Comfort Suites is Ready When You Are
November 5, 2020 (Batesville, Ark.) — It is no misstatement to say that the economic disruption by the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak has severely crippled the travel industry, including the tens of thousands of our nation’s hotels.
Hotel operators are hopeful that the spread of the virus continues to decline, which will inspire more recreational and business travelers to resume traveling in search of fun and to restore a sense of normalcy in their lives.
At Comfort Suites in Batesville, General Manager Debbie Harrison and her courteous and professional staff are ready when you are.
“Our business is affected by virtually everything that has been going on during the worldwide pandemic,” said Ms. Harrison, whose hotel is located at 1227 North St. Louis Street in Batesville (870-698-1900).
To inspire confidence in customers looking for lodging, the Comfort Suites staff participated in rigorous training conducted by Choice Hotels, parent company of Comfort Suites and a dozen other brands of hotels, with more than 7,000 locations worldwide.
The training focused on new, more comprehensive cleaning procedures.
“Not only do our housekeeping employees straighten up the rooms and do the laundry,” Ms. Harrison said, “but all of our employees now have to think about disinfecting television remote devices, door handles, luggage carts and even the elevator buttons. Things that you don’t do at home on a daily basis, we have to do multiple times each day.”
Comfort Suites was not immune to the economic losses. To bridge the gap caused by the COVID-19 crisis, hotel owners obtained a federal Payroll Protection Program loan through Citizens Bank, allowing the hotel to keep all of its experienced employees on the job.
“This has been unchartered waters for us,” Ms. Harrison said. “We appreciate that there has been so much that has been unknown to everyone. But we are dedicated to providing the cleanliness and customer service that our guests demand and deserve.”
She admits the downturn has been a real challenge, “but we have done our best to stay encouraged, hoping for a better day and hoping that the reservations start to increase again soon.
“We’re ready, we’re clean,” she continued. “We have done the training, and we have incorporated all of the necessary protocols to keep everyone safe and healthy.”
Realistically, it may be a slow process before the hotel industry is able to return to some sense of normalcy.
For example, Choice Hotels recognizes that during this uncertain time, vacations that once involved weeklong trips to an out-of-state beach may, for the time being, now be downsized to become something more like a weekend trip within the state.
Regardless of the length of stay, or whether the travel is for business or pleasure, Comfort Suites in Batesville is ready.
“We are looking forward to our guests getting back on the road again,” said Ms. Harrison.
Book your stay at the Comfort Suites in Batesville online or by calling (870) 698-1900.
