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Planning for the Hotel Opening, Coronavirus Be Damned Planning for the Hotel Opening, Coronavirus Be Damned
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Travel and travel planning are being disrupted by the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. For the latest updates, read The New York Times’s Covid-19 coverage here.Travel and travel planning are being disrupted by the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. For the latest updates, read The New York Times’s Covid-19 coverage here.
The hotelier Phil Hospod has spent the last two years building The Wayfinder, a boutique hotel in Newport, R.I. And despite the pandemic, he is still planning to open in mid-May.The hotelier Phil Hospod has spent the last two years building The Wayfinder, a boutique hotel in Newport, R.I. And despite the pandemic, he is still planning to open in mid-May.
The hotel, which will have an outdoor pool deck, an on-site restaurant serving coastal cuisine and seersucker-inspired rooms, was nearing completion when Gov. Gina M. Raimondo of Rhode Island issued a strict stay-at-home order on March 28, banning all gatherings of more than five people.The hotel, which will have an outdoor pool deck, an on-site restaurant serving coastal cuisine and seersucker-inspired rooms, was nearing completion when Gov. Gina M. Raimondo of Rhode Island issued a strict stay-at-home order on March 28, banning all gatherings of more than five people.
“We’re really close, which is kind of exciting, but also the painful part,” Mr. Hospod said.“We’re really close, which is kind of exciting, but also the painful part,” Mr. Hospod said.
But he’s plowing ahead and says that once the government gives the green light, he could open his doors within two weeks. He has had to make some adjustments: Covid-19 has stalled deliveries — his mattresses are stuck in New York, his art in Ohio and a lobby fireplace in California. So he has begun relying more on local suppliers, and has also set up sanitation stations across the site for his construction crew (who are allowed to work). Unable to conduct job interviews in person, he’s interviewing front desk staff, bartenders, cleaning crews and more via videoconferencing.But he’s plowing ahead and says that once the government gives the green light, he could open his doors within two weeks. He has had to make some adjustments: Covid-19 has stalled deliveries — his mattresses are stuck in New York, his art in Ohio and a lobby fireplace in California. So he has begun relying more on local suppliers, and has also set up sanitation stations across the site for his construction crew (who are allowed to work). Unable to conduct job interviews in person, he’s interviewing front desk staff, bartenders, cleaning crews and more via videoconferencing.
The hotel industry has shed more than four million American jobs in the wake of Covid-19, and an industry analytics company, STR, reports more than 80 percent of rooms in the U.S. are currently empty. But a handful of hotels are nevertheless moving ahead with planned openings, offering their properties as a port in a very uncertain storm.The hotel industry has shed more than four million American jobs in the wake of Covid-19, and an industry analytics company, STR, reports more than 80 percent of rooms in the U.S. are currently empty. But a handful of hotels are nevertheless moving ahead with planned openings, offering their properties as a port in a very uncertain storm.
Greg Henderson, co-owner of The Roxbury at Stratton Falls, a whimsical resort comprised of themed cottages and mansion rooms in New York’s Catskill Mountains, was gearing up for a grand opening this spring. He now hopes to open June 1.Greg Henderson, co-owner of The Roxbury at Stratton Falls, a whimsical resort comprised of themed cottages and mansion rooms in New York’s Catskill Mountains, was gearing up for a grand opening this spring. He now hopes to open June 1.
“From a business perspective, this is the scariest thing I’ve ever been through in my life,” he admits.“From a business perspective, this is the scariest thing I’ve ever been through in my life,” he admits.
To conduct a deep cleaning of the property, he is employing a staggered schedule of cleaners who work in individual shifts, without punching timecards and without entering the hotel’s front office, where he also keeps a single employee.To conduct a deep cleaning of the property, he is employing a staggered schedule of cleaners who work in individual shifts, without punching timecards and without entering the hotel’s front office, where he also keeps a single employee.
And some hotels that had opened their doors when the pandemic hit have found that it makes more economic sense to stay open, if only for one or two guests each night.And some hotels that had opened their doors when the pandemic hit have found that it makes more economic sense to stay open, if only for one or two guests each night.
At The Abbey Inn and Spa in New York’s Hudson Valley, the general manager Gilbert Baeriswil finds himself on unfamiliar ground, even with more than 30 years in the hotel industry.At The Abbey Inn and Spa in New York’s Hudson Valley, the general manager Gilbert Baeriswil finds himself on unfamiliar ground, even with more than 30 years in the hotel industry.
