Hospitality experts said COVID-19 has permanently changed the way hotels operate. The Doubletree in Downtown Tulsa tells us it has seen a steady surge in business and a decline in cancellations since December last year.
The Hyatt Place owner said the store has taken a step forward and two steps back and is learning a lot in the process.
“Basically, the hotel industry has gone through a complete overhaul. It’s almost as if we set a reset button in 2020 and are learning to walk again, ”said Romel Chatterjee, CEO of 3S Hotels Group.
Hyatt Place in downtown Tulsa opened last December and offers contactless protocols, a limited breakfast menu, and housekeeping requests.
Romel Chatterjee said it was difficult to navigate the new hotel through the pandemic.
“It typically takes any new hotel about a year to stabilize and reach its true potential,” said Chatterjee. “It’s like trying to run with one arm and one leg tied up.”
Chatterjee said virtual meetings and the nationwide staff shortage didn’t help.
“It’s very erratic. It’s very fickle,” said Chatterjee.
Charles DiClemente of DoubleTree by Hilton said the workforce wasn’t even half as high as it was before Covid, but it was slowly improving.
“They enjoy providing this experience to our guests, and it is easier when the hotels are full,” said Charles DiClemente, general manager of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tulsa Downtown.
He said similar hotels typically have 70% occupancy but that has dropped to 20% during the pandemic.
Now Doubletree sees between 35 and 75%.
DiClemente said they frequently clean public spaces and rooms on demand or every fourth day of a person’s stay.
“They don’t feel comfortable with people walking into their rooms every day,” DiClemente said.
But he said any changes could have a silver lining.
“You can literally check into your room and go straight to your rooms with your app,” DiClemente said.
Hotel experts said the weekends are busiest, with concerts, more social and youth sports, and a resurgence of business travel.
There are currently two trends that are emerging: last minute bookings and stays.
I’ve been told that many hotels are already sold out during the week of the PGA and Ironman in 2022.
