Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

eHandbook

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Contents

eHandbook

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................3

Part 1: Going Touchless

Hospitality and Hotel Recovery: Contactless Initiative and Increased Use of Technology (IA Interior Architects) ............................................................................................................4

The World of Hospitality After COVID-19: An Experience Beyond Touch (DWP) .................8

21 Touchless Ideas from Across the Hotel Industry (Cvent) ............................................... 10

Taking Touchless Beyond Check-In (Chicago Faucets) SPONSORED .................................. 13

Part 2: New Standards for Hotel Cleanliness

Enhanced Industry-Wide Hotel Cleaning Guidelines in Response to COVID-19 (American Hotel & Lodging Assoc.) ................................................................................... 20

Hotel Cleanliness Policies in the Time of COVID-19 (HVS) .................................................. 23

Here’s What Hotels and Resorts Are Doing to Enhance Cleaning Standards (Meetings Today) .................................................................................................................. 26

Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations

Reframed Rituals: Evolving Hospitality Trends (NELSON Worldwide) ................................. 30

The Hospitality Industry Seeks to Reinvent Itself With the Adjacent Space (Gensler) .... 32

The Great Staycation (Rapid Transition Alliance) .................................................................. 35

The Hottest New Trend Is Your Backyard (Morning Consult) ............................................... 38

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings and Events

6 (New) Normal Design Considerations for Distancing and Safety in Post-COVID 19 Tradeshow Exhibit Design (2020 Exhibits) ....................................................................... 42

How Planners Are Hosting Large Meetings in Small Ways (Meetings Today) .................... 44

Meeting Room of the Future (IACC) ......................................................................................... 47

During COVID-19, Hold Your Next Meeting Outside (Mulligan Management Group) ......... 50

Part 5: Resources

Case Study: Madison Washington Hotel (Chemetal) SPONSORED ...................................... 52

Technical Brief: Inactivate Airstream Pathogens with UV-C (UV Resources) SPONSORED .......................................................................................................................... 55

Technical Brief: Elevator Renovation … On a Budget (InPro) SPONSORED ......................... 58

Part 6: Products ................................................................................................................ 61

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

eHandbook

Contents

CONTENTSIntroduction |

Hospitality, Redefined and RedesignedEvery industry has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to some degree, but few were hit as

hard as the hospitality industry. As the economy came to a grinding halt last year with lockdowns in

effect for months, hotels, resorts, restaurants and meeting spaces that thrive on people traveling and

gathering faced unprecedented challenges as their doors remained open but with no one coming

through them.

Now, as vaccines are being rolled out to millions and restrictions have been lifted in many cities

and states, business is coming back, albeit slowly. But in what ways will the hospitality industry

need to change in order to welcome guests back safely? How will these public spaces be designed

and operated moving forward? How are people thinking about travel and where they work? What will

the meeting room of the future look like?

This eHandbook attempts to answer those questions and more. Compiling the latest information

and trends from a variety of trusted sources, this resource is intended for building management and

design professionals alike to offer insightful and practical articles on a variety of topics related to

the reopening of the hospitality industry, including:

• Touchless technology

• New standards for cleanliness

• Flexible uses for hotel rooms

• Meeting spaces and events

Each of the articles in this handbook include an excerpt from reports and white papers written

by industry experts along with a hyperlinked Read More button for quick access to the full texts. It

also features helpful resources from our trusted manufacturing partners, as well as a roundup of

products to consider when refreshing or redesigning your property.

We hope you find this eHandbook helpful as you navigate the uncertain, yet hopeful waters

ahead.

Robert Nieminen Chief Content Director

Janelle PennyEditor in Chief

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | IA Interior Architects

In my 18 years of experience in the world of hospitality design, I can say that I’ve never seen our

industry confronted by such a staggering number of questions surrounding the health of our

spaces, our guests and our industry. How will the current pandemic affect the way we experience

travel and hotels? How will public venues (hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs and meeting spaces)

that have served us on a personal and collective level continue to offer the memorable experiences

we’ve come to expect of the hospitality industry? How can our spaces elegantly implement the

social distancing and hygienic standards now required—or exceed expectations?

When asked these questions, I reply with some confidence that I see a strong recovery in store

for the hospitality industry. Not necessarily because of any one proactive effort or innovation our

industry is undertaking, but because of how fundamental travel and exploration are to the human

experience. Over the long term, nothing can change that desire. People will again frequent restau-

rants and travel for work and leisure. Slowly (at first) we’ll return to our familiar habits, but perhaps

with modifications for safety—an enhanced normal, if you will. We may be more cautious and more

aware, and perhaps travellers will gain a certain sense of thoughtfulness and responsibility. But

ultimately, nothing can erase this urge from our DNA.

As designers and architects, it is our first responsibility to make sure our clients, their staff and

their guests feel secure in inspiring settings. While recent events have not permanently impacted

our desire to explore, they have certainly affected what it means to feel comfortable in the built

environment, and therefore how we design for comfort. But designers at IA Interior Architects and

across the industry have found that there are a wide array of protocols, materials, technology and

amenities that can be used to provide guests with gratifying travel experiences, while allowing

Hospitality and Hotel Recovery: Contactless Initiative and Increased Use of TechnologyBy By Veronica Givone | Managing Director, Hospitality, IA Interior Architects

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | IA Interior Architects

properties to respond nimbly to large scale health events like those we are living through today.

The current pandemic has challenged the hotel industry, but when this storm passes, some

of the measures adopted for the short term will eventually become a part of longer-term indus-

try trends and regular features that improve our way of living and traveling. The full capacity of

each property will be engaged as new features and designs not only cater to guest wellbeing, but

strengthen brands, benefiting investors and owners in generating revenue.

CONTACTLESS INITIATIVE / INCREASED USE OF TECHNOLOGYIn many ways, recent events have done incredible things to further conversations surrounding

the role of technology in hospitality spaces. While today’s travelers are comfortable with mobile

check-in applications (often using them as mobile boarding passes for air or train travel), such

services have yet to see much widespread use in the hospitality sector.

But now that these digital tools provide us with alternatives to unnecessary human contact,

services such as Marriott Bonvoy, OpenKey, the IHG app, Zest and countless others are being

much more widely considered, and are likely to become all but ubiquitous. In addition to automating

much of the check-in and check-out processes, many of these mobile applications can now also

support keyless entry, guest services tools, and more, allowing them to be perceived as a first line

of defense in protecting guest and staff health.

More and more we’re seeing technology as a tool for addressing safety and access concerns

by minimizing customer touchpoints. Automated door openings in public areas, public restrooms

and the utilization of facial recognition, voice recognition and gesture control technology can aid

in this effort while also leading to operational efficiencies. Touchscreen kiosks that embrace facial

recognition technology are already in use in several markets, automating the check-in process (by

syncing with AliBaba’s Fliggy reservation system), tying facial recognition to payment authori-

zation and room access, all while automatically updating PMS records. The next iteration of this

technology is likely to move away from touchscreens and rely on voice or gesture control.

ROBOTICS BEING USED IN HOSPITALITY SPACESWhile most industry experts I speak with aren’t

overly concerned that kiosks and apps will dehu-

manize the guest experience, they are generally

divided over the role robotics might play. Robotic

room service, in particular, may be an extreme

response to recent events for an industry that is

built on the value of making people feel at home

through a personal approach and touch points.

I’m not entirely sure that the world is ready to

substitute human interaction with high-level

technology; however, many institutions have found something like a niche in embracing robotics tech-

nology, and have seen it implemented successfully in a number of cases. There is no doubt that

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CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | IA Interior Architects

such steps can ensure more protection for staff and guests, but in many cases we’re seeing that

robots can create a unique attraction that could mean higher occupancy, while also freeing up staff

for more important customer service matters.

The Vdara Hotel in Las Vegas has already adopted a version of this scenario as a unique selling

proposition to generate additional revenue. A robot welcomes each guest to the hotel, guiding them to

their rooms as well as delivering “an array of requested amenities including coffee, sodas, snacks

and personal items from Market Café.” The Hen-na Hotel in Nagasaki, Japan, has all but cen-

tred its business model around robotics, and the Residence Inn by Marriott, near the Los Angeles

International Airport has made waves in the local market by charging $2 per delivery made by its

robotic butler named Wally. Similarly, Yotel brand hotels have embraced delivery, luggage and

customer service robots across 3 of their locations. Thanks to examples like these, more organiza-

tions than ever are taking a serious look at robotics for the first time.

RETHINKING ROOM AMENITIES AND OSE Whether using robotic butlers or not, recent health concerns are forcing us to rethink the delivery

model of certain amenities. While many in the industry are taking a fresh look at how to deliver

sanitized amenities (e.g. placing sanitized toiletries in attractive, branded, and sustainable packag-

ing), others are completely re-evaluating the process in order to minimize contact. Should guests

determine their desired amenities at, or before check-in? Should toiletries be ordered via an app?

These questions and more are now being asked of hotel managers, in most cases, for the first time.

While multi-use shampoo bottles may be disappearing from the list of toiletries kept on-hand by

concierges, it goes without saying that hand sanitizers and face masks will be new additions. Pens,

notepads, alarm clocks and in-room marketing materials, often used and left behind by guests but

not necessarily replaced will most likely be falling out of favour, and will be permanently removed

from guest rooms. Foodservice will also have to adapt, and most experts agree that we can expect

to see an increased reliance on food-to-go options in ready-made portions with disposable and

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CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | IA Interior Architects

sustainable cutlery and glassware, all presented in branded packaging that reflects the hotel’s

identity (or that of the food/beverage provider).

ENFORCING SOCIAL DISTANCING

Formally, the W.H.O. recommends that the accommodation sector remind guests to maintain social

distancing as “a form of hospitality.” In reality however, most properties seem keenly aware that, at

least in the short term, the guest experience will be in no small part determined by the perception of

social distancing and hygiene around them. In response, most hotels have already put into place social

distancing markers and signage to control general crowding. We at IA Interior Architects find most

organizations are viewing this as an opportunity to create a unique, memorable and brand-specific

experience, which has resulted in a number of distinctive and fun solutions.

It has been interesting to see how this approach has meshed with strategies for enforcing social

distancing in restaurant, lobby and lounge spaces. In most cases, clients are simply reconfiguring

seating, where such steps will inform signage and wayfinding strategies. Elevators provide their own

unique problems, and (much like in workplace environments) we’re seeing that elevator usage is

being limited based on usage. Contactless opening tools may just make their way into complimentary

guest gift bags over the short term, until more long-lasting solutions (such as self-cleansing door

handles, for example) are implemented.

READ MORE

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

WHAT COULD THE FUTURE OF HOSPITALITY LOOK LIKE? A NEW PARADIGM

Public spaces in hospitality venues will see immediate changes in the way they function—

most notably in relation to maximum allowable densities and face-to-face service.

This evolution will require existing spaces to be reimagined and could be reflected in the

way future spaces are designed—either to meet ongoing social distancing regulations, or to

future-proof them against any future outlier events. While this relates to lobbies, function rooms,

and wellness and recreation areas, nowhere will these changes be as pronounced as in F&B spaces.

“Traditionally in hospitality, higher density has equated to higher revenue,” says dwp director,

Justin Wells. “Ongoing social distancing measures, however, will see the rise of a new paradigm for

measuring business success—‘available revenue’.” Similar to the metric of revenue per available

room (RevPAR), available revenue will be based on new limits imposed on the amount of seating

The World of Hospitality After COVID-19

Part 1: Going Touchless | DWP CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | DWP

and number of guests allowed in a given space. As Margaret

Heng, executive director of the Singapore Hotel Association, says

“space becomes more important in hospitality design”.

