Marriott, Hyatt to Mandate Face Coverings in Indoor Public Spaces

Major hotel chains will begin requiring guests to wear face masks starting next week following industry guidance recommending guests wear face coverings.

Marriott International will make the face coverings mandatory in all of its more than 7,000 hotels starting July 27, the company’s president and CEO said this week.

“The hospitality industry from the start has prioritized the health and safety of our guests and associates using best practices… But we can do more to protect each other and our associates,” Arne Sorenson, the president and CEO of Marriott International, said in a video address. “Health experts have made it clear that wearing face coverings in public spaces is one of the easiest steps that we can all take to protect one another and reduce the spread of COVID-19.”

The new standard follows guidance from the American Hotel & Lodging Association released earlier this month, which recommends hotels mandate the face coverings in indoor public spaces.

While Marriott already makes staff wear masks, Sorenson said the hotel chain is now “extending the requirement to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces in hotels to our guests, no matter the jurisdiction.” This also follows the “recent spikes across the U.S.” in COVID-19 cases.

To educate guests, Sorenson said the company will send out pre-arrival reminders and post signs inside hotels, asking people to remember to “please pack your mask.”

Hyatt will also require the same also starting July 27 in indoor public areas in it’s U.S. and Canadian hotels, including in fitness centers. The hotels will provide face masks to guests who don’t have one.

“This new policy comes at a pivotal time amidst the ongoing challenges of COVID-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our guests and colleagues,” Mark Hoplamazian, the president and CEO of Hyatt, said in a statement.

Face masks have become mandatory in many public spaces, including on airlines, at Disney World, and in casinos in Atlantic City.