Marriott Rolls Out New Internal Cleanliness-Oriented Platform

Marriott International has launched a new internal platform to promote hotel cleanliness. Its newly-formed Global Cleanliness Council will, it says, “promote even higher standards of cleanliness in the age of Covid-19”

According to a news report on Business Traveller, Marriott’s multi-pronged platform will elevate its cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviors to meet the new health and safety challenges presented by the current pandemic environment. 

The hotel company is not alone in promoting new standards of cleanliness in an attempt to both reassure travelers and also to tempt them back in coming weeks and months.

Approximately 25 percent of Marriott International’s 7,300 global hotels, including about 1,000 in the U.S are currently closed, according to Bloomberg. You can watch an interview with Arne Sorensen here: Most Marriott Hotels will survive crisis, says CEO.

For Marriott, technology is one answer to improving cleanliness in its hotels, including electrostatic sprayers with hospital-grade disinfectant to sanitize surfaces throughout the hotel. 

The sprayers allow housekeeping staff to rapidly clean and disinfect areas and can be used in a hotel setting to clean and disinfect guest rooms, lobbies, gyms and other public areas.

In addition, all areas that are considered ‘high-touch’ will be “thoroughly treated with hospital-grade disinfectants” and disinfecting wipes will also be provided in each room for guests’ personal use.

Signage in hotel lobbies will remind guests to maintain social distancing protocols and furniture will be removed or rearranged to allow more space. Marriott is also evaluating adding partitions at front desks and is working with its supply chain partners to make masks and gloves available to associates.

The company is installing more hand sanitizing stations at the entrances to its hotels, near the front desk, elevator banks and fitness and meeting spaces. In addition, in over 3,200 of Marriott’s hotels, guests can use their phones to check in, access their rooms, make special requests and order room service that will be specially packaged and delivered to the room without contact.

Marriott’s food safety program now includes enhanced sanitation guidelines and training videos for all operational associates that includes hygiene and disinfecting practices. In addition, the company is modifying its operational practices for in-room dining and designing new approaches to buffets.

The new Global Cleanliness Council is chaired by Ray Bennett, Chief Global Officer, Global Operations, Marriott International, and “will benefit from knowledge and input from both in-house and outside experts.”