This reduction in density will fundamentally transform the

guest experience. Social gatherings, for example, will likely

comprise planned meetings with known smaller groups, rather

than chance meetings with “unknown others”—and this has

the potential to diminish the variety of experiences possible in

some public areas.

Additionally, as international travel is temporarily restricted and

regional “travel bubbles” are formed, hotels will focus increasingly

on guests holidaying close to home. These local and regional guests

will have different needs, especially around F&B.

AN EXPERIENCE BEYOND TOUCH Hospitality has traditionally been haptic by nature, especially when it comes to communicating luxury.

“The welcoming handshake, the feeling of a luxurious material, the mood-defining nature of softly

curved forms that evoke a sense of wellness, or even the finely crafted surface and heft of a grand

door leading to an exclusive hotel—these will all be compromised in some way in a post-COVID-19

world that values health, safety and hygiene,” says Justin Wells. The result will be the rise of “low-

touch hospitality.”

Sensor-led technologies—including automatic doors, especially in common-use areas, and

touch-free hand dryers and towel dispensers—will become increasingly commonplace. The use

of elevators will also be a strong focus for rethinking, as both social distancing and touchpoints

are problematic in the current situation. As a result, apps that allow guests to call elevators, order

room service, and access their rooms from their smartphones will be increasingly part of the hotel

experience. Contactless payments will also increase, as will the use of voice command devices,

using core technologies from Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

“A reduction in decorative and functional touchpoints—the inability to open and close doors, for

example—limits guest choice and could diminish recognition of quality and brand differentiation,

reducing feelings of satisfaction relating to hotel or other hospitality experiences.”

As a result, global hotel operators are rapidly reviewing the operational touchpoints of their

brands. Kempinski has recently launched the “Kempinski White Glove Service” as a response to

serving customers post-COVID-19. “While we need to give guests full confidence in the cleanliness

and disinfection of our premises and reflect the seriousness of the current situation in all aspects of

our daily operation, we are eager to continue and even surpass our dedicated service a la Kempinski,”

says Benedikt Jaschke, chief quality officer and member of the Kempinski Management Board. Measures

include the addition of sanitizing stations throughout the hotels, and staff wearing bespoke face masks

with the signature Kempinski floral print during all guest interactions—a move that cleverly re-enforces

the brand identity and emphasises its focus on bespoke luxury in every detail.

“This kind of

experience

recalibration has

the potential to

alter the way

guests feel in a

variety of ways,”

says Wells.

READ MORE

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Expert hoteliers are comparing the industry’s response to COVID-19 and the increased

awareness of health and safety when traveling to that of post-9/11 airports. “Hygiene is

the new security,” says Jean-Michel Gathy, the owner of luxury hotel design firm Denniston.

And one of the best ways to maximize the well-being and peace of mind of your guests is to

incorporate touchless hotel ideas into your business and property.

“People always have had high expectations of cleanliness from luxury hotels,” says Montage

International founder Alan Fuerstman. “Now it’s just going to get a little higher. And there’s a ton we

can learn from hospitals. Hand sanitizers located throughout our hotels, hand washing stations for

staff, ultraviolet light and disinfecting wands for cleaning public spaces quickly, more antimicrobial

surfaces in our lobbies and rooms. All of a sudden this is all on the table.”

This means we are in a moment the industry has never seen before. Not only have guests opened

their minds to what the hotel experience can or should be like, they’re also counting on properties

to come up with new ideas, both for now and well into the future.

Luckily, there are a lot of great examples from industry leaders to inspire upgrades and keep you

ahead of the hotel digital transformation boom. Keep reading to discover 21 touchless hotel ideas

ranging from the far-out, such as food delivery robots, to some previously underappreciated systems,

like contactless room keys, that are now making a huge difference in the lives of hotel guests.

21 Touchless Hotel Ideas From Across the Industry

Part 1: Going Touchless | Cvent CONTENTS

By Cvent

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

CONTENTSPart 1: Going Touchless | Cvent

WHAT IS A TOUCHLESS HOTEL? A touchless hotel decreases or eliminates the need for guests to interact with germy, unsafe surfac-

es as much as possible through smart hotel technology that automates common tasks or allows

guests to use their phones for key tasks such as check-in.

1. TRY VIRTUAL PERSONAL TRAINING SESSIONS.The American Club in Wisconsin has swapped in-person yoga classes on their gorgeous outdoor

patio for sessions that people from all over the world can tune into on YouTube. Offer private fitness

consultations, one-on-one workouts, and group experiences all through digital platforms.

2. DIGITIZE DO NOT DISTURB. As Larry Mogelonsky of Hotel Mogel Consulting Limited says, “These are relatively simple additions,

but the added benefit is that they can inevitably help with operational efficiency.” He also notes that

it’s helpful for keeping cleaning teams safe too. Allow guests to control their DND signs through an

app on their phone with your hotel’s branding to elevate the marketing of it.

3. MOTORIZE BLINDS.Support sanitary drape raising and lowering practices by offering a combination of app-based

and voice controls for them. “My mobile device now is like my remote control for life,” says former

Starwood Hotels and Resorts’ CEO Frits van Paasschen. “There’s no reason why that shouldn’t be

your portal to get to your room, ask for what you want, or anything else.”

4. OFFER VIRTUAL TOURS.Show, don’t tell, guests about your latest technology upgrades with virtual tours of the lobby, public bath-

rooms, front desk, elevator, gym, restaurant, and rooms to instill confidence. Add clickable maps

of the property to your hotel website so anyone who stays with you can get directions within the

building or campus to limit unnecessary wandering and overexposure to germs.

5. REDO LOBBY LAYOUTS.Try remodeled movement flows in lobbies and other shared public spaces using diagramming tools to

fully visualize changes before you make them. In fact, a study published in Transportation Research

Interdisciplinary Perspectives proved that unidirectional foot traffic is less effective than other potential

layouts because the method increases time spent in the space, ultimately leading to increased exposure.

Swap this popular layout for ones that help decrease a guest’s amount of time spent in the shared

space for maximum safety.

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READ MORE

6. INSTALL SMART THERMOSTATS.Choose a smart thermostat that offers app-based control over Wi-Fi so guests can change the

temperature without touching the dial. Or, use what’s known as the Zigbee protocol (aka wireless

IoT networks) to avoid slowing down connections. Enjoy the added benefits such as energy cost

savings, greener hotelwide practices, and predictive maintenance features.

7. ADD DIGITAL CHECK-IN.Offer mobile check-in for hotel rooms that allow guests to announce their arrival and even select

their own room from a map of options. Pro tip: Link your check-in process with your rewards

programs to streamline the process and encourage more people to actively engage with it.

8. HAVE MOTION SENSOR FAUCETS.Install them in guest rooms, public bathrooms, spas, gyms, and kitchens to completely eliminate

one of the top 10 germiest spots in homes, with an alarming average of 127,000 bacteria per cm2.

9. GET VOICE-CONTROLLED ELEVATOR TECHNOLOGY.Although this isn’t available yet, “product offerings in the works (at Otis and Thyssenkrupp) include

calling the elevator via cellphone, antiviral stickers for elevator buttons, lobby concierge-run ele-

vators, express service for each elevator ride, ultraviolet-light HVAC purification systems and even

elevator buttons that riders can activate with their feet, voice or hand gestures.” In the meantime,

place touchless antibacterial hand sanitizers directly next to buttons inside and outside of elevators.

10. USE DIGITAL ROOM KEYS.Offer keys a guest can access right from their phone so they can wave it in front of their door and

easily unlock it without ever touching the handle.

To read the rest of the 21 touchless ideas list, click on the button below.

LEARN MORE

EQ Faucet Series

Smart.Designed for easy installation,low maintenance, and waterefficiency, saving time andmoney.

Sustainable.Heavy-duty, one-piece solid brassspout and waterproof electronics,created to withstand the demandsof daily use in guest rooms.

Sleek design.Offered in a range of styles tomatch any restroom décor.

Meet the Next Generation of Touchless Faucetsfor Hospitality

GEBERIT SIGMA80 ACTUATOR PLATES

TOUCHLESSMEETS HOSPITALITY

LEARN MORE

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 1: Going Touchless | Chicago Faucets | Geberit CONTENTS

Taking Touchless Tech Beyond Check-In: How the Low-Touch Experience can Earn High Marks from Guests

As more hotel guests are using their smartphones to check-in and even enter their rooms, touchless

tech is rapidly becoming one of the most essential tools in fighting the spread of the coronavirus

and delivering on guest expectations. Anyone in the hospitality industry knows that even with the

promise of COVID-19 vaccines, the pandemic’s impact will remain for the long term.

The in-room experience is transforming too. Certainly, the most immediate changes available to

hotels have been operational. Many, if not all, hotels have already adjusted in individual guest rooms,

including more intense cleaning protocols, eliminating turn-down service, limiting cleaning services

during guest stays, and removing extraneous bedding like decorative throw pillows. The low-touch

experience has begun entering individual hotel rooms in the form of smart speakers, thermostat control,

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

and even lights. As concerns about cleanliness and safety remain at the top of travelers’ lists, touchless

tech within individual rooms can be an asset that not only adds a level of protection for virus mitigation;

it can also support operations and even marketing.

BATHROOMS WITH A LIGHTER TOUCH.

Bathrooms, especially, are always under scrutiny for cleanliness, and amid a pandemic, guests

are taking even more notice. This is one area that touchless

tech can significantly improve the guest experience. Here are

some of the ways going low-touch and no-touch can transform

in-room bathrooms, in terms of cleanliness and convenience,

as well as design:

Hands-free faucets. Everyone has had experience with touchless

faucets in large, communal restrooms, especially travelers who

frequently encounter them in airports, convention centers, and toll

plazas. Many hotels are beginning to offer the same kind of touch-

less experience in individual guest rooms. For example, Chicago

Faucets produces touchless faucets in a range of attractive styles,

all built to withstand the demands of daily use in guest rooms.

Touchless toilets. These mainstays of high-traffic restrooms

can, with the right style and functionality, upgrade individual

guest bathrooms. Geberit Sigma10 and Sigma80 flush plates for

wall-hung toilets come in a wide variety of styles and activate the

flush using infrared detection. The plates are virtually seamless

and designed to be easy on the hands and also on the eyes.

Wall-mounted fixtures. Traditional floor-mounted toilets require

more hands-on cleaning, with seams and small gaps that can har-

bor water and provide hiding spots for unhealthy dirt, dust, and

germs. Wall-mounted fixtures lift the toilet off the floor, opening

up the entire floor for easy cleaning. Combined with touchless

flushing plates, wall-mounted toilets require minimal touch at all

for use or cleaning.

The Geberit in-wall tank and carrier hides the toilet tank behind the wall, saving space and elimi-

nating an unsightly tank that must be cleaned. The Geberit system is compatible with a wide variety

of wall-mounted toilet bowls from most popular brands, including designs suitable for residential

applications. Read more here about how the historic Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago replaced 300

floor-mounted toilets with the Geberit system during a recent renovation.

Part 1: Going Touchless | Chicago Faucets | Geberit CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 1: Going Touchless | Chicago Faucets | Geberit CONTENTS

CLEAN, GREEN, AND SMART.Increased focus on transparency extends beyond

cleanliness and into other aspects of hotel op-

erations and facilities, including in the pursuit of

sustainable building certifications. According to a

recent survey from booking.com, nearly 70% of

U.S. travelers consider sustainable travel es-

sential, and more than half planned to make

sustainable choices when traveling. The tech-

nology that has made the low- and no-touch

experience possible also enables hotels to de-

liver on this increasingly important expectation

of guests.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 15% of the

water used in commercial buildings comes from hotels and other

lodging facilities, so it makes sense that the industry is increas-

ingly focused on best practices for water conservation, as it serves

as a proof point for sustainability. Smart plumbing fittings enable

operators to reduce unnecessary water usage. Water Sense, a pro-

gram launched by the EPA to assist businesses in using water more

efficiently, recommends installing Water Sense-labeled plumbing

fixtures whenever possible. These certified products have been

shown to save at least 20% less water than standard models.

