Chennai: Notwithstanding a sharp dip in room occupancy and the revenue corroded by the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels in Tamil Nadu have been reaching out to the stranded guests, who also include those on a visit to the metro on medical purposes.
Ever since the national lockdown was initiated on March 25 to prevent spread of the coronavirus, all forms of transport, including air, have been suspended while many businesses have been closed.
The lockdown has totally altered the hospitality sector landscape making the hotels focus on their social commitment rather than wooing guests.
With the usual buzz missing, the pandemic has made the hotel staff wear masks, use sanitiser and request the guests to frequently wash their hands and remain safe in their rooms.
“We are using thermal scanners to check our guests.Pilots from the cargo flights are also checked for temperature and requested to take all precautions,” sources at the Le Meridien Hotel, close to the city airport, said.
The Ascott’s accommodates expats based in India, those who are in the city for medical treatment and guests affected by closure of borders due to the lockdown.
They had to celebrate Easter and Tamil New Years day without the usual fanfare.
Ascott Somerset Greenways and Citadines OMR offered a home away from home experience to the guests, with the management rolling out various initiatives to keep the morale of guests and staff high during this tough phase.
The feature standard rooms and suites with a fully equipped kitchen allowed guests to cook for themselves if they wished, or order from the in-room dining menu.
The guest services team provided grocery shopping to ensure that the guests stayed indoors.
Apart from providing food to the medical professionals involved in treating COVID-19 cases, GRT Hotels and Resorts offered food to migrant workers.
“Since the lockdown was announced, we prepared over 15,000 food packets daily across our hotels and distributed to the people who were extremely poor and had no resources to turn to.
These meals were also delivered to our courageous heroesthe community of doctors, nurses, numerous hospital staff and policemen who have put themselves in harm’s way,” Vikram Cotah, Chief Operating Officer, GRT Hotels and Resorts, said.
The employees also reached out to over 100 stray dogs by cooking over 13 kg rice and four kg meat daily, he added.