By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — If you haven't traveled for awhile due to COVID concerns, Shawn Steward with AAA of Kansas wants to be sure you're prepared for how your stay in a hotel might be different.
"Some hotel chains have adopted different processes, mobile check in, for example," Steward said. "Some guests can bypass the front desk altogether and go straight to their room using their mobile phone to unlock their room door. That just eliminates a touch point an interaction point between that hotel employee and the guest."
There also may be different cleaning protocols during your stay.
"We stayed at one recently, my family, they had a cleaning seal, if you will on the door as you went into the room," Steward said. "I've seen some hotels that I've stayed at over the past year where the TV remote is wrapped in plastic, just to symbolize that, hey, this has been cleaned."
The breakfast at hotels that provide it will likely be different, as well.
"You may see different service levels of buffets versus hotel servers providing breakfasts," Steward said. "Early on in the pandemic, there were really just takeaway bags or boxed breakfasts available."
The important point is to call ahead and find out what the arrangements are where you are staying, so that you can plan around whatever circumstances may be unique to your destination.