Top luxury hotels felled in one (un)clean sweep
With an ever growing middle class and more disposable income, China is on the list of many hotel chains. No doubt the country is the fastest growing market for the hospitality industry. The presence of international hotel companies brings competition and promises that they will all offer you top experiences. I agree – at least the rooms all look great in the photos, but the attached price? Not so much.
Hidden camera recordings showing cleaners at luxury hotels engaged in unhygienic practices highlight one thing: Money does not guarantee a clean environment. Outcry over such unhygienic practices is history repeating itself – it’s nothing new.
While it makes sense for low and mid-range hotels to not give their all to cleanliness, we would all assume that paying extra bucks will ensure that we have a clean and good night of sleep. Service goes beyond the fancy renovation and scented soap or how good the view is, it should come down to hygiene.
As unfair as it is, it might not be wrong for us to assume that Chinese hotels are dodgy. A couple of cleaners who have no regard for the wellbeing of their guests should not be allowed to paint every hotel and their rooms dirty. Having brands like Marriott, Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton and my favorite Ritz-Carlton being all exposed for unhygienic practices makes consumers wonder – are hotels really different?
I have stayed in many hotels and always enjoy striking up a conversation with the staff and housekeepers. Whenever I’m in the room, the cleaners have been nothing but help- ful and polite. I understand that it is not easy work as they need to meet deadlines and often their efforts do not match their pay check. Enforcing standards and vigilance is never easy.
Top hotel chains have already responded with apologies. Whether their reputation has been damaged and will thus lead to business suffering is perhaps too early to tell. People have now become desensitized to such news to the point that even though they wish to care, they know deep down that the situation might not change. Hotels are no doubt putting out a guarantee to ensure that their guests will enjoy the most comfortable and high-end experience – after all, it’s Christmas soon and Spring Festival is just around the corner. Faith restored? Almost a year ago, three five-star hotels in Harbin (Shangri-La, Sheraton and Kempinski) were punished by authorities when undercover video footage revealed that cleaners used the same brush to clean the guest rooms and bath towels, and bed sheets were not changed. For these high-end hotels, their brands draw customers and it is that trust that keeps you going. What is disappointing is that there are fewer differences between the luxury high-end and the mid-range properties. Consumers have every right to not feel happy as they are not getting their money’s worth. Apart from cooperating with investigation and strengthening measures, the tough questions to ask ourselves are: Why does this always happen across cities in China? What are the root causes? and What do we do now? Is handing down penalty sufficient in addressing the problem? Speaking about penalties, Hilton in Nanchang, East China’s Jiangxi Province, was fined a whopping 2,000 yuan ($288.6) by officials for failing to meet hygiene standards. This will cost them aplenty! Maybe it’s time to pack our own bed sheets, pillow cases, towels, kettles, cups and UV lights. Or better yet, have all the hotels charge us the same price since after all, we will not be packing lightly.