“Dear travelers. Our team mobilized and we took all the necessary precautions to be able to welcome you in good conditions from Monday, April 20!”. On its Facebook page, the Kyriad d’Auxerre Appoigny hotel proudly announces:’Establishment reopens its doors to its customers. It had been closed since March 17.
In a publication, the hotel management highlights the security measures that have been taken : a reception which “respects safety distances and barrier gestures”,“disinfected keys for each rental”, A restoration“to take away, prepared in accordance with barrier gestures”. The establishment also decided to rent a room out of two, to avoid too much contact between customers.
On Facebook, Kyriad, who did not respond to our request for an interview, continues: “all our employees are equipped with masks, gloves and disinfectant wipes”.
Does the establishment have the right to reopen, when the confinement is not yet finished? Yes. “The hotels are not part of the ERP category (establishment open to the public) whose opening to the public was prohibited by article 8 of the decree of March 2020“, Tells us the prefecture of Yonne, adding that”some were closed either due to the absence of a client or by decision of the owners”.
Will the other establishments reopen?
Since the start of confinement, many hotels have indeed been closed. And are not ready to reopen. We contacted Patrick Jacquier. He is the president of the Union of hotel trades and industries (UMIH) in Côte-d’Or. The Jacquier family, with the Hôtels Bourgogne Qualité group, has 12 hotels in Bourgogne.
For him, nothing will be done before May 11. The group plans to relaunch only three of its establishments: the ibis budget Saint Apollinaire, the Ibis Dijon Gare and the Mercure, located in the Clémenceau center. Only condition: “that we were able to get everything we wanted on the protection of employees and customers, that is to say masks, hydroalcoholic gel, plexiglass windows to protect employees”, Specifies Patrick Jacquier. The others are and will remain closed for the time being.
He even speaks of an opening, as if he were launching a new hotel: “We are going to completely change our processes, our way of working, of selling our rooms”.
But will customers come back? The tourism sector will in any case be very strongly impacted. Business customers could begin to return gradually after May 11, the start of deconfinement in France.
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