New meeting normal at NH Hotels

CMW looks at how NH Hotel Group has redesigned its meetings experience with digital and health and safety to the fore. The NH Hotel Group has redesigned its hotels’ meeting and events experience, with the accent on health and safety and digitalisation of services. The work comes of the back of an action plan following a survey of 1,000 meetings and events specialists and expert recommendations. Management reviewed 700 standards and subsequently boosted the digitalisation of its services to facilitate social distancing and ensure maximum hygiene and safety in the meetings spaces. One of the results of the investment in digitalisation is that clients can now take a virtual tour of the meetings spaces. The Wi-Fi bandwidth, has been improved to cover the needs of large online meetings, conferences and webinars and cleaning and disinfection protocols upgraded. Meeting rooms and rest areas will be disinfected after each event and during breaks, applying new hygiene measures. All materials used at any of the events and meetings, such as pens and notebooks, will be disinfected before entering the hotel and delivered to clients in individual packaging. The Food & Beverage area has also undergone a reorganisation that affects everything from preparation logistics to the delivery of the product, its consumption and the payment method. NH Hotel Group is requesting health certifications from its suppliers and a delivery process under strict control protocols. Table setup will respect social distancing measures and the traditional buffet service is replaced by individually packaged portions. New security protocols are in place to obviate crowding in common areas, and the arrival and departure of large groups will be pre-scheduled. There will also be hand sanitiser dispensers at each of the main accesses to the meeting rooms and registration desks will be protected with plexiglass screens and located in areas that will help prevent congestion. NH Hotel Group is a consolidated multinational hotel operator with more than 360 hotels.