How are food and drinks outlets at Minor changing to adapt to the current situation?

Minor Hotels’ properties in the region – and globally – are implementing new health and hygiene measures across all F&B operations. Each hotel’s Covid-related implementations are being considered in conjunction with local government policies and regulations and Minor Hotels’ existing requirements.

This includes visible reminders encouraging social distancing, availability of hand sanitiser throughout each outlet, revision of floor plans and table set up within outlets and reduction of reservations reflecting capacity restrictions, temperature checks for diners upon arrival, engaging with guests – from a distance – to inform them about hygiene standards and protocols – and many more.

In terms of trends, certainly everything is becoming more digital in F&B and across many areas of hotel operations, including menus and hotel collaterals accessible digitally via QR codes. Obviously there is a lot of focus on In-Room dining and it will be a long time before the traditional buffet will be back on the agenda.

Have there had to be significant changes in operations for your existing properties, and how has the pandemic affected the pipeline for upcoming projects?

Obviously the implementation of the additional hygiene and sanitation standards to ensure we are fully compliant with the new normal post-Covid has been very high on the operational agenda, hand-in-hand with reviewing all areas of the hotel to ensure social distancing is possible and meets with the local guidelines.

In addition many areas of the operation will be driven by the adoption of new technology going forward, such as digital check-in/check-out. Contactless service starts from the new way guests are greeted without losing the human touch, such as the traditional Thai wai or hand-over-heart gesture, and Avani will soon be launching a digital concierge app – a live chat solution enabling direct contact with guest service, as well as allowing guests to browse menus, order in-room dining and book off-property experiences.

In terms of our pipeline, we are fortunate that our pipeline in this region has not been significantly impacted by the pandemic. We have two new-build Avani properties under development in the region and both are still scheduled to open in Q4 this year – one in Dubai and one in Muscat, with Oman being a new country for the Avani brand.

Our upcoming new Anantara resort in Ras Al Khaimah is progressing well and on track to open in the second half of 2021. In addition we have exciting new projects underway at several of our properties which wouldn’t have been feasible in normal circumstances due to running at high occupancies, so the pandemic has actually worked out to bring a positive.

How are you ensuring guest safety while expressing the Anantara brand values and guest experience?

We recently launched the ‘Anantara Stay With Peace of Mind’ and ‘AvaniSHIELD’ programmes, both of which build on existing health and safety practices for heightened sanitisation and hygiene measures and these are being implemented across the region as our properties re-open.

Whilst there are some new elements, it’s important to point out that much was already in place pre-Covid but was invisible to guests and now the focus is on showcasing hygiene and sanitation measures.

The new guidelines are fully compliant with expert advisories including Ecolab and Diversey, global leaders in delivering excellence in cleaning and hygiene technology. All hotels will continue to fully adhere to health and safety measures as per local government guidelines and WHO.

Whilst a Health & Safety committee, including senior leadership and industry experts, has been created to oversee the development and rollout of these new programmes on a brand and company level, a dedicated “Guest Guardian” (Anantara) and a “SHIELD-Agent (Avani) are responsible for internal implementation and audits based on a series of rigid brand guidelines.

Trust in brands and brand promises will be of critical importance going forward, as will service and the guest experience, especially in the luxury segment.

Guests may want to come into physical contact with fewer hotel staff during a stay but that doesn’t mean they want a less experience-driven stay, which is especially important with an experience-driven brand like Anantara.

Guests will want to remain engaged with the hotel and enjoy a high touch stay, but with minimised literal touch points.