Quarantine hotel stays, while definitely not a concept we ever envisioned until forced by circumstances to do so, have become a reality during the past year. Some hotels from across the world have offered their space and services during lockdowns to help quarantined travelers. Some are even lucky enough to open their doors to regular travelers, but at the same time also support the ones who need to isolate themselves.
In many of these cases guests, whether they’re just enjoying a regular trip or are in the unfortunate position of having to quarantine, have mixed feelings and opinions. This can range from frustration at their movements being limited even though they are not ill, to actually being ill and needing special care and attention in a distanced, contactless way. Due to the significantly different environment, services, and offerings hotels now display since the pandemic, guest feedback can reflect both negative and sometimes, surprisingly positive impressions depending on their experience of this exceptional situation.
For hoteliers, catering to quarantined guests can certainly pose a challenge and imply a drastically different approach in service and operations – whether they are focusing on quarantine only or a mix with regular travelers. However, this can also be a tremendous opportunity in being close to guests at their most vulnerable times and nurturing a level of loyalty like never before. There is no industry better than hospitality to make a difference during such a time.
As the world’s largest guest review database, we at TrustYou wanted to explore and share the insights we have gathered from guest reviews regarding quarantine hotel stays. We extracted some of the most relevant, recent reviews that can, hopefully, give you a better understanding of how guests feel about the hotels that enable quarantine stays and what they experience. At the same time, we put together a quick list of actions that can help you leverage the current situation to your advantage and ensure that your future guests, whether quarantined or not, are happy, safe, and satisfied.
“The hotel should have mentioned before booking that the property was being used to quarantine COVID-19 traveler’s from overseas. The hotel was surrounded by security fencing with security guards guarding and patrolling the hotel.”
“Had to stay due to a quarantine emergency. The staff were lovely and accommodating, we were very impressed and felt very well looked after. Room was lovely also. COVID safety was exceeded. Props to the staff.”
“Overnight required for business travel purposes, everything was fine except my experience in trying to ascertain if there were quarantine guests there. I was told there was a ‘long haul transit’ guest, whatever that means…”
“Everything was handled efficiently and empathically; from booking over the phone prior to travel to the actual stay as well as checkout, everyone was courteous and helpful. I was in quarantine with my elderly parents and your staff went above and beyond to help us.”
“I did the 3 day mandatory quarantine and did not want to leave. The food was excellent, the staff was amazing and little things like access to an outdoor patio made a huge difference. My room even had an opening window (just a few inches but again – made a huge difference).”
“Staff were friendly and helpful. Shame about the inflexible hotel policy, which meant that we could not stay for an additional night of isolation once our negative test result came back. That night was refunded but we inquired about staying for an additional night at normal rates instead of quarantine rates and were told it was not possible. Strange and disappointing.”
As we can deduct from these guest reviews, some travelers would have wanted to be informed that the hotel is hosting COVID-19 patients. Their negative feedback was impacted by a lack of communication on the hotel’s part and a feeling that their wellbeing and safety were not prioritized. At the same time, others complained about the inflexible hotel policies and the different rates applied to regular vs quarantined guests.
On the other side of the coin, some travelers were pleasantly surprised by the genuine care towards their wellbeing, the empathy they were shown, and the fact that the staff went the extra mile in order to accommodate them. It is clear from their online reviews just how much it mattered to them to be treated with respect. A little extra care can go a long way during a difficult time in their lives, in a place far from the familiarity and comfort of their homes.
Based on the analysis of this guest feedback, here are a few tips and tricks on how to ensure that your guests have only positive things to say about their quarantine (or regular) stay:
Be sure to communicate and make the situation clear from the start – if you are hosting quarantine guests, while also greeting regular ones, let this fact be known. Manage the expectations from the very beginning instead of letting guests find out by themselves.
Try to be flexible with your policies – yes, clear guidelines and policies need to be in place, in order to instill a sense of order during these uncertain times; but try to remember that things are already hard enough for your quarantined guests. Try to be as flexible as possible in order to make their stay easier and more enjoyable.
Go the extra mile – if there was ever a time to show more care and empathy, this is it. Remember that your guests are in a very vulnerable position, having to isolate themselves from loved ones and being far away from home. It’s a lonely and stressful time, so a little extra care will only help – both your guests and your hotel business.
Please feel free to contact us at any time for additional information or questions!