We continue to see reports daily on hotel properties ready to re-open after being closed for months. It is understood that the “new” experience will be a different feel than a year ago, but to see a growing number of properties reopen their doors (with enhanced health and safety measures in place) is a great move forward. Here are three of our favorite Washington DC luxury hotels that are reopening, as they prepare to welcome you again while showcasing a “new normal” in the world of hospitality while you are in Washington, DC.
Service is still vitally important to each of these hotels, but we find that safety is the most sought-after “luxury service” in these times of travel, and we are very impressed with the safety protocols at each of these properties. Learn more about what the Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC; The Hay-Adams; and Conrad Washington, DC are doing for you as they reopen their doors this week… Safe Travels!
1. Mandarin Oriental, Washington, DC
Located along the Capital’s revitalized Southwest Waterfront, Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC offers five-star luxury with refreshed guest rooms in a picturesque setting and sweeping vistas of the waterfront or courtyard gardens. It is conveniently located a short walk from the nation’s most prominent monuments and attractions in the District Wharf neighborhood.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Travel Packages
To mark the reopening, they are introducing several new packages, offers, and flexible cancellation policies designed to better accommodate and respond to the shift in travel during the COVID-19 era. These include:
- Staycations by M.O.: Avoid travel hassles and book a distinctive getaway in your own city. Package includes daily in-room breakfast, early check-in and late check out, and a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine.
- Working from M.O.:Perfect for those looking a home office alternative, the “Working from M.O. (Day use Only)” program provides unique flexible working solutions. Offer includes complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, printing facilities, dining credit, access to the Fitness Center, and of course the brand’s legendary service.
- A Room with a Suite: Reserve a suite and receive an accompanying deluxe guest room or private fitness room complimentary.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: The Spa
This is a time that many of us need a day at the spa more than ever before, and the spa at this property is always a favorite DC getaway. For guests seeking a peaceful respite, The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Washington DC is available to provide Mandarin Oriental’s renowned treatments and programs with updated Covid-19 safety and hygiene measures in place. All treatments are tailor-made to each guest, designed to bring balance and peace to each and every individual, with a spa menu that offers a range of holistic treatments and therapies from around the world.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Staff & Operations
To ensure a safe and comfortable environment to both guests and staff, they have stringent health and safety measures in place in both back and front of house areas. To ensure compliance with local regulations, note that the hotel is operating with reduced facilities in dining, Spa, and the Fitness Center. Additional details can be viewed here, and all guests are encouraged to contact the hotel directly at the time of reservation to receive the most updated information on availability of facilities.
2. The Hay-Adams
The Hay-Adams has always strived to provide their guests with a superior, one-of-a-kind experience. They are grateful for the trust that their guests have placed in them over the years and now want to reaffirm their commitment to ensuring the utmost safety and wellbeing of their guests and staff. They understand that the current environment has affected how we all make our travel decisions and it is important to them that their guests feel comfortable, and informed.
Through their enhanced health and safety measures, they are confident that they can provide guests with the award-winning level of service and attention to detail that should be expected from The Hay-Adams. They firmly believe that the art of luxury travel remains a classic, indulgent experience; and they want to personally assure guests that they are doing all they can to guarantee them a safe and exceptional stay with them.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Healthy Stays Program
With a commitment to uphold the highest standards of cleanliness, they are pleased to announce the rollout of Healthy Stays, their new health and safety program in collaboration with Leading Hotels of the World.
As part of this program, they partnered with the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) and their STAR™ accreditation program, the cleaning industry’s gold standard for disinfection and infectious disease prevention. This program ensures that their team receives, and will continue to receive, training in the latest safety and hygiene protocols.
The boutique style of their hotel ensures intimate settings with private interactions. Lafayette Restaurant and most of guest rooms have windows that open, and select rooms also offer French doors with Juliet balconies, providing plentiful fresh air.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Public Areas
The staff will be wearing masks, and they ask that all guests wear a mask when entering or leaving the building, when moving throughout the public areas, including corridors and elevators, and when speaking with any staff member. Guests and staff are asked to continually exercise basic hygiene practices and maintain six (6) feet of distance from others who are not part of their household when in common areas of the property.