The full line of Chicago Faucet products and over 120 toilet

combinations from Geberit proudly sport the water sense label.

In fact, Chicago Faucet restroom fixtures exceed Water Sense

standards, using 30% less water than the baseline products.

End Uses of Water in Hotels

Created by analyzing data from: New Mexico Office of the State Engineer, American Water Works Association (AWWA), AWWA Research Foundation,

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 1: Going Touchless | Chicago Faucets | Geberit CONTENTS

Geberit Dual Flush Actuators provide two levels of flush action, low-flow for liquids and standard

for solids, which can reduce water consumption by thousands of gallons per year per toilet. Imagine the

impact that could have in a 300-room hotel.

Water Sense fixtures can save resources outside of the guest bathroom in places like common

area restrooms and kitchens. Chicago Faucets offers a full line of commercial kitchen plumbing

products, including a Water Sense-label pre-rinse spray valve. According to the EPA, replacing just

one of these with a Water Sense model can save 7,000 gallons of water a year.

Touchless Water Sense fixtures are not just clean; they are also “smart.” With the EQ® Series,

faucets can be temporarily disabled through a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone app, making it easier

for employees to handle cleaning and repairs. This type of convenience can have a significant impact

operationally with less time spent on maintenance.

The smart faucets also enable operators to obtain the metrics necessary for LEED and other sustainable

and healthy building certifications, providing building owners with an efficient, real-time way to track

water usage.

Furthermore, the design and durability of fixtures have an impact on a building’s sustainability.

Many Chicago Faucets are designed with interchangeable parts, so upgrading to the latest technology

is seamless and less wasteful. The premium quality of the products translates to long-term durability,

even in the highest-use situations.

WHAT THEY SEE IS WHAT THEY GET.

Consumer confidence is necessary to reviving the hospitality business. Many hotel operators have put

their own cleaning standards and safety protocols in place. There is talk in the industry of creating

certifications that indicate transparent adherence to a set of cleaning and other operational standards.

A recent New York Times article sums up the ethos of the industry — The Most Important Word In The

Hospitality Industry? ‘Clean.’

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Part 1: Going Touchless | Chicago Faucets | Geberit CONTENTS

Even certifications have limitations with-

out transparency. Ultimately, how will con-

sumers evaluate the cleanliness and safety of

a hotel? Evidence that a hotel is taking clean-

liness seriously is reflected in what a hotel

says about its standards and protocols, guest

reviews, and the appearance of the room.

In the post-pandemic world, touchless tech

is the new swanky guest lounge. Even as the

country opens back up again, industry experts

expect guests will retreat to their rooms for

work, relaxation, meals, and working out,

spending less time in shared amenity spaces.

Rooms with low- and no-touch features, from

smartphone-enabled light switches to touch-

less toilets, will be something to talk about

for hotel owners. The sleek design of wall-

mounted and touchless fixtures will make

posting photos of bathrooms on websites and

social media a little more stylish.

Of course, the guest is at the center of

everything a hotel does, which is why word-of-

mouth is and will be one of the most import-

ant indicators of how well a hotel delivers on

expectations. With travelers more inclined

to be put off by lapses in cleanliness that

they might have overlooked before 2020, the

touchless experience will prevail in an era

where guests are hyper-aware of the state of

their rooms.

Together Chicago Faucets and Geberit

have over 250 years of combined experience in

plumbing fixtures, water conversation knowl-

edge, and an unparalleled combination of design

choices. Leveraging company strengths such as

beauty, brains, and brawn enable us to deliver

products that customers want — outfit their

bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor spaces, and other

areas where waterworks, with style, ingenuity, and durability. The changes brought about by COVID-19

and bringing guests (and employees) back to hotels will require all three.

Touchless Guest Bathrooms Made Easy with Chicago Faucets and Geberit

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CONTENTS

Following your normal routine cleaning, you can disinfect frequently touched surfaces and

objects using a product from EPA’s list of approved products that are effective against SARS-

CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease. Cleaning products and protocols should

include EPA-approved disinfectants, or alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol in accor-

dance with CDC requirements for use and effectiveness against viruses, bacteria and other airborne

and blood borne pathogens. Cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on

surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure. Disinfectants kill germs on surfaces. By

killing germs on a surface after cleaning, you can further lower the risk of spreading infection. For

more information, please refer to the CDC guidelines on disinfecting buildings and facilities. Follow

the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product.

PUBLIC SPACES & COMMUNAL AREAS

Surfaces frequently touched by multiple people should be cleaned and disinfected at least daily.

More frequent cleaning and disinfection may be required based on level of use including, but not

limited to, front desk check-in counters, bell desks, elevators and elevator buttons, door handles,

public bathrooms, vending machines, ice machines, room keys and locks, ATMs, escalator and stair

handrails, gym equipment and shower areas, pool seating and surrounding areas, dining surfaces

and all seating areas. To ensure cleaning and disinfection protocols are met, monitor for compliance

on a regular basis. For more information, please refer to CDC guidelines on cleaning and disinfecting

public spaces.

Enhanced Industry-Wide Hotel Cleaning Guidelines in Response to COVID-19 Products and Protocols

Part 2: New Standards for Hotel Cleanliness | American Hotel & Lodging Association

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GUEST ROOMSIn accordance with the CDC guidelines for Workers Information for Hotels, Resorts and Lodges,

guestrooms occupied by the same customer over multiple days should not be cleaned daily, unless

requested. The frequency of room cleaning during a guest’s stay will be based on guest require-

ments. Cleaning and disinfecting protocols will require that particular attention is paid to high-

touch, hard nonporous items including television remote controls, toilet seats and handles, door

and furniture handles, water faucet handles, nightstands, telephones, in-room control panels, light

switches, temperature control panels, alarm clocks, luggage racks and flooring. In accordance with

CDC guidelines, Housekeeping staff should discard all single use items provided by the hotel that

were used by the guest during their stay, or left by the guest. If bulk personal care items are used,

the cleaning staff should clean and disinfect all high touch surfaces in the room including any bulk

toiletry items that may have been used or touched by guests prior to the next occupant.

LAUNDRY

Sheets, towels, and food & beverage linen are the items that are in closest contact with hotel guests,

and should be washed in accordance with CDC guidelines, including washing items as appropriate in

accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Where possible, launder items using the warmest

permissible water setting for items and dry items completely. Items should be collected, processed

and replenished in accordance with established industry and CDC guidelines, including avoiding

the shaking of dirty linens, and bag it in the guest room to eliminate excess contact while being

transported to the laundry facility.

In addition, hotel staff should use appropriate personal protection items, training, and hand

hygiene to ensure their safety, and the safety of their colleagues and guests.

BACK OF THE HOUSE

Cleaning and disinfecting of all high touch areas should occur in accordance with CDC guidelines,

including at least twice per day in high traffic areas. Hand washing stations and access to hand

sanitizer should be convenient and highly visible.

GUEST ELEVATORS & STAIRWELLS

Button panels and handrails should be disinfected at regular intervals, including the beginning of

each housekeeping staff work shift and continuing throughout the day. Also, consider strategies

that minimize traffic in enclosed spaces, including limiting the number of people on an elevator at

one time and designating directional signage in stairwells.

For more information, please refer to CDC guidelines for Employer Information for Hotels and

Employer Information for Office Buildings.

SHARED EQUIPMENT

Shared tools and equipment should be disinfected after each shift or transfer to a new employee.

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ROOM RECOVERY PROTOCOL

In the event of a presumptive case of COVID-19 the affected guest room should be removed from

service and quarantined for at least 24 hours in accordance with CDC guidelines. The guest room

should not be returned to service until undergoing an enhanced cleaning and disinfecting utilizing

EPA approved products within CDC guidelines.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Food and beverage service should reduce in-person contact with guests and cease serving traditional

buffet service and also minimize dining items for increased sanitation. Traditional room service

should be replaced with a no-contact delivery method. Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of food

contact surfaces and utensils, table linens as well as shared objects (i.e. condiments) and removal

of unused items (i.e. glasses, silverware) on tables before and after guest use. Portion controls

should be emphasized to reduce food exposed for long periods. Sneeze and cough screens should

be present at all food displays. Minimal items should be placed on guest tables to allow for effective

disinfection in between each guest, including condiments, silverware, glassware, napkins, etc. For

certain segments, the use of single-wrapped food items, prepackaged foods and ‘grab & go’ items

should be the preferred method of food delivery.

VENTILATION & WATER SYSTEM CHECKS

After a prolonged shutdown, properties should ensure ventilation systems operate properly in

accordance with manufacturers’ guidance and provide acceptable indoor air quality for the current

occupancy level for each space in accordance with CDC guidelines including:

✔ Adjust ventilation to allow for maximum amount of fresh air to be delivered to occupied spaces.

✔ Consider high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration units to remove contaminants in the air

of poorly ventilated areas.

✔ Please refer to the CDC Interim Guidance for Business and Employers and COVID-19 Employer

Information for Office Buildings for additional guidance on best practices.

In addition, assessments of property water systems should be conducted in accordance with

the CDC Guidance for Building Water Systems that provide a step-by-step process for reopening

water systems after a prolonged shutdown. For additional information, please visit ASHRAE for more

information on building operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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CONTENTS

OUTBREAK AND THE INITIAL RESPONSE AT THE HEIGHT OF IMPACT

COVID-19 has posed challenges never seen before by the hotel industry, requiring owners, managers,

and brands to take new precautions to keep both guests and staff safe. The industry faced the

added challenge of not only creating a safe lodging environment but also creating the impression

of security to give guests the confidence to travel again. As the virus rapidly spread around the

globe, brands quickly got to work on creating new standards to implement throughout their chains;

however, local owners and management companies needed to take immediate steps to address the

pandemic and make changes that best reflected the most up-to-date science at that time.

As occupancy levels plummeted and average rate (ADR) suffered, many hotel operators decided

that the best way to limit their losses was to temporarily suspend operations and close the hotel.

Of the hotels that remained open, the changes made at the individual properties varied given the

lack of uniformed brand standards at that time; however, many operational changes were common

throughout the industry and implemented by most hotels.

These changes included closing or limiting guest access to many amenities such as business

centers, pools, and fitness facilities. In addition, most select- and full-service hotels closed their

food and beverage (F&B) outlets, while limited-service hotels stopped offering complimentary

breakfast or reduced their offerings to a pre-assembled grab-and-go continental breakfast. In

addition to making hotels safer, these changes had the added benefit of helping hoteliers reduce

costs. Another adjustment that helped, both in terms of safety and from a cost perspective, was

limiting housekeeping. Many hotels stopped offering stay-over guests daily housekeeping services

and would only clean the room after a guest checked out or every three to five days for guests

Hotel Cleanliness Policies in the Time of COVID-19

Part 2: New Standards for Hotel Cleanliness | HVS

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staying more than a couple nights. Many hotel operators would also let a room sit vacant for 24 to

48 hours after a guest checked out, before sending housekeepers to clean that room. Furthermore,

it was common for management to strategically place guests in a way that limited the number of

occupied rooms per floor. Given the low occupancy levels, most hotels had enough inventory that

room turnover was not a concern. Similar to the reduced F&B offerings, the room changes helped

operators manage labor costs by being able to limit the number of days housekeeping staff was

needed each week.

WHERE WE ARE NOW

All the major brands have released guidance for the franchisees, laying out their new cleaning

protocols and brand standards, such as IHG launching its “Way of Clean” program with its “Clean

Promise,” Hyatt’s “Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment” building on their existing safety and

cleanliness protocols, Marriott assembling a Cleanliness Council to implement its “Commitment to

Clean” initiative, and Hilton launching its “CleanStay Experience” and “EventReady Playbook.”

