As many states are in different reopening phases, business owners have been given strict measures to keep visitors safe. Wearing masks, reminding customers to stay six feet apart, and washing hands are just the preliminary requirements - many hotel properties have to follow much more stringent standards recommended by the CDC.

We want to help you open back up because we know the hospitality industry has been hit especially hard - your guests look to your property as a place for refuge and wellbeing and we hope to play our part in welcoming them back. Below are our guidelines for COVID-19 safety measures, featuring safety signage from Indiesigns, our newest offering specializing in independent artist-designed decals and signs. Instead of hanging up intimidating and sterile safety signage, consider artist-designed signage that won’t sacrifice the visual integrity of your hotel’s interior. Hotels can even brand the products with their logos or color schemes.

Guests are likely traveling for the first time in months, so it’s essential to create an environment that looks and feels comforting and extra-clean.

Consider using floor decals to mark areas where there is a potential for a line to form, along with enter and exit signs by the front doors. If there’s an opportunity to, we recommend implementing a contact-free check-in station so guests can quickly receive their key card without having to stand in a line. Experts have been wary of using elevators without the proper safety measures and social distancing, giving the general public warnings from staying in corners to carrying toothpicks to push elevator buttons. Placing floor decals to show your customers proper social distance measures can alleviate fears for visitors riding. Elevator signage that informs guests of occupancy limitations should be mounted at the elevator call button on each floor, and floor markers can be placed on the inside of the elevator.

For public restrooms, continue to remind your guests and staff of the importance of washing their hands for 20 seconds. Peel and stick signs should be placed on bathroom walls or mirrors in front of each sink. We recommend placing these signs on the lower left or right corner of the mirror as guests look down towards the sink. Make sure to replace soap bars with more sanitary options, such as automatic soap dispensers. Even better - offer disinfectant wipes by the doorway so guests won’t worry about touching the door handle.  

Your Gym & Fitness Center

For many states, gym and pool facilities access is still closed, so your property has more time to prepare before opening. Before the entryway or at the front desk of your fitness center, there should be a reminder of all rules and safety measures due to the reopening. Reopening rules for fitness areas vary across states, so we recommend looking up your state guidelines or guidelines from well-known medical centers. The Mayo Clinic recommends gym and fitness centers to provide time blocks for visitors along with limiting the availability of hard-to-clean equipment, such as foam rollers and yoga blocks. It’s also recommended to block off access to every other cardio machine, for visitors to safely distance themselves while working out. Guests should be wearing masks while working out – for added comfort we recommend adding a disposable mask station by the front of your fitness center. Visitors can replace their day-to-day masks with a lighter option without worrying about dirt and sweat. We offer an array of “Need A Mask?” signs to bring a more cheery tone to the mask station.

Since your guests will be moving around frequently in this space, make sure signage is easy-to-see and eye level while using treadmills, bikes, and any other gym equipment. Frequent sanitizing is essential for these areas and should be a collaborative effort between your staff and guests. Fitness signs reminding guests to wipe down their equipment after use should be placed across your fitness space - based on the size of your facility, you will need to determine if you need multiple signs. Of course, the best fitness option is done outside of a gym or pool. To reduce the number of fitness center visitors, you can develop an in-room fitness program, with free access to online fitness and wellness programs, such as Headspace or Aaptiv. Offering in-room sanitized fitness equipment, such as yoga mats or Peloton bike, is a fun extra perk that can delight your guests!  

Conference Rooms

Conference rooms are a tricky space for reopening - your guests are used to planning on full-day meetings in an enclosed space with a large, compact group of colleagues. The key to safe workspaces is: Space, space, and more space.

Ensure that all guests are able to feel connected with each other while six feet apart. You’ll have to place occupancy signs to reduce the temptation to congregate together in a large meeting. Removing chairs tightly packed together in a conference table can also reduce the temptation for visitors to sit too closely together, we offer handy seat placement decals that show where chairs should be placed to make this process much easier. Remote work has skyrocketed during this time - make sure your conference space has a strong Wifi connection, a presentations screen, and conference phone system to allow remote access.

We recommend adding clearly labeled stations for sanitization near the entrance of the room and asking participants to prepare and BYO coffee in advance of the meeting instead of within the room. Due to the higher risk of infections being in a group indoors, you should urge your guests to use conference rooms only if absolutely necessary, and provide extra screens and tech offerings in-suite as an alternative.

Food & Beverage

The CDC has stated that options such as room-service or pick-up are the best service options that have the lowest risks of COVID-19 spread. If it’s possible on your property, we recommend all on-site dining to be limited to the outdoors, with seating spaced at least six feet apart.

“Please Wait” or “Stand Here” floor decals are designed to be placed at your front desk, outdoor seating area, or any place where there is a potential for a line to form. If you have an outdoor bar area, you can also use bar stool seating decals to help space out the seating. Your guests should feel relaxed, safe, and ready for your business!

Brands vs. Independent

There has been a wide range of directives from hotel brands on signage requirements, from simply stating it is necessary to actually recommending specific designs. No surprise, Marriott is a strong example of the latter. Marriott published a collection of professional designs to use across all of their brands. But many hotels, both branded and independent, can choose designs that work for their property’s specific interior aesthetic and brand identity.

Want to see more types of hotel signage? Visit our newest brand launch, Indiesigns to discover a vast array of social distancing signs and decals.