All public and high-touch areas, including the lobby, elevators, and restrooms, are disinfected on an hourly basis. They will provide touchless hand sanitizer stations for hotel staff, guests, clients and vendors at appropriate locations throughout the hotel. The restaurant, The Lafayette Room, will operate with reduced capacity to ensure adequate and comfortable spacing for guests. Furthermore, a single-use menu and optional sustainable single-use packaging is provided
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Guest Rooms
They will leave all guest rooms vacant for a minimum of 24 hours prior to the next guest arrival to allow time for their staff to perform deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire room, including the use of an electrostatic sprayer. They will provide a Healthy Stays welcome gift bag upon check-in that includes masks, hand sanitizer and individually wrapped sanitizing wipes.
During the stay, they will service guest’s room once daily and while they are not present. If guests have a preferable time for service, they will do their best to accommodate all requests. They will be offering in-room dining service from 6am until 10pm, with single- use menus, contactless delivery options, and optional sustainable single-use packaging. The fitness center will be available for one guest at a time between the hours of 6am and 9pm, and reservations may be made through their Concierge service.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Staffing
Temperature checks will be performed for all staff upon arrival to the hotel. They kindly ask that any guests who start to feel unwell while at the hotel, contact hotel security so appropriate steps and assistance can be provided. Their staff will also be practicing cleaning and sanitizing protocols, and observing social distancing both at the front of house and back of house.
The Hay-Adams will continue to monitor and update their procedures to ensure we adhere to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health authorities. LuxeGetaways is always a fan of the bespoke services offered at this property, and know their staff and ownership will work tirelessly to take care of their guests.
3. Conrad Washington, DC
Conrad Washington, DC invites guests and locals alike to once again enjoy a contemporary urban oasis as well as the hotel’s sleek interior room design, inspired art installations and clean fresh ambiance. They have made many changes during the past several months to their operations to ensure that the hotel remains a healthy and safe environment for our guests and team members.
“Conrad Washington, DC is thrilled to reopen our doors to our dedicated guests and future travelers who are booking their next stay in DC,” said Laura Schofield, General Manager, Conrad Washington, DC. “Our team is dedicated to providing guests with a contemporary luxury experience. We are working diligently with our corporate team to ensure that guest safety remains a top priority and protocols are in line with all CDC and local government requirements.”
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Going Digital
Timed to its reopening, Conrad Washington, DC is implementing additional digital capabilities to limit physical contact between guests and staff as an added level of reassurance. During check-in and beyond, guests will be able to seamlessly access rooms via digital key. Valet parking operations have also expanded to offer both valet and self-parking options as well as eliminating paper tickets to allow guests to park their vehicles in whichever way that is most comfortable for them. Guests will receive a text with a QR code to access self -parking or an electronic valet ticket. Additionally, food & beverage menus will be available either digitally or via QR code.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Food & Beverage Offerings
The hotel has launched a new wellness menu that guests can enjoy in the comfort of their room or on one of Conrad Washington, DC’s serene and private outdoor terraces located on the lobby level. The menu includes a list of wellness tonics, custom plant-based smoothies, superfood bowls, gourmet toasts and market salads. The menu also includes a list of coffee and teas, as well as chilled coffee concoctions for an added morning or afternoon delight. The menu is available for pick up on the lobby level and is open 7am to 3pm daily.
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures: Hilton CleanStay™
The hotel will also apply all of Hilton’s CleanStay™ with Lysol protection protocols incorporating hygiene standards such as: the CleanStay room seal to indicate a guest room has not been accessed since being cleaned, extra disinfection of high-touch areas in rooms, guest-accessible disinfecting Lysol wipes, enhanced cleaning for fitness centers, reduced paper amenities, contactless check-in and check-out with Digital Key, markers to indicate safe distancing, boosted cleaning frequency of public areas and disinfecting in high-traffic areas.
The program has been developed with experts from RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, brands trusted for safely disinfecting surfaces. Experts from the Infection Prevention and Control team at Mayo Clinic will additionally advise and assist in enhancing Hilton’s cleaning disinfection protocols at all Hilton properties, including Conrad Washington, DC.
