CMCO Interview: Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre

What Hotels Are Doing to Ensure Guests Of A Safe And Enjoyable Stay

Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre

A Little Information On Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre

Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre is strategically located in Kuala Lumpur’s prestigious Golden Triangle. Renowned shopping malls such as Pavilion, Suria KLCC and Changkat Bukit Bintang entertainment hub are at its doorstep. The hotel has 486 well-appointed guestrooms and suites with complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel premises, perfect for leisure and business travellers. Other facilities include a Grand Ballroom, 19 function rooms, 2 Food & Beverage outlets, 1 Lounge, 1 Bar, Fitness Centre, Pool and a Spa.

Interview Between Escapy Travel Magazine (ETM) & Noorazzudin Omar, General Manager of Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre

Date (or target date) hotel restarts operations: 01^st July 2020

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place to ensure staffs (team members), third party suppliers, etc. are healthy or virus free (since members of staffs as well as suppliers will inevitably meet at one point in time or another and could spread the virus)?

Noorazzudin Omar: All hotel associates have been briefed or trained in corona virus prevention based on guidelines issued by World Health Organization (WHO), the Local Ministry of Health and Malaysian Association of Hotel Employers guidelines.

The basic hygiene practice includes maintaining social distancing of 1 meter away from the next person, frequent hand washing, wearing a mask if unwell and sanitize as often as possible.

We have installed hand sanitizing stations for guest/associate/visitors at various entry points in the hotel i.e. hotel entrance, reception desk, restaurant, parking and elevators.

Every guest, associate and visitor, when entering/leaving the hotel is being temperature screened, must use hand sanitizer, and mask.

Health Screening Form (a form record or log) must be completed by all guest, associate and visitor to the hotel.

All guests, associate and visitors are monitored for signs and symptoms upon check-in.

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place for guests to ensure their safety in areas where there usually are crowds such as the lobby, F&B outlets, entertainment areas, activity areas (gym, sauna, pool, games room, etc.), etc?

Noorazzudin Omar: All associates with guest contacts are mandated to wear masks in all guest contact areas in the hotel. This also applies to all associates where there are high interaction activity and associates related to job scopes that is guided by Food Safety Hygiene guidelines.

Frequent disinfecting of public spaces / touch points e.g. elevators, stairways, door handles, washrooms is practiced using the daily disinfection checklist.

Notices are placed in public areas to inform guests, associates and visitors on Social Distancing and other protective measures taken. Inhouse videos are screened in all hotel screens in the lobby, Ballroom and in-room TV systems and shared on external media showcasing measures in place to encourage more awareness.

In F&B outlets; social distancing Is practiced i.e. queuing of 1 meter away from next guest is marked on the floor. Temperature screening is taken upon entry to restaurant, guest name is verified as per in-house guest list, and hand sanitizers are provided. Each table is arranged 2 meters away from the next table.

Disposable menus (table mats) are used and discarded safely once guest leaves. Cutleries and paper napkins are sealed in plastic. All associates are to use gloves and wear mask at all times. In Room dining, e-menu via G-Connec system is used for in-house guests.

During the current CMCO situation, hotel facilities, activities areas are closed. Once hotel is fully operational and these activity areas are operational, similar hygiene and prevention measures will be implemented.

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place for guests to ensure their safety in confined small spaces such as lifts for example; since guests (as well as staffs) use them all the time?

Noorazzudin Omar: In lifts, floor marking is drawn to allow maximum of 4 persons each time. Hand sanitizers are placed inside lifts. At all lift corridors, floor marking is indicated for guests and associates to wait for their turn. Signages are also placed to remind guests and associates on 1 meter social distance, to wear a mask, and to sanitize their hands frequently.

The Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place for guests to ensure their safety in rooms? Rooms are constantly used by different people (guests) and we do not know if one of them is carrier of the virus.

Noorazzudin Omar: Housekeeping associates are trained to clean all guest’s rooms using the “new normal” room cleanliness checklist which adheres to the hotel’s standard operating procedures (SOP).

Housekeeping associates must wear masks and gloves before entering guest rooms and cleaning guest’s room. Disinfectant sprays are used to clean all high touch points and hard surfaces (i.e. desk, side table, bathroom surfaces, door handles, light switches, telephone and remote controls). Bedspreads and all linen are changed daily. All glasses and cutleries are washed with soap and water.

ETM: What has your team prepared (hotel) or done to ensure the safety of your guests in general?

Noorazzudin Omar: The hotel is following recommendations and guidelines issued by WHO (World Health Organization), Local Ministry of Health, and Malaysian Association of Hotel Employers.

Personal protective measures are implemented which entails, frequent cleaning of hands with soap and water or using of hand sanitizers, wearing of mask masks, maintaining social distances of at least 1 meter away from the other person.

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) has been revised using industry based “New Normal” practices. New SOP on Handling Suspected Cases is implemented.

Inhouse videos are screened in all hotel screens in the lobby, Ballroom, and in-room TV systems, and shared on external media showcasing measures in place to encourage more awareness.

ETM: Are there any new SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that has been or that will be applied for the current situation as well as going forward?

Noorazzudin Omar: New SOPs are being implemented inline with the “New Normal” practices; e.g. Handling Suspected Covid 19 Cases. Also new innovative practices are implemented such as contactless check-in and checkout procedures, and contactless pay systems.

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ETM: Are there any new policies in place with the Corona Virus pandemic around? For example cancelation policies, booking policies, etc.

Noorazzudin Omar: Flexible booking policy is practiced which allows guest to cancel booking related to the Covid19 pandemic.

Scenario 1: If one person in the family is unhealthy (may or may not be due to the virus), will the whole group be turned away?

The Matter will be referred to management for further investigation and action. Yes, for the safety of others – (guests and associates), the group will be turned away.

Scenario 2: What if guests of the hotel brings guests who are not registered into the hotel?

It is mandatory to register all guests or visitors who enter the hotel.

ETM: What current measures are in place once a positive case is detected and confirmed?

Noorazzudin Omar: The hotel has implemented an SOP on Handling Suspected case.

At the entry point in the hotel, the practice is to screen temperature of all guests, associates, and visitors. A health screening form is also to be completed by all guests, associates and Visitors.

Should an individual have any symptoms related to Covid19, he/she will immediately be isolated in a holding area. Management and Health authorities will be notified. The person will then be referred to the General Hospital immediately.

The holding area and entry point will be condoned off for disinfection process. Comprehensive guidelines as stated in the SOP must be and will be adhered to.

ETM: Who checks and verifies that the hotel has been regularly sanitised? Any authorities to monitor and what are the procedures?

Noorazzudin Omar: For now, the hotel has an intensive daily disinfection checklist and schedule. This is monitored and inspected closely by Safety & Hygiene Manager.

As for authorities; perhaps in future as we have yet to receive information or new SOP with regards to this.

ETM: What can guests look forward to when staying at your hotel in times like this?

Noorazzudin Omar: During this pandemic period, the safety and preventive measures taken by a hotel will be a guest’s ultimate concern. Our prime concern is to ensure that all safety practices are fully implemented and monitored closely for the safety of our guests.

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