Update: As of May 2021, Hyatt no longer requires vaccinated guests to wear face masks at properties in the United States.
In late July, most of the major hotel chains started to make face coverings mandatory for guests indoors at properties in the United States. We then saw some hotel groups expand the requirement to other countries in the Americas.
Well, Hyatt is now taking it a step further, and is requiring guests to wear masks globally.
In this post:
Hyatt’s expanded guest face mask policy
As of September 15, 2020, and for the foreseeable future, Hyatt is requiring guests at all properties globally to wear masks while indoor in public hotel spaces, as well as when moving around outdoor areas. Here’s how Hyatt describes the new policy:
IMPORTANT FACE MASK & COVERING UPDATE: Following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, face masks or coverings are required in hotel indoor public areas and when moving around in outdoor areas at all Hyatt hotels globally, with some exceptions, based on local laws or guidance. For specific requirements, please contact the hotel directly or visit the hotel website.
On July 27, Hyatt had introduced a face covering requirement for properties in the United States and Canada, and then as of August 10, the policy was expanded to all properties in the Americas.
Hyatt will require face coverings at properties globally
Where exactly do face coverings have to be worn?
Hyatt is requiring face coverings to be worn in indoor public areas, and when moving around outdoor public areas. Note that:
- Public areas includes hotel lobbies, meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers
- Some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including guests with medical conditions, guests consuming food or beverages in restaurants, guests who are seated outdoors and socially distant, and children under the age of two
- There are apparently some exceptions, based on local laws or guidance (are there places that prevent hotels from choosing to require masks?!)
- When Hyatt first introduced its face covering policy in the Americas, there was no requirement to wear face coverings when moving around outdoors, so it’s interesting to see that added
We know that face coverings help slow the spread of coronavirus, and it’s a small way we can do our part to stop the spread while still trying to go about our everyday lives. I’m fully in support of this policy.
Hyatt guests have to wear masks in public areas
Bottom line
Hyatt is now requiring guests at all properties globally to wear face coverings, both when indoor in public areas, and when moving around outside. This follows Hyatt making face coverings mandatory in the US and Canada in late July, and in all of the Americas a couple of weeks after that.
To my knowledge Hyatt is the only major hotel group to now require guests globally to wear face coverings.
What do you make of Hyatt’s guest mask requirement?
It's just a mask.
It's just two weeks.
It's just non-essential businesses.
It's just to keep from overwhelming the hospitals.
It's just until cases go down more.
It's just to keep others from being scared.
It's just for a few more weeks.
It's just communion or singing. You can still meet.
It's just until we get a vaccine.
It's just a few side effects.
It's just a bracelet.
It's just to let people know you're...
It's just a mask.
It's just two weeks.
It's just non-essential businesses.
It's just to keep from overwhelming the hospitals.
It's just until cases go down more.
It's just to keep others from being scared.
It's just for a few more weeks.
It's just communion or singing. You can still meet.
It's just until we get a vaccine.
It's just a few side effects.
It's just a bracelet.
It's just to let people know you're safe to be around.
It's just for the coronavirus vaccine.
It's just an app.
It's just to let others know who you've been in contact with.
It's just a few more months.
It’s just a video.
It’s just an email account.
It's just for protecting others from hate speech.
It's just a few people.
It's just a credit card company.
You can use cash.
It's just a few places that don't take cash.
It's just a little chip.
It’s just for medical information & paying for things.
It’s just so you can travel.
It’s just so you can get your driver’s license.
It’s just so you can vote.
It's just a statue.
It's just a building.
It's just a song.
It’s just a piece of paper.
It's just a flag.
It's just a piece of cloth.
If masks don’t work, perhaps you’d like to recommend that all medical staff stop wearing them?
@eric2: I assume you will be paying my fine here in Spain for not wearing one? Or was Spain removed from Europe when I was sleeping?
@cariverga
https://www.wsj.com/articles/face-masks-really-do-matter-the-scientific-evidence-is-growing-11595083298
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
I think it is fair to say that the evidence for wearing masks is not conclusive. I don't think any expert disagrees with this. That said, the vast majority of experts believe the evidence is strong enough to recommend that masks should be worn, at least in some situations.
Most experts around the world, including the WHO, the CDC, and the leading scientific bodies in most Western countries believe the...
@cariverga
https://www.wsj.com/articles/face-masks-really-do-matter-the-scientific-evidence-is-growing-11595083298
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html
I think it is fair to say that the evidence for wearing masks is not conclusive. I don't think any expert disagrees with this. That said, the vast majority of experts believe the evidence is strong enough to recommend that masks should be worn, at least in some situations.
