The Essentials

How Your Hotel Experience Is About to Change

As travel slowly begins to resume, many of the big brands are focusing on — all puns intended — putting the hospital back in hospitality.

Short of changing their brand names to the Hazmat Inn, Hilton is partnering with Lysol and the Mayo Clinic, and both United Airlines and InterContinental hotels — in separate programs — have partnered with the Cleveland Clinic.

At the hotel level, your room experience is about to change. Many items in Hilton rooms, from pens and stationery and magazines have been removed along with coat hangers and spare pillows.

Room service will be contactless. And after a thorough disinfecting, rooms will be sealed. And when you check in, there will be no room key. You’ll open the door with your cell phone, and when you do, you’ll be breaking that seal.

Come to think of it, maybe the hotel’s name should change to the Hazmat Inn. But for the moment, the process of safety, hygiene and cleanliness will be the focus of guests as well as the hotel’s.

It’s not just about a nice blanket. It’s a security blanket.