BENGALURU: Bracing themselves to meet the safety protocols and the possible hardships, including fear of being stigmatised, hotels in the city are calmly going about providing quarantine facilities to people entering Bengaluru. Multiple measures have been put in place, and all the health guidelines are being followed, emphasise hoteliers. “We, of course, have temperature checking at the entrance, but since the guests are planning to stay here for sometime, we have made sure all the services are delivered in a contactless manner,” says Sriram Subramanian, general manager, Radha Regent Bengaluru.
The hotel, which is located in Electronics City, has given out 100 rooms for quarantine purpose, and has already started receiving guests. Taking care to follow social distancing norms, they deliver food to the guests in disposable containers, which are dropped off at the door of all the rooms so that the guests can collect it themselves, explains Subramanian, adding that if guests need any assistance, then all the instructions are given on video call.
The housekeeping staff at the hotel has also been given PPE suits to keep themselves safe from any kind of infections. “Before the housekeeping staffers enter the room to clean it, the room is fogged with disinfectant. After cleaning, the laundry is taken directly to the washing areas so that it does not come in physical contact with anyone else,” says Subramanian.
Since air-conditioning is considered one the potential modes of spreading the virus, many hotels like Silver Oak Resorts in Rajankunte have considered shutting them down completely for some time. “We have stopped using AC for the time being and we are following the guidelines of BBMP,” says Sajit Vamadevan, manager of the hotel. Though none of the guests have come in yet, Vamadevan says they have reserved all their 50 rooms for quarantine.
The hotels are currently charging the tariffs stipulated by the government. For instance, 5-star hotels are taking around `4,100 per person per day for single occupancy and `5,900 per couple per day, with lunch and dinner priced at `550. For 3-star hotels, the tariff is `1,850 per day for single occupancy and `2,450 for double occupancy, with each meal costing `175.
However, fear of stigma about being associated with quarantine is also running deep among the managements of many hotels. The state government and BBMP had last week chosen 84 hotels to be used as quarantine centres. The list includes Taj Vivanta in Yeshwanthpur, Whitefield and Residency Road; Taj West End; Royal Orchid on Old Airport Road; Gokulam Grand Hotel and Spa in Mathikere; J W Marriott on MG Road; Marriott Hotel in Whitefield; and Clarks Exotica in Yelahanka, all of which refused to comment on being used for the purpose.
“These are unprecedented times impacting the entire world and everyone is facing it in a very different way,” says Sylvain Laroche, Director of Operations, Ibis and Ibis Styles India. “We are doing everything we can to support those who need us. We hope these efforts will be able to make an impact in these communities,” he adds.Agrees Subramanian, saying, “I am aware of the risks involved, but these are quarantined passengers and not infected patients. In a time like this, we should not be shunning people.”