Common procedures across the brands have included the production of branded signage stating the

new safety precautions in place and promoting social distancing. After the initial shortage in hand

sanitizer, it is now more readily available and hand sanitizing stations are positioned throughout

public areas in most hotels. Most front-desk areas have partitions in place to provide a physical

barrier between guests and staff, many hotels are requiring face masks for both staff and guests,

and all the brands have increased the frequency of which they clean public spaces and high-touch

areas, such as elevator buttons.

Since occupancy has increased, most hotels are back to having housekeeping staff available

seven days a week; however, housekeeping services remain reduced for guests staying more than

one night, including linens being changed only upon request. When guests do check out, rooms

receive enhanced cleanings that include renewed focus on high-touch areas such as light switches,

door handles, television remotes, and thermostats. Other common changes include non-essential

items being removed from the guestroom, including pens, notepads, and excess furniture, as well

as door seals being placed on the exterior of guestrooms once housekeeping has finished and the

room has been inspected and verified as meeting the respective brand’s updated cleaning policy.

With brand guidance in place, many hotel amenities are beginning to reopen. Many full- and

select-service hotels have reopened their F&B outlets; however, it is still common for these outlets

to have reduced hours, decreased seating, and limited menus. While many limited-service hotels

still have not ramped up their complimentary breakfast offerings, some hotels have reintroduced

complimentary hot breakfast but have replaced the buffet-style service with take-away containers

prepared by staff based on the items requested by the guest. Where allowed by state regulations,

many pools and fitness centers are operational again with increased cleaning schedules and new

signage restricting the use of some equipment to ensure social distancing.

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REMAINING CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PLANS

Since the peak of the pandemic’s impact, occupancy and ADR have been trending upwards, attributed

primarily to both the recovering economy and the implementation of new brand standards; however,

many challenges remain. In addition to the financial challenges still facing the industry, hotel oper-

ators continue to face hygiene-related issues pertaining to COVID-19.

Despite the notable steps and cleanliness guarantees offered by the brands, many guests are

still cautious while staying in hotels, which has led to some unforeseen challenges at the property

level, such as guests traveling with their own cleaning products. Often the products brought by

guests are much harsher than what is necessary, leading to increasing wear and tear on many FF&E

items. Some brands, such as Marriott, have begun providing disinfectant wipes within their gues-

trooms as a way of discouraging guests from using their own cleaning products. Furthermore, the

politicization of mask wearing has posed challenges for local hotel operators when trying to enforce

this policy in public areas.

In addition to the challenges at the property level, brands are still diligently working to improve

the way they respond to the pandemic. While demand increases within the commercial and leisure

segments have been realized, demand growth within the meeting/group segment remains stagnant.

Brands are continuing to improve the way they host meetings and larger events, again with a focus

on providing both a safe environment and the perception of safety.

Another notable change is the fast tracking of the technology that allows for mobile check-ins

and contactless stays. While some brands, such as Hilton, were working on this long before the

pandemic, COVID-19 has encouraged many other brands, such as Best Western, to speed up their

plans and make the option of a mobile check-in a priority.

As the science and our understanding of the virus continue to improve, and as brands and local

hotel operators gain more experience dealing with this pandemic, industry best practices will continue

to evolve.

READ MORE

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CONTENTSPart 2: New Standards for Hotel Cleanliness | Meetings Today

Here’s What Hotels and Resorts Are Doing to Enhance Cleaning Standards

By Sarah Kloepple

Communities across the globe have worked to curb the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the

curve—and some are now beginning to take cautious steps in their preparations to reopen.

When it is safe to meet and travel again, it won’t be hard to spot the new normal, especially

when it comes to hotel stays and events.

In an effort to create a safer environment for guests and employees when doors are open again,

major hotel chains and resorts—including Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt—have unveiled some form of

a new health and sanitation plan for their properties.

Nearly all plans from the different companies include increased frequency of cleaning and

disinfecting rooms and public areas as well as providing additional safety training and personal

protective equipment to employees. They differ in other strategies, including some who are imple-

menting new technologies (thermal cameras, UV light) and two chains who plans to appoint Hygiene

Managers or Officers at each property.

We break down what you need to know about each plan, and we will update this list as more

hotels and meeting facilities share their reopening strategies.

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LOEWS HOTELS

Loews Hotels has launched the Welcome You Like Family campaign at its 26 North American properties.

The campaign—which uses video, photography, digital experience platforms and on-property

touchpoints to express how the brand wants to welcome and care for guests like family—has been

under development for more than a year.

“While deeply ingrained in our DNA, this message resonates now more than ever in the age of

COVID-19, and there couldn’t be a better time to stand behind what makes Loews unique in the

industry,” said Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, in a press release.

Welcome You Like Family is also the title of the brand’s new health and safety protocols, which include:

• Guests and employees are required to wear face coverings/masks.

• All employees and vendors will undergo temperature checks prior to entering the hotel.

• Hand sanitizer stations have been added to front desks, spas, fitness centers, elevator landings,

meeting rooms and other high traffic guest areas.

• Limiting the number of passengers for each elevator ride (the number will vary in each hotel), and

face coverings/masks are required in elevators.

• Guests can download the Sonifi app to their smart phone and will be able to turn the television

on and off as well as change the channel.

• For meetings and events, Loews will re-work your set up, organize your entry and exit flow,

collaborate on meals and menus with as much variety and creativity as possible, etc.

HILTON EVENTREADY

Hilton has launched a cleanliness and customer service initiative specific to meetings and events:

Hilton EventReady. It’s considered the next phase in its Hilton CleanStay (listed below) program.

EventReady aims to “arm event planners with tangible, plug-and-play solutions to activating a safe

and responsible, as well as engaging, event,” according to a press release.

The three key tenants of EventReady include:

• Cleanliness protocols: Events and meetings at Hilton properties will follow the cleanliness and

disinfection protocols and standards outlined in the Hilton CleanStay program. This includes

room seals for meeting rooms and sanitizing stations in public areas and meeting spaces.

Planners will also receive an EventReady Room Checklist for assurance.

• Book-to-billing flexibility: This includes working with customers to provide flexible pricing,

space options and contract terms. The program will also have “responsive offers to meet the

needs of customers,” such as simplified agreements for small meetings. Hilton will also provide

its EventReady Playbook, outlining expert guidance and resources for planning post-pandemic,

including options for hybrid meetings to connect with attendees in remote locations.

• Safe and socially responsible solutions: Hilton will offer creative physical distancing solutions,

from room sets to meal service.

“We’ve been listening really loudly to our customers over the last many weeks through a variety

of forums—feedback sessions, direct conversations, research, surveys,” said Frank Passanante,

senior vice president of Hilton worldwide sales, Americas. “And what they’ve been asking for from

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us are guidelines, leadership and to provide terms and creative solutions around the entire event

experience. [EventReady] is a holistic program.”

ACCOR

Accor has launched not only an initiative to ensure enhanced safety and sanitation with ALL Stay

Well, the hotel chain has also established an iniative with protocols and procedures specifically for

meetings and events, ALL Meet Well. Here are highlights from both of those iniatives:

ALL Stay Well

• Mandatory screening for all guests and employees, which may include a temperature check.

• Masks provided to all guests and worn by all employees.

• Increased cleaning and disinfecting frequency, with continued use of EPA-registered disin-

fecting chemicals.

• Cleaning time sheets displayed.

• Welcome letter communicating cleaning procedures, amenities available upon request and

protocols in public spaces.

• A welcome greeter to manage queues to promote physical distancing.

• Hand sanitizer stations in key areas throughout hotel.

• No housekeeping service while guest is in room.

ALL Meet Well

• Flexible cancellation for all meeting- and event-related room reservations in 2020.

• Mandatory screening for all attendees, which may include a temperature check.

• Gloved and masked welcome greeter offers hand sanitizer and mask upon arrival.

• Larger aisles and directional signage for one-way aisles.

• All setups will allow 6 feet between chairs.

• Increased outdoor and private spaces available for meetings and events.

• Eliminate all buffets and self-serve options.

• Provide options that include self-contained vessels for service, or all items either wrapped indi-

vidually or served individually with a cover on each plate.

OMNI HOTELS & RESORTS

Omni Hotels & Resorts launched the Omni Safe & Clean initiative to update and enhance the com-

pany’s cleaning guidelines and to implement new processes and procedures to protect guests’ and

employees’ health and safety. The initiative includes:

• Conducting health screenings and temperature checks for employees before they begin their

shift. Once cleared, they will receive a sticker to wear that says “I’m Cool” so guests know the

employee is healthy and permitted to work.

• Providing PPE and hygiene best practices training to employees.

• Placing signage at properties that detail proper hygiene practices such as hand-washing and

physical distancing reminders.

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READ MORE

• Increasing the frequency of the sanitation of high-touch surfaces such as the front desk

counter, guest room keys, elevator buttons and door handles.

• Placing hand sanitizer stations throughout properties.

• Redefining space capacities in high-traffic areas.

• Updating seating capacities and room sets in meeting and event spaces.

FOUR SEASONS HOTELS AND RESORTS

Luxury hospitality chain Four Seasons collaborated with Johns Hopkins Medicine International—

the global division of Johns Hopkins Medicine—to create its new health and safety program, Lead

With Care, and to provide ongoing guidance as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. According to a

press release, the program will be reviewed and validated by Johns Hopkins Medicine experts and

implemented at Four Seasons properties around the world. Protocols in the Lead With Care program

include:

• Appointing a Hygiene Officer at each property.

• Disinfecting guest rooms daily with EPA-approved products and performing blacklight inspections.

• Cleaning public areas hourly, with extra attention on high-traffic areas such as front desk

counters and public restroom.

• Exploring such new technologies as electrocstatic sprayers, ozone technology for air purification

and UV technology.

• Placing “Lead With Care kits” in each guest room to provide masks, hand sanitizer and

sanitation wipes.

• Embedding physical distancing measures.

• Possibly operating restaurants and bars with reduced capacity.

• Training employees on Lead With Care procedures.

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Reframed Rituals: Evolving Hospitality Trends

AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT FOR HOTELS TO INNOVATE

The events of last year have fundamentally changed the way consumers engage with environments.

Hotel brands must embrace a new, innovative mindset to better prepare for the future. Traditionally,

hotel experiences are highly ritualistic, and each stay is carefully crafted to cater to individual rou-

tines. From checkout and concierge, to breakfast buffets and fitness spaces, brands must optimize,

amplify, reinvent, and even eliminate familiar rituals to cater to new lifestyles for both the guest

and employee.

These reframed rituals could be minor, but we may also see brands

experiment at a larger scale by allowing guests more visibility and con-

trol in their experience. Thinking about these important touchpoints and

the service component connected may help get to the root of how hotels

can pivot their offerings. Now and in the future, smart lifestyle brands will

invest in four key drivers in 2021: partnerships, convenience, day-usage,

and outdoor experiences.

DEDICATED DAY-TIME SERVICES

Traditionally hotels have catered to the overnight guest; except in unique

situations, a hotel is the bookend of a traveler’s day. With the expected long-

term increase in remote workers, there is an opportunity to provide specific

daytime services. Offering private offices, co-working spaces, or Zoom suites,

REFRAMED RITUALS:

The innovation of

optimizing, amplifying,

reinventing and even

eliminating established

rituals accross the

hotel experience —

purposely considering

the impact on guests,

staff and strategic

partners.

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with minimal adjustments to the guestroom, allows hotels to

have a flexible offering throughout the day.

