Understanding that the world of hospitality has seen an undeniable change, a Michelin Guide-equivalent safety and hygiene rating has been conjured for the post-pandemic world. Scroll down below to understand what this means, and what guests can expect to see on their next vacations. By Bayar Jain
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Gone are the days when choosing a hotel would just mean narrowing down on a location or brand within budget. In the post-pandemic world, hunting for a safe and hygienic space is the top concern, with service seeing zero compromises. The smartly-clad hotel staff must now also have gloves and masks as part of their couture, with minimal contact service becoming their new mantra. In ideal situations, this new philosophy should come paired with hygienic produce sourcing and expansive cleanliness protocols.
As travellers, getting into these intricacies—more so when bit by the wanderer’s bug—can be a tough task. Which is why digital health company Sharecare, along with star rating service Forbes Travel Guide, strive to be the hotel industry’s go-to cleaning verification programme, and a helping hand for travellers hoping to make a well-informed choice.
Described as the ‘Michelin Guide equivalent for post-pandemic hotel safety standards’ by the industry, Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED® evaluates and confirms individual hotels’ cleaning regimen. Currently, this coveted title has limited winners. Announced earlier in December, the prestigious seal has only been awarded to 30 hotels across the globe with names such as the USA’s Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, London’s The Goring Hotel, Greece’s Katikies Santorini – The Leading Hotels of the World, and Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm featuring on the list. Notably, the latter is the first Middle-Eastern resort to win the title.
This seal of approval, according to the health company’s official website, requires the hotels to routinely verify their health protocols across 360 expert-validated standards. This includes criteria such as in-place health and hygiene protocols; cleaning products and procedures used; ventilation provisions; steps undertaken to ensure physical distancing; health and safety communications with guests and employees; and overall guest experience. Additionally, participating hotels can also track daily employee virus screening results; and provide relevant tools for guests and visitors, including clinically-validated health screeners. At Atlantis, The Palm, for instance, a health security software that regularly verifies their commitment to safety has been introduced, states the hotel. Additionally, it also includes an artificial intelligence chatbot, which walks leaders through the verification process.
The revered approval stamp comes as a welcoming sign for guests as well as industry professionals. Speaking about this, Marius Van Deventer, Director, Health & Safety, Atlantis Dubai says, “…the Sharecare verification seal of approval is testament to our commitment to making each and every one of our guests feel safe and secure, and we will continue to evolve to meet revised health and safety challenges and expectations.”
Related: In A First, This Hotel In Dubai Launches Free COVID-19 Tests For In-house Guests
Written By
Bayar Jain
Senior Content ManagerEquipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing ..Read More
