Robinsons Hotels And Resorts Plans For Re-opening And Keeping Guests, Hotel Teams Safe From COVID-19

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), hospitality arm of Robinsons Land, is preparing for a soft reopening of select Go Hotels and Summit Hotels and Resorts properties around the Philippines. In preparation, RHR has devised new ways to keep guests and hotel staff safe, including elevated standards of hygiene and cleanliness based on World Health Organization guidelines and Department of Health New Normal protocols.

Throughout the quarantine period in effect since mid-March, RHR has kept over 50% of its homegrown hospitality brands – Go Hotels and Summit Hotels and Resorts – open to service the needs of long-term stay guests, mostly employees from business process outsourcing firms and repatriated OFWs complying with government guideline for auto-quarantine.

With some LGUs announcing its transition from GCQ to MGCQ, RHR gears up for the re-opening of select hotels by June 16, 2020, starting with four of its provincial hotels: Go Hotels Iloilo, Summit Hotel Tacloban, Go Hotels Butuan and Go Hotels Iligan, respectively.

“Since ECQ began on March 16, 2020, we have been closely monitoring the rapidly-changing situation around COVID-19, responding to new information as it arises and preparing for all possible scenarios, with the goal of continuing to safely serve you in our hotels and resorts”, said Arthur G. Gindap, Senior Vice President and Business Unit – General Manager, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts. “We know that people will travel again for leisure and to see family and friends. And when they do, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts will be ready to welcome them back.

In addition to following the guidance provided by the World Health Organization, Philippine government, LGUs, Department of Health and Department of Tourism, RHR also consulted with a top sanitation expert – Ecolab – as they implemented the Circle of Clean protocols.

Circle of Clean is the term for RHR’s elevated standard of hygiene and cleanliness developed with the aim to provide a worry-free stay experience for guests from pre-arrival to post-departure touch points implemented in all Go Hotels and Summit Hotels and Resorts around the Philippines.

RHR’s Circle of Clean Protocols include but not limited to:

• Frequent cleaning and disinfection of high-contact public areas – from touch screens, computer keyboards, to door handles, hand railings, elevators, public bathrooms.
• Consistent use of hospital-grade disinfectant in partnership with industry expert Ecolab, providing trusted products to meet the highest cleaning standards and ensure the peace of mind of owners, guests, and associates.
• Temperature checks, foot bath, hand sanitizers, luggage sanitation and on-property signages reiterating social distancing and personal sanitation guidelines.
• Contactless check-in and check-out via Self-service Kiosks (in select hotels), clear partitions at front desk and UV light sanitation of keycards before issue to guests.
• Personal protective equipment for front office, housekeeping and food and beverage team members.
• Weekly misting in all guest areas and regular deep cleanings as required to protect the safety of our guests and associates.
• Modified food and beverage operations, including launch of pre-order/pick-up/ delivery at Café Summit and shift to pre-packaged set for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Updated furniture spacing in restaurant and function venues to promote appropriate social distancing.
• Best-in-class training programs for hotel staff on enhanced operating protocols at Go Hotels and Summit Hotels and Resorts.

“From the start of the booking journey on our brand websites to the pre-arrival email, we will be communicating our Circle of Clean protocols to our guests and will continue to build consumer awareness over the coming weeks,” said Joy de Mesa, Group Director of Sales and Marketing, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts. “This will include a targeted consumer media campaign to promote the Circle of Clean standards delivered via the hotels’ online channels and media partners. We have already communicated our approach to our corporate clients and in the process of empowering our sales and marketing teams to do contactless presentation and virtual tour of our hotels.”

“We are focused on making sure our associates can put their health first and foremost as we face this situation together. We have implanted the Circle of Clean protocols to help ensure that our associates are safe while on duty such as frequent and proper handwashing, wearing of company provided PPEs, and enhanced operating policies designed to fight the spread of COVID-19,” said Annalyn D. Yap, Director of Human Resources and Operations, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts.

“As we face the challenges ahead, I know we will continue to work on ways to make sure genuine care (“malasakit”) and our bayanihan spirit remain at the core of who we are as a hotel company and as a strategic business unit of Robinsons Land Corporation. This will be a challenge, but it is an exciting one, and one we are more than happy to face, together.” Gindap said.

Summit Hotels and Go Hotels brand websites, social media pages and viber communities shall be updated with additional information on hotel re-opening schedules and its Circle of Clean protocols. For more information visit: www.summihotels.ph and www.gohotels.ph.