Hotels should invest in providing an approachable entrance and

lobby experience that engages instead of excludes. Whether it’s

the ability for local residents to grab a cocktail with friends or an

add-on offering for overnight business guests, re-thinking how

space is utilized could potentially be a leading revenue generator

of the future.

INDUSTRIOUS X PROPER HOSPITALITY

Hotel operator Proper Hospitality and co-working leader Indus-

trious partnered to turn some of Proper’s luxury hotel suites into

private offices. The suites can accommodate up to six people

depending on the location. Visitors will receive free WiFi, coffee, an

extra computer monitor, printing access, and a digital subscription

to The New York Times, to name just a few of the perks.

“Hotels already have

the infrastructure to

accommodate business

professionals: the

layout of guest rooms

with private restrooms,

the inclusion of office-like

business centers, in-room

coffee and snacks

offerings, and convenient

locations across the

country.”

-Rachael Leson, NELSON Worldwide

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The Hospitality Industry Seeks to Reinvent Itself With the Adjacent Space

The hospitality industry has suffered greatly because of the global pandemic. This is due in

large part to its dependence on bringing people together and its relationship to essential

human activities such as work, travel and eating out. At the moment, everything we do has

been dramatically upended, which is what has the hospitality industry rethinking its purpose.

If the very meaning of work and home has changed, what does that mean for hotels?

If we take a deep breath, ideally of fresher air, we can glean some perspective on developing oppor-

tunities in the hospitality sector — namely in the serviced apartment, aparthotel and long-stay market.

These types of spaces were already drawing a lot of attention from investors and operators before

the pandemic. The impact of working from home and where people decide to live while working — and

for how long — is expanding the market for what can collectively be referred to as the Adjacent Space

(adjacent to the traditional hotel).

From luxury boutique operators like Cheval Collection in the U.K., to large scale operators like

Accor and Marriott, specific hospitality events curated by IHIF, and many variations along the way,

developers, owners and others are pursuing these alternatives with a reinvigorated focus due to

the COVID-19.

By Tom Lindblom

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In fact, the trend is expanding beyond the traditional hotel market. On its own merits, serviced

apartments and their many variants present opportunities to improve upon how we can live and

work in our cities, the suburbs, the countryside, and even more traditional holiday destinations.

Here are a few “what if” scenarios that we can use to frame the potential for the market now that

the pandemic has changed the landscape and potential demand for hospitality products:

What if… the impact of remote working and where people decide to live — and for how long — is

opening up the market?

What if… Saturday and Sunday aren’t the only days of the week that are weekends? Staggered

working hours and work weeks can create a different model to combine travel for work and leisure.

What if… the trend of fewer people being able to afford home ownership continues?

What if… we could reduce the size of our living spaces? By offering other amenities in the property

or neighborhood where we are living, this reduction in living space becomes a possibility.

What if… we were able to take a week or a month to work from Paris, Miami, London, Vancouver, or Lagos?

Or in a place that’s by the sea, a lake, the mountains or an island? Destinations hit by the global halt in

travel, such as Anguilla, Barbados, Estonia, Georgia and Croatia, have launched programs offering favorable

visa and travel options targeting nomadic workers who are fortunate enough to have options to work from

elsewhere.

What if… an aparthotel or serviced apartment could be designed for better mental and physical

well-being and ultimately allow for more productivity? Our homes are not always the best places to

work and focus.

There’s clearly an emerging market for the “adjacent space,” and many in the hospitality industry

are already positioned to take advantage of the trends we’re seeing. Some have already keyed into this

new strategy. Here are three examples from a variety of markets that show the diversity and potential

upheaval these opportunities present.

CHEVAL COLLECTION

Cheval Collection’s experience in London and the U.K. during the pandemic show the resilience in the

serviced apartment sector. According to Daniel Johansson, director of Development and Acquisitions at

Cheval, they’ve seen enough to consider expanding their offerings.

Cheval units are self-sufficient with kitchens and laundries in each apartment, creating a more secure

and safe domestic setting. In mid-March 2020, this allowed Cheval to accommodate several guests who

needed to remain in London professionally, but could not stay in any hotels due to the shutdown.

Now that travel to London has opened up since July, Johansson has noticed that guests are combining

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multiple business obligations into one trip to be more efficient. This means that they’re staying longer

and in need of the domestic settings Cheval has to offer. Cheval is offering to turn second or third bed-

rooms into an office if requested. Guests are also able to book their housekeeping on an as-needed

basis and cook their own meals as desired for the extended stay.

When asked whether a decline in travel to urban destinations (outside of London and Edinburgh

in particular) could have an impact on their future plans, Johansson said that Cheval is optimistic

about the future for urban travel and this remains their focus. That said, the brand is currently

considering new opportunities and options in typically leisure destinations.

THE ACCOR GROUP

Several observers have dryly noted that we are not working from home, rather we are living in the

office. The Accor Group, which operates hotels in over 100 countries, is offering daytime stays for

people looking for an alternative to what may be a less than inspiring WFH experience.

Called the Hotel Office (a playful riff on the home office), the accommodations have creative rates,

increased cleaning and safety protocols, and date flexibility. The favorable rates (most options are

less than $100/day as of this writing) also include access to the amenities and conveniences of the

hotel. Accor’s pitch is to offer an option between home and the office for people needing a different

kind of focus and experience.

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In the Northern hemisphere, summer is arriving and many families are deciding what to do for

their holidays; trying to balance concerns about their finances and their fear of COVID-19 with

their desire for fun and relaxation. With airlines mostly still grounded, and many facing funda-

mental questions over their futures, the pandemic may instead be pushing a revival of creative

holiday making nearer to home, with potentially huge benefits for crisis hit local economies. Many

are finding it a good time to look at other ways to take a break and cut their carbon emissions in

the process.

The reduction in travel during the pandemic and people’s willingness to find simple pleasures

closer to home bode well for the ‘staycation’ — holidaying at home or in the home country — and

for reducing carbon emissions. Many countries dependent on tourism are caught in a double bind.

Opening the floodgates to visitors could bring foreign income to their struggling economies, but

it could also risk a life-threatening second wave of COVID-19, as well as spell bad news for their

attempts to slow climate change.

The increase in international tourism has been staggering, rising from 25 million visits in 1950 to

over 1.4 billion today — a 56-fold increase. However, alongside the economic benefits that tourism

brings, are related rises in carbon emissions. Simply changing our holiday habits could make a real

difference; transport-related emissions from tourism represented 5% of all man-made emissions in

2016 and was expected to increase to 5.3% by 2030. Recent International Air Transport Association

(IATA) predictions expect COVID-19 to create a substantial but temporary dip in demand for flying

of 60-80% in 2020, with long-haul flights back to pre-COVID19 levels by 2024 under a business-as-

usual scenario. But some voices in the tourism industry are questioning whether now represents an

opportunity to rebuild in new, more sustainable ways. The culture of staycationing is one example

The Great Staycation

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Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations | Rapid Transition Alliance CONTENTS

of a new norm that could be cultivated; it’s cheap, possible and easily scalable — an ideal vehicle

for rapid transition.

The concept of sustainable or eco-tourism has been around for some years, but it is often a niche

issue focused on exclusive wildlife trips that feed into efforts to support a specific ecosystem,

species or community. It can typically also still involve richer travellers taking a flight to reach their

destination.

Up until the coronavirus pandemic hit, the demand for flights continued to grow globally by 5%

each year, and international flights are still not included in national emissions figures. According to

the IATA, in 2016 there were a staggering 3.8 billion air travellers, a number it predicts will nearly

double to 7.2 billion passengers by 2035. Most of this boost in traffic is predicted to come from the

Asia-Pacific region (which includes Asia, Australia, and New Zealand), with China set to overtake the

U.S. as the largest aviation market in the world around 2024 and India set to displace the UK for

third place around 2025. No country yet has a plan for reducing aviation in line with agreed climate

targets, and so long as international flights continue to be excluded from national carbon emission

statistics, there is little incentive to do so.

However, even before the pandemic hit, there were also signs of new holiday habits emerging. In 2018,

for example, more people from the United Kingdom travelled abroad than any other nationality. But there

are signs of a generational and more general shift, with more than half of 25- to 34-year-olds

planning to increase the number of holidays they take domestically, and around one third of all those

already taking holidays in their own country planning to do more so. In the same study, over half of

tourist businesses also reported an increase in domestic tourism in the two years up to 2019.

WIDER RELEVANCE

Staycations provide an opportunity for people to rethink holidays — especially those interested in

experiences and in outdoor activities. Growth in the experience economy could be beneficial to our

environment and to our wellbeing — but only if it replaces flying and other high consumption trips.

Visiting a remote village in the Himalayas to do yoga or live simply with nature is not very sustain-

able if it involves a long-haul flight to get there or a stopover in Dubai to pick up some shopping in a

vast air-conditioned mall. But if bird watching in your own country, taking a train journey or learning

to paint become more mainstream holiday offers, then people, local economies and the environment

could all benefit.

Ironically, many of the worlds tourist destinations that generate large numbers of emission-

generating flights are also particularly vulnerable to climate change. Coastal tourism is the largest

component of the global tourism industry, as more than 60% of Europeans choose beach holidays.

Sun and sand tourism also provides more than 80% of U.S. tourism income.

Yet coastal regions and tropical islands are more likely to be affected by extreme weather events

linked to climate change and threatened by rises in sea levels. In the Caribbean, it is estimated that

a one metre sea level rise would result in the loss or damage of 21 airports, inundation of land sur-

rounding 35 ports and at least 149 multi-million dollar tourism resorts being damaged or lost. Over

100 countries also benefit from the recreational value of their coral reefs, which are now largely

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under threat as a result of sea temperature rises. Coral reefs contributed $11.5 billion to global

tourism, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 2014 report. It says

coastal systems are particularly sensitive to three key drivers related to climate change: sea level,

ocean temperature and ocean acidity. Sea level rises will mean that coastal systems and low-lying

areas increasingly experience adverse impacts such as submergence, coastal flooding and coastal

erosion.

The other end of the weather spectrum is similarly affected by climate change, but this time it’s

the effect of warmer winter weather on ski resorts. Temperatures in south-central Colorado have

risen two degrees Fahrenheit on average since 1988. In California’s Lake Tahoe region, home to

more than a dozen ski areas, warmer temperatures since 1970 have pushed the snow line uphill

1,200 to 1,500 feet. Winter season lengths are projected to decline at ski areas across the United

States, in some locations by more than 50% by 2050 and by 80% by 2090 if greenhouse gas emis-

sions continue at their current rate, according to a 2017 study.

Only about half of the 103 ski resorts in the Northeast will be able to maintain an economically

viable ski season by midcentury, another study found in 2012. Some US ski destinations are investing

in energy-efficient snow-making machinery in an attempt to extend the season and still appeal

to more environmentally conscious skiers. Other resorts hope to keep their businesses going by

packing more people into a shorter ski season by making skiing less exclusive and offering cheaper,

dormitory accommodation. In the Alps, the ski season has shrunk in recent years from 150 days to

just 120, with some fearing it could further fall below 100. In the Alps, half the glacial ice has already

melted. A study published two years ago in The Cryosphere, a journal of the European Geosciences

Union, predicted 70% less snow in the mountains by the end of the century, threatening a $30 billion

ski industry driven by more than 60 million tourists a year.

Some actors in the tourism sector have already seen the writing on the wall and are working to

change attitudes in the tourism and leisure activity industry. Protect Our Winters (POW) is a U.S.-

based social enterprise which since 2007 has encouraged outdoor enthusiasts to work together

to achieve climate protection. Its recent initiative, called The Outdoor State, will mobilize more

than 50 million people in the U.S. aged 18 or older who regularly play outdoors to vote together for

policies that would prevent climate chaos. This population could be bigger than the largest state in

the U.S., dwarfing California’s 39.5 million residents. The outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia

has funded climate action activities and advocacy for decades through their programme Patagonia

Action Works. And organisations such as Conscious Travel are developing a model for sustainable

travel that refocuses on purpose and aligns this with planetary health.