Most experts around the world, including the WHO, the CDC, and the leading scientific bodies in most Western countries believe the evidence for masks is strong enough to recommend that we all wear one. Even in Sweden, where the experts leading the Government response are lukewarm on masks, they still believe there is likely benefit to wearing them in situations such as public transport.
So in short, you and others claiming there is no evidence towards mask efficacy is just flat out incorrect. It is just there is some disagreement as how strong this evidence is.
Ultimately, in the likely event that we all wear masks for 12 months and it then turns out that masks were not adding that much benefit in reducing the spread - big deal. It's not like there is any big downside to wearing them. I'd much prefer that to not wearing them for 12 months because we are not 100% certain they work and then it turns out conclusively that wearing them would have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.
Please stop going on about masks.
This will remain on the paper. Hotels in many European locations simply can't afford implementing this, mask culture isn't nearly as strong as in the US. No one is going to buy a mask just to stay in their hotel, if the location is otherwise mask-free. Neither it makes sense to spend the whole day out in a city where no one wears a mask and then wear one in the hotel. Especially now when...
This will remain on the paper. Hotels in many European locations simply can't afford implementing this, mask culture isn't nearly as strong as in the US. No one is going to buy a mask just to stay in their hotel, if the location is otherwise mask-free. Neither it makes sense to spend the whole day out in a city where no one wears a mask and then wear one in the hotel. Especially now when mask-free EU states (SE, NO, LV, EE, FI) are doing well, there's little appetite for such a significant cultural shift. Ironically, the worst-performing Nordic country these days is DK, which is the only one to experiment with masks.
I had a chance to speak with a guy who manages a franchise of a certain US-based brand in an European state. He admitted that they outright ignore COVID-related brand standards coming from the US HQ, because they are out of touch with local cultural norms. The way he put it, they will rather take a risk of fines and losing the franchise, than certainty of going bankrupt by losing all local customers.
It used to be that showing up at a place of business while wearing a mask was justification for calling the police. Now they might be called in if you’re not wearing one? What’s next, mandatory guns and knives?!? Whatever it takes to slow the spread, I guess.
Total nonsense.
@Johan - you are absolutely incorrect about Belarus. There are no restrictions on wearing masks
masks outside have no function. In most of Europe this will not work. The only result being no more people staying Hyatt hotels. Let’s see how long this will last ;-)
@Johan Scandinavia is high on my list because of this reason. hopefully we are allowed in soon. (keeps changing almost on a daily basis)
[Following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, face masks or coverings are required...]
[We know that face coverings help slow the spread of coronavirus...]
Lucky, could you please support this with any scientific/medical evidence? I am afraid both Hyatt and you are spreading misinformation here. I do understand that many bloggers feel the pressure to keep parroting the narrative, but still...
@Johan, so how do you see this working in Sweden? I stayed at the Radisson Blu Viking hotel in July and nobody was wearing a mask (neither in the hotel nor anywhere else in Sweden for that matter). In fact, once we left the airport I only saw 2 or 3 people total wearing masks during our entire 2 week vacation in Sweden. Will the Bank Hotel (a Hyatt affiliated hotel) be the only hotel requiring this in Stockholm?
Interesting how this will work in Australia, where except for Melbourne, no one is wearing a mask and is not required.
Blanket wearing of masks outdoors even where social distancing is possible is as un-scientific (and stupid) as people not wearing them in enclosed indoor spaces. This is a ridiculous policy and will probably mean I avoid Hyatt resorts if I now need to wear a mask just to walk from the outdoor pool to the beach in an empty resort. I sincerely hope Marriott in Europe doesn't follow this.
@Johan correct.
LOL outdoor masks useless. How are they going to enforce this? Here in Europe we will not wear them since it totally makes no sense. especially outside. It's also not possible to enforce it because there is no law which states this is possible. So, either they enforce it through hotel employees which will result in law suits and even less people wanting to sleep in Hyatt hotels... good luck
@Johan correct.
It is forbidden to wear a mask in Belarus for example - you can be punished with a fee of up to 50 BYN. Also wearing a mask is socially unacceptable in whole Scandinavia - people would be simply scared of you.
Shocking it's taken this long to put the policy into effect.
great move!!!! i hope everyone will follow!!!! Also good to include outdoor areas, as I was worried at the swimming pool last time as people were around me there at half meter close to me without mask, so I rather left for my room. I was only one with mask. Now I would enjoy again to be there enjoying being at the pool without stress when everyone will be in mask. thank you hyatt!
Stayed at Hyatt Place Stockyards in Fort Worth 2 weeks ago, and the enforcement of the mask mandate was non-existent. Truly disgraceful.
I'm staying at a Hyatt outside USA now. Guests aren't wearing masks yet, and there's been no communication about this.