 31, 2020. The expiration of suite night awards (SNAs) with an expiration date of December 31, 2020, has been extended by one year to December 31, 2021. Additionally, members who currently have an active Free Night Award (FNA) expiring in 2020 as part of their credit card benefit, annual choice benefit, promotions or travel package will be able to use it through January 31, 2021.
AT HYATT, ALL existing reservations that are for arrivals until April 30, 2020, can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival. The introduction of off-peak and peak point redemption has been postponed until 2021. This means that free-night redemptions will continue to be at standard rates for the rest of this year.