Hyatt follows in Marriott’s footsteps, and will require guests to wear face masks while inside their hotels.
Hyatt will require guests to wear masks
Effective July 27, 2020, and for the foreseeable future, Hyatt will require guests of all properties in the US and Canada to use face covers in all interior public spaces.
Hyatt defines public areas as hotel lobbies, meeting and event spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers. Hyatt notes that some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including guests with medical conditions, guests who consume food or beverages in restaurants, and children under the age of two.
This follows the recently released recommendations of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), which has created a “Safe Stay Check List for Guests”.
This is a positive and backward development. We know that facial coatings help slow the spread of the coronavirus, and it’s a small way we can do our part to stop the spread while trying to get on with our daily lives.
Hopefully, Hyatt hotels will do a decent job enforcing this new requirement. However, given the lack of compliance I’ve witnessed with hotel employees wearing masks, I’m not sure I’m so optimistic.
Hyatt guests must wear masks indoors in public areas
AHLA’s new coronavirus checklist
As previously mentioned, this follows AHLA’s recently released new guest checklist, intended to show how guests can travel safely while creating a standardized security experience across the country. This checklist includes the following:
- Demand facial coatings in all interior public spaces and practice social distancing in all common areas
- Choose contactless options, when available, including online reservations, registrations, and payments
- Consider daily cleaning of the room, only if necessary; ask the hotel about your options
- Request delivery of room service without contact
- Refrain from traveling if you have, or have recently had, any symptoms of COVID-19 or contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19
Hyatt properties have physical distance markers in public areas.
Bottom line
Starting July 27, Hyatt guests in the US and Canada will be required to wear face masks whenever they are indoors in public areas. This is a great initiative, and I imagine we will see more hotel groups soon.
What do you think of Hyatt’s new guest mask requirement?