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Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations | Morning Consult CONTENTS

Morning Consult is a global data intelligence company delivering insights on what people think in real time. By surveying tens of thousands across the globe every day, Morning Consult is unmatched in scale and speed: It determines the true measure of what people think and how their decisions impact business, politics and the economy. Industry leaders rely on Morning Consult’s proprietary technology and analysis for real-time intelligence to transform information into a competitive advantage.

The Hottest New Trend Is Your Backyard

WITH MANY AMERICANS TIMID ABOUT VENTURING TOO FAR AWAY, STAYCATIONS, WHETHER IN YOUR OWN HOME OR AT A LOCAL HOTEL, ARE HAVING A MOMENT

• Roughly a quarter (26%) of U.S. adults have taken a staycation during the pandemic.

• 40% said they’re likely to take one still, and 58% said they will post-COVID.

• Hotels, Airbnb hosts and other travel destinations have noticed the trend, as more of their guests

have been locals.

Tuscany is off the table, but how about an at-home wine tasting? That boutique hotel you’ve had

your eye on is a flight away, so how much is the one down the street charging?

With about half the country canceling their vacation plans this summer, or with international trips

scrapped due to travel restrictions, many are getting restless to break their routine or indulge in

something that roughly resembles rest and relaxation. Enter the staycation.

Just 17 percent of U.S. adults said they’ve taken a vacation this year, but 63 percent have at some

point in time taken a staycation — a portmanteau of “stay” and “vacation” in which a person carves

out time for a vacation at home or close to home — and 26 percent have taken one amid stay-at-

home orders, according to new Morning Consult polling.

Another 40 percent said they’re likely to take one still during the pandemic, and 58 percent said

they’re likely to take a staycation after the virus is under control, a boon for businesses looking to

cash in on the trend. The poll, conducted Aug. 9-11 among 2,200 U.S. adults, has a margin of error

of 2 percentage points.

By Alyssa Meyers

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

At the Three Sticks winery in Sonoma, Calif., co-founder Prema Behan has seen more California

and Bay Area locals than usual since reopening within safety guidelines.

Most visitors now tend to come up from Los Angeles and San Diego, Behan said, whereas before

the pandemic, people were traveling from around the country.

Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations | Morning Consult CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

“Typically at this time we would have visitors from all parts of the United States, and that has

definitely changed,” Behan said in an email. “We’re lucky to have pretty steady visitation with the

weekends being fully booked within the guidelines” after the winery converted its parking lot into a

lounge with private seating.

The percentage of bookings made on Airbnb Inc.’s platform from users traveling less than 200

miles to their destination has increased from one-third of all bookings in February to over half in

May, according to a survey released by the home-sharing platform in June. Tripadvisor Inc. has

also found that the public is 45 percent more likely to say they’ll take a staycation as opposed to

travelling further.

The Morning Consult poll shows that 40 percent said they would feel more comfortable taking a

vacation without leaving their state, while only 6 percent said they would rather travel out-of-state.

Thirty-eight percent said they do not have a preference, and 15 percent offered no opinion.

Sarah Unger, senior vice president of cultural insights and strategy at Civic Entertainment Group

LLC, a marketing services firm whose clients include Airbnb, has been tracking travel trends long

before the pandemic.

While the most obvious reason for the recent interest in staycations is that they’re the safest

travel option consumers have these days, Unger added that lockdown restrictions have compelled

people to explore activities and attractions close to home that they never felt urgency to experience

prior to the pandemic.

“When you visit somewhere, you tend to do lots of activities because you want to make the most of

your time, but when you live somewhere you tend to put things off for the future,” she said. “People are

realizing what their local areas have to offer out of necessity, because it’s not as safe to go further.”

The economic downturn is also financially crippling millions of consumers, making long distance

travel less sensible if local attractions are available, Unger said.

Trend data from Deloitte supports her point: As of July 11, 27 percent of consumers said they

planned to spend less on travel over the next four weeks. And the new Morning Consult poll found

that 42 percent of adults who took staycations during the pandemic said they spent less than $50

on the experience. A quarter said they spent between $51 and $100, 18 percent spent $101 to $200

and 15 percent spent more than $200.

NobleDEN Hotel, a boutique hotel in New York City, has noticed a similar trend to what Three

Sticks winery found since reopening on June 1. Nowadays, almost all of its guests come from

Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, the Bronx or New Jersey, said Morgan Humphries, the hotel’s

general manager.

“We don’t have any ‘vacationers,’ so to speak,” he said. “They can’t do anything they’d normally

come to do, because everything is closed down.”

The hotel is filled instead with locals, Humphries said, some apartment hunting after ending

leases to move home when New York City became the epicenter of the coronavirus, and some simply

looking for a change in scenery.

Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations | Morning Consult CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

City-dwellers are the group of consumers most eager to travel again, according to search intelligence

company Captify, representing more than 30 percent of those who said they feel positive about

resuming travel.

And New Yorkers in particular seem to be particularly keen on local travel. Airbnb hosts in the

state earned more than $5.8 million from June bookings made by guests who live within 300 miles of

their destination, the home-sharing company said. Hosts in Oneonta, N.Y., earned 198 percent more

from local bookings this June than they did over the same month last year, while hosts in Albany saw

an increase of 161 percent in local bookings.

READ MORE

Part 3: Trends — Office Spaces and Staycations | Morning Consult CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

As the tradeshow industry considers the next steps towards its safe return, 2020 Exhibits

is actively working to provide our clients with creative solutions to achieve their event

marketing goals keeping in mind the needs for safety and practicality in our changing

world. Without question, health and safety are the top priority. And as we work with clients

through the design process, we are making very conscious and contentious decisions to tailor our

design strategy and solutions to fit a project and offer opportunities to move forward with the best

design and experience possible.

Everyone will have high expectations for safe, healthy layouts and protocols post COVID-19, and

attendees will be wary. It’s essential to ask and consider how you might re-imagine the exhibit expe-

rience for your team and your attendees? How can you personalize the experience? How can you

increase comfort levels for attendees traveling through your environment and your team as they

engage in this next trade show?

Our team is thinking differently about connection, re-imagining exhibits and experiential design.

And as we outline protocols and suggestions, we look forward to collaborating to create, iterate and

solve for the “new normal” for tradeshows for the foreseeable future. We are with you, all the way to

the next show. As we travel down this path together, for starters, here are six (new) normal design

considerations for distancing and safety.

1. SANITIZING STATIONS

Sanitizing stations are the cornerstone of new normal, throughout permanent and semi-permanent

environments, such as a trade show exhibit. As we create engaging and impactful exhibit environments,

we will incorporate rental and purchase solutions for hand sanitizing and device charge/sanitize sta-

tions. Keep in mind that sanitizing stations lend themselves to marketing and branding opportunities to

complement your exhibit properties through graphics, AV and branded personal protective equipment.

2. BARRIERS & DIVIDERS

These are now all too familiar to everyone, as a form of safety and protection for visitors, attendees, and

your trade show exhibit team. Virtually any space where people usually are within 6 feet of another

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | 2020 Exhibits CONTENTS

6 (New) Design Considerations for Distancing and Safety in Post- COVID-19 Tradeshow Exhibit Design

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could require safety barriers in some form—greeting counters, demo stations, presentation theatre

seating, hospitality bars, seating areas, conference rooms. We can integrate boundaries and barriers

into designs by applying different materials, shapes and printing to compliment your branding and

exhibit aesthetics.

3. SOCIAL & PHYSICAL DISTANCING

To create a welcoming environment in today’s tradeshow world, guests need to feel they have room to

move throughout an exhibit while maintaining social distance with exhibit staff and other visitors. The

layout and design for exhibit properties, stations and product displays need to accommodate spacing

and create a logical flow throughout. In some cases, a less is more approach may be required for a

physical product on display and the number of booth staff on a stand at a single time. Adjustments

in approach to meeting spaces will be taken based on client preferences and the number of meeting

attendees.

4. WAYFINDING/SIGNAGE/MESSAGING/AV

Graphics, signage and flooring all contribute to the overall event experience. Visual indicators such as

floor graphics ensure social and physical distancing and provide an excellent way to help attendees

and guests navigate your space. Carpet/flooring design through inlays and printed applications can

help define exhibit flow and compliment the overall booth design. Going big with graphics and AV can

help communicate messages to attendees from greater distances.

5. SAFE DISTANCE SEATING & LAYOUTS

Space limitations from physical distancing require a new way of thinking for conference rooms,

theater/presentation areas, lounges, meeting areas and more. Exhibit design will carefully consider

best practices.

6. CONSIDER HYBRID EXPERIENCES — THE PHYSICAL & THE VIRTUAL SPACES

Virtual experiences allow brands to extend their tradeshow presence beyond the hall to visitors

not yet ready for in-person events and everyone longer than the duration of a show. Virtual expe-

riences can extend the experience, strengthening pre-show, and post-show opportunities for

interaction and engagement. Virtual also gives brands more opportunities for interaction and engagement

on the show floor. In-person, private meetings can be conducted via webcam to ensure social distancing

or to include those participants unable to attend an event.

In this new normal, everyone is thinking differently about connection. We know that new ways of physical

and social distancing will be a way of life in the post-COVID-19 world. And that we all will have higher

expectations for both hygiene and safety protocols in our face-to-face engagements.

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

In late September, a directive from the Nevada governor allowed the state—including meetings

mecca Las Vegas—to host up to 1,000 people at an event. But (and a major “but” at that),

a venue would have to meet certain requirements to do so, including dividing attendees into

separate groups or rooms that hold no more than 250 people or 50% capacity, whichever is less.

As some government regulations like this at the time of this writing are still intact around the

country to curb the size of meetings and events in response to COVID-19, smaller meetings—some-

times held in multiple rooms or locations—with a virtual component are becoming an appealing

choice for planners.

This is where creativity and collaboration can really abound for MICE professionals when it comes

to hosting a large meeting in a small way.

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | Meetings Today CONTENTS

How Planners Are Hosting Large Meetings in Small WaysBy Sarah Kloepple

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | Meetings Today CONTENTS

MULTI-LOCATION MEETINGSLast fall, global conference centers association IACC introduced MultiPod, a multi-location connected

meetings approach where a planner can host a live meeting with anywhere from two to 10 IACC-certified

venues around the globe to lessen the number of attendees in one location and separate them by region.

The different groups, or “pods,” can then interact virtually.

This not only reduces the perceived or real risk of bringing a large group together in the time of COVID-

19, it can also be more cost effective and broaden an organization’s reach.

“You’re also just being a more forward-thinking organization,” said IACC CEO Mark Cooper. “If you adopt

this process, and your organization has a culture or objective to be seen as a thought leader or pioneer

in any industry, then this is embracing a more modern way of doing something and can really add to the

objectives of the meeting, as opposed to being seen as a traditionalist organization that’s finding it diffi-

cult to break away from the way we used to do things in 2019.”

Cooper said the MultiPod approach was inspired by a planner with whom he worked, and the two real-

ized it still might be difficult to bring a large number of people together in one location even if government

restrictions were lifted.

With MultiPod at IACC-certified venues, attendees can expect well-developed technology solutions and

a dedicated in-house AV staff to help steer the virtual ship. Cooper says that IACC venues also have the

propensity to collaborate with each other.

“They already have this openness to working together,” he said. “Even though the venues are not aligned

in terms of ownership or brand in any way, they share customers and have a good relationship. So we

thought of it much like the peeling of an onion—there’s multiple layers to this approach that involve more

than just technology.”

