For much of 2020, people have been unable to travel due to the nationwide lockdown. The situation is now up in the air with different countries experiencing different levels of travel restrictions.
Even when you have the all-clear to travel it is natural to be concerned. After all, it’s a situation that no one has experienced before. So whether you’re thinking of a staycation or having to travel for work, here are a few things to help ease your anxiety around booking accommodation.
Choose a hotel with strong COVID-19 policies
Cleanliness is top of the agenda for many people right now. When looking for a hotel, check out their new cleaning policies and ensure that they enforce mask-wearing and social distancing in their hotels. A good example is the Coventry apartment suite and the Ramada. They have regular, stringent cleaning procedures in place for the safety of guests. There should be multiple hand sanitizing stations and all staff should be using masks and be knowledgable about the hotel’s social distancing policy.
Most hotels are now not offering early check-ins to accommodate the extra cleaning that needs to be done when guests leave.
Consider choosing a serviced apartment or Airbnb
If you’re wanting to stay away from people, a hotel might make you a bit uncomfortable, especially if it is a popular one. Look instead for a serviced apartment or book a property to yourself on Airbnb. The accommodation sector took a huge hit this year, so they are looking to entice people back with good prices and strong safety practices for guests.
As with the hotel, check that they have extra cleaning and disinfecting controls in place for new guests.
Clean it yourself
While we’re not suggesting you turn up an clean your room from top to bottom, you can give yourself extra peace of mind by using some antibacterial wipes around the place. When you arrive, do a quick clean of high tough surfaces life lightswitches, door handles, taps and remote controls.
Open some windows and air the place out of any residual germs lingering in the air.
Check any local travel restrictions
Restrictions seem to be changing every day across the world. Take special care to check the restrictions of where you are travelling from. Ensure that you are allowed to travel from the area you live in.
Also, check the restrictions of the area where you are going to, If they are on a high alert level, they may stop people travelling in and out of the area.
If in doubt, ask
Hotel and accommodation providers should be making sure that their extra COVID-19 measures are indicated clearly on their booking website. If they do not, then you are well within your rights to ask them to provide you with this information. If you feel that they are in any way not doing enough to keep you safe, then you should let them know and find alternative accommodation.
