The City Lodge Hotel Group has shared the quarantine experience for staff and guests during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The company told Tourism Update that five of its 56 properties around South Africa had remained open to accommodate inbound and outbound travellers in quarantine, as well as essential workers.
The City Lodge Hotel Group was ‘hurtled’ into becoming a quarantine hotel after a guest checked into one of the group’s hotels just before the lockdown period and, unbeknown to the hotel, the individual was in isolation having tested positive for COVID-19.
“That made us really move at a speed faster than we ever had into developing quarantine protocols in terms of how to keep our staff safe and how to keep guests safe during this period,” said Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, COO of City Lodge Hotel Group.
The hotel group is accommodating international guests waiting for flights home, South Africans returning home needing quarantine for 14 days, and essential services personnel.
Staff and guests are screened daily for elevated temperatures and other symptoms. Anyone who has either tested positive for COVID-19, or who is displaying symptoms, is not allowed access. If anyone inhouse displays symptoms, they will be tested and if found to be positive will be relocated, and their rooms deep-cleaned.
When applying to become a quarantine hotel, the group submitted its terms and conditions to the Department of Health, which, in turn, sent inspectors to the hotels to ensure that they complied with all its regulations. The Department of Health then appointed resident nurses at the hotels, and doctors who visit on a specific schedule, as well as a member of the SA Police Service in-house to ensure strict compliance with the rules of quarantine and lockdown.
Prepping for quarantine
“We have also prepared ourselves by talking to healthcare workers, hospitals, and essential services working throughout this lockdown period. We are well positioned as a group to play our role in supporting all of the efforts of government as they work to contain COVID-19,” said Sangweni-Siddo.
The group has arranged catering for guests from an experienced food management and preparation service provider, ensuring that dietary and nutritional requirements are met, which, they say, has been well received by guests.
Sangweni-Soddo said: “Treating people with dignity and respect, as guests first and foremost, makes all the difference to their stay. These are people away from homes and families, having to practise social distancing in their room, in uncertain times. It is really touching to see how our staff have stepped up – in some cases singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to guests marking their birthday in quarantine.
“We have received many letters of thanks and appreciation from our guests. When we emerge from this situation, our humanity will have been tested and we will re-emerge stronger than ever as South Africans and corporate citizens.”
City Lodge Hotel Group CEO, Andrew Widegger, said: “The group remains available to provide support to government and essential and critical business continuity services, as well as other enabling services in the form of either quarantine facilities or staff accommodation. Good discussions have taken place in this regard and we stand ready to support such initiatives as part of a co-ordinated response to this pandemic.”
The group’s hotels currently offering quarantine and essential services accommodation include City Lodge Hotel V&A Waterfront and City Lodge Hotel GrandWest in Cape Town, City Lodge Hotel Umhlanga Ridge in Durban, City Lodge Hotel OR Tambo International Airport and City Lodge Hotel Bryanston in Johannesburg.