Cooper said the standard number of locations for potential MultiPod events so far, from planners looking

into the approach, has been around two or three. IACC plans to host its annual conference next March

in five different locations: Toronto, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas and Los Angeles. People will be able to

attend virtually as well.

DRIVE-TO MEETINGS

As planners look to ease attendees’ minds about the risk of COVID-19, some CVBs in smaller locales

are finding that their ease of accessibility by car and smaller size are becoming more of a selling point.

“That’s definitely a twist that we’re putting on our sell,” said Jessica Bittman, director of sales for

Delaware’s Greater Wilmington CVB. “We’re advertising even more to our drive-to market—not just for

meetings, but also for leisure travelers and things of that nature.…The fact that people can drive here

and not have to go on an airplane is going to be a huge sell for us, as planners look into future years.

And also the fact that we are a smaller city.”

Bittman added that she always likes to remind planners that Delaware is tax free.

“Right now, ROI is really important,” she says. “[Being tax free means] it’s a quick savings right off the

bottom line, to not have to pay tax on your room rentals and whatnot.”

Farther north in Albany, New York, director of sales for Discover Albany Jay Cloutier said that lead activity

has been somewhat drive-market related.

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“We are getting those regional RFPs that view Albany as reachable by a bigger number of attendees

because of centrality,” he said. “We have seen lead activity based on that. It’s an easier drive market

for a bigger block of potential attendees.”

This past August, Albany hosted an event for a hockey association at the Capital Center, where 25

people met in person to discuss pressing issues pertaining to their sport and COVID-19. The other half

of attendees were conferenced in via Zoom.

“I would point to that as a success story,” Cloutier said. “These individuals are incredibly passionate,

and they saw some challenges with their work that required them to get together in person.”

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

With some travel and meeting restrictions still in place, creative solutions like MultiPod and putting more

focus on regional, drive-to destinations has proven to be a boon for planners when it comes to in-person

opportunities.

For more information on MultiPod, visit iacconline.org.

“This isn’t a commercial operation for IACC,” Cooper said. “This is IACC helping to bring together the best

solutions and create the framework…So do come to us, even if you’re only thinking about it conceptually,

because we’ll be happy to talk through the approach.”

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Our survey of meeting planners in the 2017 and 2019 Meeting Room of the Future reports showed

that there is agreement that meeting venue environments strongly impact how delegates interact,

learn, and communicate, resulting in increased productivity. As planners source out the spaces

that foster the most productivity, there are several things they look for and according to venues,

the types of physical spaces they look for are vastly different today than they were five years ago.

Venue operators’ description of their dream meeting room perfectly matches those of meeting planners’

from our 2019 report:

1. Open

2. Flexible

3. Bright

4. Fun

5. Well-equipped with technology

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | IACC CONTENTS

Meeting Room of the Future

Meeting Space at Chateauform’ La Ramee, Belgium.

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Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | IACC CONTENTS

How much do you agree with the following statements related to the meeting space:

1 = Strongly Disagree, 10 = Strongly Agree

Meeting room lighting impacts the attendee experience of the meeting/conference

8.8

It is important to have plenty of networking spaces outside of the meeting room for informal gatherings

8.6

It is important to have the flexibility to change layouts in meeting rooms easily during the day

7.9

My clients are looking for different meeting space environments today than they were five years ago

7.1

It is important to include the use of outdoor areas in meetings

7.0

Nick Hoare, chief operating officer at etc.venues in the U.K. and U.S. comments on the findings:

“These findings are certainly supported by our continuous evolvement of new venues with the latest

one being Chancery Lane London. The venue offers built-in AV, all day service, artistic flairs and

architectural quirks across meeting rooms as well as spacious lounge areas. There is a balanced

contemporary workspace design with an urban street feel that has been designed to inspire, interact,

and get creative in a more stimulating and inclusive setting. The venue features a vast opening

lounge with both formal and informal zones to work, rest, and play. We are very much in tune with

what our customers are looking for and Chancery Lane is an example of a great collaborative space

coming away from the traditional offering of syndicate rooms and trainer’s offices.”

etc.venues Chancery Lane Venue, London, UK

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COVID-19 PERSPECTIVE

Post-pandemic, there will be heightened demand for spaces that limit exposure and reduce the

likelihood of getting infected. Some examples of venues and rooms that will hold higher priority

are: rooms with more than one doorway to offer delegate flow by dedicating one entrance and

one exit, private but spacious group social

spaces immediately outside the meeting room

and venues with limited or no access to the

general public in key areas. In addition, venues

with modern quality hard top desks (rather than

clothed tables) will be best suited to maintain

the highest standards of sanitation.

Nick Hoare of etc.venues further comments

“we are adapting our operations by offering

25% more room free of additional charges.

We can offer many of our spaces exclusively

which will minimise exposure to general public

or other groups. It will be interesting to see if

demand for certain venues will increase as repurposing and remodelling of client’s office space is

considered, with the creation of more collaboration and creativity areas replacing rows of desks.

In addition, working from home may become more of a norm and might result in a greater need for

teams to come together in a more structured environment offered by smaller meeting venues.”

Nick Hoare of etc.venues, UK & US

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Sunny days are upon us, followed by star-studded nights. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you

could bring your typical indoor event outside? The answer is you can…but you need a plan!

Focus on how to make the most of the great outdoors, so every one of your attendees can

feel safe and engaged.

COVID-19 PLANNING GUIDELINES:Sweat the Small Stuff.

If you are planning an outdoor event, you still need to consider:

• Lighting: Do you need it? What kind of light is best – LED, pinpoint, or overhead? Work with your

venue’s A/V specialist to discuss options.

• Sound: Do you need microphones and a sound system? Remember that sound travels over longer

ranges outside, so a sound system may not be necessary. Also, each person that speaks will need

to sanitize their mic with an alcohol wipe before handing it off.

• Heaters: Does the venue offer them? How much heat does it put out, and over what area? Have a

few on standby just in case.

• Seating: Are people spaced six feet apart at the tables?

• Linens: Do you need them? If the tables are in great shape, there is no need for them. However, if

the tables and legs need a makeover, spandex linens are a good option.

• Centerpieces: Do you want them? LED candles for an evening event can provide a creative component

to the table setting.

• Hygiene: Have plenty of hand sanitizers and disposable wipes on hand.

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | Mulligan Management Group CONTENTS

During COVID-19, Hold Your Next Meeting Outside

By De-de Mulligan

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 4: Rethinking Meetings & Events | Mulligan Management Group CONTENTS

Place Goody Boxes at Each Place Setting.

Include in the box a disposable mask, sunglasses, sunscreen, aloe, and bug repellent. Many attendees

will be thankful for the gift and it’s a good reminder of your event.

Provide Shade for a Daytime Function.

Strategically placed umbrellas, chairs under trees, and providing a tent are all good options.

Remember, it is usually 10-15 degrees cooler in the shade.

Keep Bugs Under Control.

An outdoor event can draw all kinds of insects, from bees to mosquitos. Ensure the venue is swept

two-three days before for nests and then spray for mosquitos 12, 8, and 4 hours before the event.

Select Technology Carefully.

Outside events may or may not require the same technology as indoor functions. Check into the

lumens on the projector, whether mobile technology can easily be viewed in direct sunlight, and

make sure all A/V cords are secured to the ground and hidden out of sight. Lastly, make sure the

Wi-Fi works effectively outside.

Make Sure Your Food and Beverage are Contactless.

No buffet or butler style service should be available. If you have an open bar, have plenty of hand

sanitizer, Clorox wipes, and napkins on hand.

Have a Different Date Locked in if Inclement Weather Strikes.

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR MEETINGS

• It’s considered the safest way to meet in a COVID-19 world.

While it isn’t impossible to get coronavirus outside, the risk is greatly minimized, especially if

individuals are at least six feet apart.

• Fresh Air and Sunshine.

Nothing invigorates a team like getting outside from the four walls of a conference center. Also,

according to the World Health Organization, 15-20 minutes of sunshine fights depression and can

ward off illness.

This article was originally published on the Mulligan Management Group website.

READ MORE

Part 5: Resources | Chemetal CONTENTS

Metal Designs and LaminatesPrefinished Wood Veneer LaminatesHPL Design Laminates

Order free samples online.Start at chemetal.com.

metal / wood / laminate

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 5: Resources | CHEMETAL CONTENTS

Aged brass and copper accents abound in the Gettys Group renovation of the Madison Washington, a Hilton Hotel, located in downtown Washington D.C. The transformation is said to reflect the resolute legacy and the bipartisan social abilities of Dolley Madison, distinguished as “The First First Lady” for her side-by-side work with her hus-band, President James Madison, in helping to save a young, newly independent America in its battles with England in the War of 1812.

Project photos show common areas as well as The Madison’supscale lounge, inspired by Dolley Madison’s refurbishment ofthe 1801 White House, especially its grand living room.

Chemetal #325 Statuary Brass, a brushed, aged brass designmade by Chemetal in the company’s Easthampton, Massachusettsheadquarters is found throughout, decorating doorways andaccent areas in this voluminous space. It’s one of many brassdesigns Chemetal offers, including aged, brushed and polishedversions of this warm and luxurious metal.

According to Meg Prendergast, principal at the Gettys Group,“Our goal was to give a more expansive feel to the space,modernizing the activity flow and creating optional differentiated experiences. We focused on meeting theprogrammatic needs of today’s guest, who require different activations of the environment throughout the day including quiet workspaces, grab-and-go food options, and playful social spaces.”

Chemetal combines contemporary and traditionalaesthetics at the Madison Washington, a hotel

named after a famous first couple.

Chemetal #325 Statuary decorates doorways at the Madison Washington.

(cont.)

Notes on a hospitality project featuring Chemetal.

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 5: Resources | CHEMETAL CONTENTS

Chemetal #906 Brushed Copper Aluminum accents a fabulous bar area.

Copper elements add to a breathtaking bar and lounge. And truth be told (TBT in the modern age) it’s not even copper. It is metal, anodized aluminum, a durable, beautiful and cost effective Chemetal “Classic Metal.” Chemetal offers many Classic Metals in its 700 and 900 Series, in both HPL metals (a metal foil on a laminate backer) and Anodized Classics, a massive collection of decorative metal sheets emulating the looks of stainless, brass, bronze and in this case copper, in relatively easy to fabricate aluminum. Chemetal can cut these sheets to size, for example, accent strips, and even add a tape backer to aid installation.

“Metal brings luxury and style to any design space,” says Chemetal President and Creative Director Geoff Schaefer, “and the huge collection we offer and the services we provide make it easier to specify and install. We’re honored to be included in this project with such well regarded companies as Gettys Group and Hilton.”

Chemetal #906 Brushed Copper Aluminumaccent base in reception.

Chemetal #325 Statuary Brass throughout.

See more and order samples. 800 807-7341 | chemetal.com

Keep staff safe and eradicate microbial growth 24/7/365 with easy-to-install and affordable germicidal solutions from UV Resources. Our effective and flexible UV fixtures slash surface bacteria and cut transmission of airborne pathogens throughout your facility.

*CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).

