Have you missed traveling as much as we do? If the answer is a clear, loud “YES!” then, the good news is that most hotels are now open and ready to host you and your loved ones.
Nevertheless, there are things to keep under your radar when you are looking for the right accommodation for your days off. We have gathered the 5 most important cases to help you ease the process of selecting and booking.
Tip #1 – Research, Research, Research
If you were planning everything well in advance before the COVID era, nowadays you should have realized that research is the FIRST and most essential part of the trip. Our guidelines on how to stay safe while traveling will help you start planning your travels.
When it comes to hotels, make sure to double and triple check all the policies they are taking to protect guests and staff. Review also their outdoors spaces, common areas, and restaurant zones. Make a list of your top 3 hotels, and call them. Ask about their sanitizing practices of high-touch items such as elevator buttons and doorknobs. Or about the ventilation system they use and the HEPA filters. Feeling comfortable with their responses would help you choose the best fit for your trip.
Tip #2 – Choose your room in advance
This option is not feasible for all of us, but if you can choose your room while booking it, it will be well worth it. Look for a room that has natural light and a view. If possible, choose a property with outdoor hallways or standalone cabins to avoid contact with other guests (in tiny elevators or narrow hallways). Also, it is of great importance to be allowed to open your room’s windows and access to fresh air. If not, consider traveling with a personal air purifier and fan.
Tip #3 – Say no to room services and housekeeping
If you are quite worried about the risk of germ contamination, maybe you want to consider opting out of the room services, such as housekeeping. While all stuff is obliged to follow strict hygiene protocols, including masks and gloves, if the idea of having another person in your room makes you feel uncomfortable you can skip those services. The majority of the hotels ask in the check-in.
Tip #4 – Let’s Talk About Food
If you are a foodie, like us, and one of the most exciting things about traveling is outdoor dining then you may want to make some research and reservation beforehand. Make sure that your table is placed 2.5m away from the rests and, if possible, to be at the outside space of the restaurant (garden, yard, patio, etc.). Also, don’t forget to put your mask on when addressing the stuff or visiting the toilets. If, on the other hand, you prefer to pack your own food and bring it with you, make sure that your hotel has a minifridge that can hold your groceries fresh).
Tip #5 – Swim, gym, or nothing?
The good news is that according to the CDC, there’s no evidence that the coronavirus can spread through water. That is enough for us! However, make sure that you always have your mask on when you are not in the water. Hot tubs, saunas, jacuzzis are a different story, though. Due to their limited space, you can ask for your hotel to suggest the quieter timeslots for you to enjoy the spa.
What about gyms, then? Again, this comes down to your preferences and risk tolerance. For us, we prefer to spend our holidays rather in outdoor spaces than at an indoor gym surrounding by exhaling people.
As with anything related to being out in the world in the Age of COVID-19, it comes down to the individual: What are you comfortable with—and what isn’t worth the risk? If you are not there yet, here are 10 easy-to-follow tips on how to cope with not traveling.
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