Hotels feel the burn of COVID-19
MENDOCINO COAST >> Since the March 18 shelter in place order went into effect in Mendocino County, hotels along the coast have been legally obligated to refuse or cancel reservations for non-essential travel.
Because of the restrictions, some hotel owners like David Queen, who operates the Emerald Dolphin Inn, have experienced frustration directed toward them from travelers who have been turned away from the hotel.
“We’ve been yelled at, cussed at. I’m not sure if there’s been anybody left like bad reviews online yet or not, but I’m sure that’ll happen too,” Queen said.
Hotels in Mendocino County are still accepting reservations for “essential travel,” which was defined
most recently in an April 10 order from the County Health Officer, Noemi Doohan.
“A lot of them will have letters now, if they’re from bigger companies,” Queen said. “Or, we have a form that they have to fill out and sign to attest that they’re here for reasons.”
In Doohan’s order, hotels — defined as a place of residence — may lodge residents who are traveling for essential activities, businesses or government functions.
Essential travel as defined by the order includes: travel for medical care, education, to return to their place of residence, by court order, shelter for the homeless, safety from domestic abuse and to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
To ensure that travel is for essential services, Jason Hurst, part- owner of the Harbor Lite Lodge, has had to question his guest’s intentions, but he says that it hasn’t resulted in many confrontations.
“When we were canceling their reservations, in the beginning, more people were upset about not being able to keep the reservations that they had already made,” Hurst said.
“Ever since then, people have been mostly understanding.”
According to Hurst a majority of his lodgers are pharmacists, truck drivers, construction workers and long term residents — including a couple in the middle of a move — and a young man who Hurst says lost his home in a fire soon after the shelter in place began.
The Harbor Lite Lodge lost a significant amount of business due to the restrictions according to Hurst, currently housing an average of only five rooms per week which is far below what he needs to maintain his property.
“If I rented maybe ten rooms, I’d be able to cover the cost of maintaining a property, as it is currently staffed,” Hurst said. “But it is what it is. That’s what we have to do, you know, we’re obligated to do that.”
The shutdowns are specifically difficult for hotels going into summertime, which according to Queen is the Emerald Dolphin’s main source of revenue. Queen hopes that the shelter in place order is lifted soon so that business can return to normal.
“They’re causing more problems than they’re stopping,” Queen said.
While business is slowing for the local hotel industry, Hurst believes that it is a worthwhile sacrifice.
“This isn’t about my health and wellbeing, it’s about the health and wellbeing of everyone around me,” Hurst said.
“Even though I may not be sick, I may not know that I’m sick and it’s my responsibility to protect everyone who’s a part of my community.”