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• CDC finds that germicidal UV-C helps control disease transmission*

• Mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens such as bacteria and viruses

• Improve quality of air for employees and customers

• Full line of upper-room, on-the-fly and coil disinfection solutions

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The Leader in UV-C Disinfection and HVAC Efficiency

Germicidal UV-C Disinfects Air and Surfaces

UV Resources Upper-Room GLO™ 310 fixture shown

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undreds of scientific studies over the past century have proven the disinfectant efficacy of Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation

(UVGI or UV-C) energy, having first inactivated viruses and other microbes on surfaces in 18771 2, in water3 in 1910 and in air4 in 1935. The 2019 COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is no exception. Both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ASHRAE now include UV-C as a recommended mitigation strategy to slow the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.5 Disinfection Experts The founders of UV Resources pioneered the application of UV-C energy in HVAC equipment nearly 25 years ago. Today, the company helps facility managers disinfect airstreams, interrupt the transmission of airborne infectious diseases, and inactivate microbial contaminants that impede HVAC efficiency. Inactivating Airborne Pathogens The UV-C electromagnetic radiation is well-absorbed by microbial DNA and RNA—disrupting the cell’s protein structure—inactivating the microbe and rendering pathogens unable to replicate. Instead of relying on a chemical reaction, UV-C uses energy to damage the microbial DNA/RNA, preventing pathogens from infecting or reproducing. There are three primary means of deploying UV-C for air and HVAC surface protection against infectious agents: 1) Upper-Room or

Upper-Air UVGI, 2) HVAC airstream disinfection, and 3) HVAC coil/surface irradiation. For the purposes of this paper, we will focus on HVAC airstream inactivation. HVAC Airstream-Disinfection Systems UV-C air disinfection systems can be installed in air-handling units, HVAC ducts, or air distribution systems to inactivate microorganisms and disinfect airstreams “on-the-fly.” It’s important that specifying engineers and installing

contractors understand that pathogen inactivation rates are influenced by UV-C intensity, length of exposure (aka residence time), UV lamp placement and lamp life cycle. Many operational conditions also factor into this equation, including the target pathogen and its susceptibility to UV-C; exposure time and the airflow (duct length, volume and velocity); the air temperature and RH; and the duct material reflectivity. More specifically, UV-C dose is determined by the amount of

H

TECHNICAL BRIEF

The DLX-N™ high output, ultraviolet NEMA-4 fixture from UV Resources efficiently disinfects HVAC/R airstreams, cooling coils.

The Leader in UV-C Disinfection and HVAC E�ciency

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germicidal energy a pathogen absorbs over a specific length of time. Therefore, UV-C dose is a function of time and intensity. It is important to note that UV-C operates by line-of-sight; it inactivates only what it can see (e.g. the inside of a closed drawer cannot be disinfected unless the drawer is exposed to the UV energy). Conclusion Despite eight decades of research and thousands of successful applications, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that has shifted building manager’s perception of the germicidal technology from HVAC energy savings accessory to a healthy and safety necessity. Now, the market is starting to view UV-C along the same must-have components as air filtration. What’s more, germicidal UV has been recognized in the CDC’s guidance for office buildings,6 health-care facilities7,8

and dental settings.9

1 Downes, A., Blunt, TP. The Influence of Light upon the Development of Bacteria. Nature 16, 218 (1877). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1038/016218a0 2 Downes, A., Blunt, TP. 1878III. Research on the effect of light upon bacteria and other organisms Proc. R. Soc. Lond.26488–500. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1098/rspl.1877.0068 3 Grant KC., Sterilization of polluted water by ultra-violet rays, Engineering News 1910; 64(275). 4 Wells WF, MW Wells, TS Wilder. Viability of B. coli exposed to ultra-violet radiation in air, Science 1935. 82:280-281. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1126/science.82.2125.280-a 5 CDC. (2020). COVID-19 employer information for office buildings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/office-buildings.html

6 IBID, 1 7 Sehulster, L., & Chinn, R.Y.W. (2003). Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5210a1.htm 8 DHHS. (2009). Environmental control for tuberculosis: Basic upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation guidelines for healthcare settings. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2009-105/pdfs/2009-105.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2009105 9 CDC. (2020). Guidance for dental settings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/dental-settings.html#EngineeringControls

The Leader in UV-C Disinfection and HVAC E�ciency

Give your elevators a lift

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with Ricochet® Flexible Wall Protection.

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 5: Resources | inpro CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

We’ve written before about elevator interiors and their role in enhancing building occupant and guest

impressions. In addition, we have made the case that you may spend millions on a major interior reno-

vation … or maybe just thousands on a new coat of paint

and other items to refresh the décor. But, leaving an old,

damaged, dark and dingy elevator cab out of the renova-

tion budget may leave your beautiful upgrade project with

a serious black eye.

On the other hand, what if you don’t have millions to

spend? What if your elevator cabs just need some light

refreshing due to simply the age of the cab or some minor

to moderate damage from daily use?

Good news … you don’t have to break the bank! Instead

of re-doing the entire cab, focus on the part that needs

fixing and tackle that. Here are 3 component change-outs

that won’t drain your coffers, and can be accomplished in

a day or less to reduce cab downtime.

1. NEW PANELS AND TRIM

The elevator panels/walls are what truly make up the

appearance of the cab. These panels can look like or

be made out of just about anything you can think of.

Elevator panels take a beating — from hospital beds to

luggage carts, tenant move-ins and outs, construction equipment,

vandalism and just about anything else people can cram or ram

into an elevator.

New panels, reveals, toe kicks and friezes come in a broad

array of patterns colors and textures. The inclusion of logos and

graphics can help carry and reinforce a client’s brand message as

shown at right.

Elevator renovation … on a budget

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2. NEW CEILINGS AND LIGHTING

Elevator ceilings come in many different styles while lighting for the most part is generally halogen,

incandescent or fluorescent. Lighting may not seem to be a big deal, but when you take into consid-

eration that in most cases these lights stay on 24/7, they are running for 8,760 hours a year. That’s

a lot of energy … and money!

Another important aspect of the elevator is the amount of lighting in the cab. People are more

comfortable in a well-lit interior and a brighter ceiling can make the cab look newer and cleaner with

an increased lighting output.

3. NEW HANDRAILS

You may not think much about handrails in your elevators, but they can make an elevator cab look

complete, and also provide stability – something to grasp – while the elevator stops and starts. Typically

this is not a big deal, but if you are elderly or injured and need all the support you can get, it is a welcomed

sight, that also helps reduce the risk of a fall. Because of this, some states have codes requiring handrails.

One other aspect of handrails to consider – they can act as a wall guard, too, by providing a stand-off

from the wall to reduce the chance of a cart or dolly strike on the panel. Handrails that double as wall

guards come in different shapes, sizes and finishes.

READY TO START?

Let Inpro help give your elevators a lift! Download our Elevator Transformations Lookbook to get

lots of cab renovation ideas.

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

BOX SOCK FROM FIL DOUX TEXTILES

The Box Sock collection is expanding

with five new patterns—Pegasus,

Artemis, Hera, Rhea and Gaia. As a

modern, machine-washable bed skirt

alternative, Box Socks offer a quick,

convenient and affordable upgrade

to hospitality properties with guest

accommodations. The collection is

available in 11 washable patterns

total, which collectively offer 60 col-

ors to choose from. The proprietary

fabric blend has memory control

allowing it to stay snug against the box spring with no unwanted movement or stretching. Because of the

inherent memory of the polyester and lycra blend, it will bounce back to its original shape once it is placed

back on the box spring.

www.fildoux.com

BRISA FROM ULTRAFABRICS

After recent testing in partnership

with Novawall, the results confirmed

that PVC-free performance fabric

Brisa, when combined with a 1-inch

acoustic fiberglass system such

as Novawall, is an excellent sound

absorber for typical hospitality set-

tings, office and healthcare spaces.

It provides a NRC (Noise Reduction

Coefficient) of .65 with its highest

absorption in the midrange frequen-

cies.

www.ultrafabricsinc.com

Part 6: Products | CONTENTS

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Redefined and Redesigned: Hospitality Spaces in the COVID Era

Part 6: Products | CONTENTS

EL ALMA FROM TARKETT

Available in 10 unique yet intercon-

nected patterns, the new El Alma col-

lection draws inspiration from tradi-

tional motifs and embroidery visuals

developed by Latin American cultures,

spotlighting the artisans and commu-

nities who have long kept these crafts

alive.

Each pattern has a fully customizable

palette, the most elaborate of which

includes 14 colors. The collection also

features a variety of constructions to

meet the needs of different spaces

within the hospitality environment—

five of the collection’s 10 patterns are

designed as Axminster, while the others

are machine-tufted to offer a variety of

construction options.

www.tarketthospitality.com

FLOAT SERIES FROM BRADLEY

The new Float series is one of three

Euro style partitions recently released

from Bradley. It features a modern min-

imalist design with a twist—with the

feet and headrail hidden from sight, it

creates the impression that the partitions

are floating on air, while still securely

anchored to the floor and walls. The Float

series is robust and durable, and makes

it easier to clean floors with its recessed

design. Its soaring appearance, flush fin-

ish construction and high-quality material

make the Float series an elegant yet

resilient solution for any hospitality

space.

www.bradleycorp.com

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HYGIENIC LEATHER FROM POLTRONA FRAU

Enhanced with an innovative graphene

finish with natural antiviral and anti-

bacterial properties, technology spear-

headed by Directa Plus, the latest line

of Pelle Frau leathers showcases how the

design world continues to prioritize well-

being. All Pelle Frau collections, including

ColorSphere, the brand’s new collection

which features 73 dynamic shades, can

be specified with this new finish, for safer

upholstery.

www.poltronafrau.com

LIVING WELL FROM SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

The Living Well collection is an inspired mix

of colors and paints chosen to invite a sense

of comfort, style and well-being into a space.

It features 11 color palettes and includes

two innovative products—SuperPaint with

Sanitizing Technology and SuperPaint with

Air Purifying Technology—that offer dura-

bility and performance, and require no spe-

cial tools to apply.

www.sherwin-williams.com

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NEW HORIZONS FROM KIREI

New Horizons is a customizable

collection of five EchoPanel acous-

tic products that facilitate health-

ier interior environments. Defined

by clean lines and minimalist tex-

tures—made from 100% PET plas-

tic, containing 60% post-consumer

content—the collection is a nod to

a “new horizon” of acoustic design.

Comprising EchoEdge, EchoLine45,

EchoLine Subway, EchoEmboss

and EchoTile Ascent, the collection

joins an existing suite of celebrated

EchoPanel products—a portfolio of

decorative, acoustically-absorbent

panels with a felt-like finish.

www.kireiusa.com

PURE+ UPTOWN FROM ARCHITEX

Pure+ Uptown channels the

Chicago-cool neighborhood with

a penchant for fashion, jazz and

the eclectic. The upholstery col-

lection includes five patterns—

Purebotanica, Puredeco, Puremod,

Puremontrose and Purevogue—

and is offered in 35 colorways.

PureTech Plus+ patterns offer all

the great performance qualities

of the original Pure Tech but with

the added protection of moisture

barrier backing performance.

www.architex-ljh.com

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TAKING ODDS FROM DURKAN

Taking Odds is a Precision Dye Injection (PDI)

carpet tile collection aimed at enhancing hos-

pitality interiors, featuring innovative technol-

ogy designed to address the specific needs

of casinos and gaming centers. The collection

includes 25 high-resolution pattern designs

in six color groupings. If desired, customers

can further customize patterns with uniquely

curated palettes. Through Synthesis technol-

ogy, Durkan’s patented process, the collection’s

design options are innumerable. The Synthesis

process layers pattern and texture to provide

the highest quality 3D images with unparalleled

clarity, resulting in a unique layering effect of

tremendous depth and richness.

www.durkan.com

TRANSPARENT OLED TOUCH FROM LG

The Transparent OLED Touch digital signage

display helps assure guests that they are being

provided a safe, healthy environment with

safeguards that address the challenges of the

pandemic. In hotel lobbies, the touchscreen can

help facilitate contactless check-in and can

also be used as a more engaging, aesthetically

pleasing divider than plexiglass between tables

and lounge areas. The 55-inch display uses

projected capacitive (P-Cap) film technology

for a highly responsive, accurate touch expe-

rience while still allowing significantly greater

transparency than conventional transparent

LCD displays. These displays are customizable

and expandable, and they can stand alone or be

combined to create a giant, transparent touch

video wall.

www.lg.com