Hotel chains in India do their bit to fight coronavirus pandemic

In addition, IHCL is distributing meals cooked by the TajSats to colleges (Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi) and seven hospitals in the National Capital Region

Hotel chains across the country are rallying resources to support local authorities, medical teams, and those in need of basics such as food and medicine. In some cases, companies are even taking hotel supplies and using them for personal protection.

Ajay Bakaya, MD at Sarovar Hotels & Resorts, says: “We are taking fresh linen from half a dozen properties and those are being made into masks.”

Sarovar is operating 14 of its 83 properties because of a national vacuum in business, but is dishing out 500 free meals a day in Chandigarh at its Hometel property.

Similarly, Tata-owned Indian Hotels (IHCL) has dedicated resources to feed migrant workers.

“The Taj Mahal Pal­ace, Taj Lands End, Taj Santa­cruz, The Presi­dent and Ginger MIDC Andheri in Mumbai; and Ginger Mad­ga­on and Ginger City Centre, Noida, are offering rooms free of charge to the medical fraternity,” an IHCL spokesperson said. Four other Ginger hotels are also being used for quarantine purposes, and include the ones in Bhubaneswar, Faridabad, Bengaluru, and Andheri to accommodate medical workers. In addition, IHCL is distributing meals cooked by the TajSats to colleges (Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi) and seven hospitals in the NCR.

Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, is driving on-ground assistance in a bid to help flatten the curve of the spread of the virus and support local government.

The JW Marriott Aerocity, New Delhi, and the Westin Gurgaon are distributing cooked meals, with as many as 500 packed meal boxes being distributed every day. The Delhi hotel has distributed close to 5,000 boxes to date.

In Maharashtra, hit hardest by coronavirus so far, the JW Marriott, Pune, the Ritz Carlton and the Marriott Pune Hinjewadi, in collaboration with the Panchshil Foundation, are distributing “Care Packages” across the city. The package contains 1 kg rice, 750 gm lentil, 1 litre of cooking oil and six eggs.

Marriott is aiming to distribute 30,000 packets through the city collector’s office in Pune. Vijay Dewan, managing director, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, says: “Amidst the current lockdown the senior citizens and the underprivileged suffer the most.”

The Park Hotels has launched a neighbourhood service initiative, by which everyone can ask for groceries, medicine, or food, and a team responds to the request immediately.

“Locals can directly call these hotels for any emergencies or any pharmaceutical needs, and the concierge of the hotel will help them get those,” he says.

“All these hotels are centrally located and anyone living within the 5 km can avail of this service, available 24X7, with no additional charges.” Europe’s biggest hotel chain, the Accor Group, through its hotel Ibis New Delhi Aerocity is extending its assistance as a quarantine facility.

Zubin Saxena, managing director and vice-president (operations), South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, says, along with their partners, his company is collectively reaching out to some 20,000 beneficiaries per day with food and food supplies.