His property opened on March 18, two days before Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus pandemic.His property opened on March 18, two days before Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Abbey, a boutique hotel in a converted convent in the Hudson Valley, had hired a staff of 45, but with reservations plummeting to single digits (including those for some emergency medical workers), it now has a skeleton crew of 10. Tables at Apropos, the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, were first moved so guests could sit at least six feet apart; they soon made the shift to takeout only. Daily housekeeping is paused; cleaning staff, armed with masks, enter rooms only after check out.The Abbey, a boutique hotel in a converted convent in the Hudson Valley, had hired a staff of 45, but with reservations plummeting to single digits (including those for some emergency medical workers), it now has a skeleton crew of 10. Tables at Apropos, the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, were first moved so guests could sit at least six feet apart; they soon made the shift to takeout only. Daily housekeeping is paused; cleaning staff, armed with masks, enter rooms only after check out.
“We knew this was going to be a different beast than any normal opening,” said Mr. Baeriswil. But a great deal of resources had already been spent on training staff, so the owners decided it made more sense to stay open.“We knew this was going to be a different beast than any normal opening,” said Mr. Baeriswil. But a great deal of resources had already been spent on training staff, so the owners decided it made more sense to stay open.
When John Castle, general manager of the AC Hotel Little Rock Downtown in Arkansas, opened the property on Feb. 18, the fallout from a pandemic was the last thing on his mind.When John Castle, general manager of the AC Hotel Little Rock Downtown in Arkansas, opened the property on Feb. 18, the fallout from a pandemic was the last thing on his mind.
“We had never heard of it at that point,” he said of the virus, which has since killed more than 25,000 Americans. Arkansas is one of only seven states nationwide without a stay-at-home order, but Mr. Castle said the impact has nevertheless been brutal: Occupancy has plummeted to 5 percent.“We had never heard of it at that point,” he said of the virus, which has since killed more than 25,000 Americans. Arkansas is one of only seven states nationwide without a stay-at-home order, but Mr. Castle said the impact has nevertheless been brutal: Occupancy has plummeted to 5 percent.
“I’ve been running hotels for 10 years and have never seen occupancy in the single digits,” he said.“I’ve been running hotels for 10 years and have never seen occupancy in the single digits,” he said.
Yet the AC Hotel remains open.Yet the AC Hotel remains open.
“Even if you close a hotel completely, someone has to stay there as a caretaker. So there isn’t a huge savings as long as you’re still getting a couple rooms a night,” Mr. Castle said.“Even if you close a hotel completely, someone has to stay there as a caretaker. So there isn’t a huge savings as long as you’re still getting a couple rooms a night,” Mr. Castle said.
Updated June 1, 2020
Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.
Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.
Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.
Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.
In Florida, the website of The Ben, a waterfront property in West Palm Beach, informs its virtual visitors that only essential lodgers — like emergency medical workers and displaced residents — are able to book rooms (the same mandate holds in New York state). That hotel, which opened on Feb. 13, has provided each guest with a welcome letter explaining its adaptation to the crisis: its gym and pool are shuttered, food service is takeout only and housekeeping is suspended (cleaning staff waits five days after checkout before entering rooms).In Florida, the website of The Ben, a waterfront property in West Palm Beach, informs its virtual visitors that only essential lodgers — like emergency medical workers and displaced residents — are able to book rooms (the same mandate holds in New York state). That hotel, which opened on Feb. 13, has provided each guest with a welcome letter explaining its adaptation to the crisis: its gym and pool are shuttered, food service is takeout only and housekeeping is suspended (cleaning staff waits five days after checkout before entering rooms).
Meanwhile, some hotels are finding more socially distanced ways to debut.Meanwhile, some hotels are finding more socially distanced ways to debut.
In El Paso, the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park is still scheduled to reopen in April after a two-year renovation, with a caveat. The property kicked off a “digital soft launch” on April 10 while staff wait for Texas’s shelter-in-place order, which went into effect on April 2, to lift.In El Paso, the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park is still scheduled to reopen in April after a two-year renovation, with a caveat. The property kicked off a “digital soft launch” on April 10 while staff wait for Texas’s shelter-in-place order, which went into effect on April 2, to lift.
The launch includes a weekly live Instagram series with Andres Padilla, executive chef at the hotel’s Ambar restaurant, who is taking viewers into the hotel’s kitchen while he makes dishes like ceviche and pork carnitas.The launch includes a weekly live Instagram series with Andres Padilla, executive chef at the hotel’s Ambar restaurant, who is taking viewers into the hotel’s kitchen while he makes dishes like ceviche and pork carnitas.
The Instagram series is important, Mr. Padilla says, not just to connect with guests who can’t yet visit but also to keep up morale among his staff.The Instagram series is important, Mr. Padilla says, not just to connect with guests who can’t yet visit but also to keep up morale among his staff.
“None of us have ever l lived through anything like this,” he said. “If I’m worried, they’ll never know — because then they’ll worry.”“None of us have ever l lived through anything like this,” he said. “If I’m worried, they’ll never know — because then they’ll worry.”
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