Is it safe to stay in a hotel right now? An infectious disease doctor, a cleaning expert, and hotel reps all share what you should know before you check-in.

Image: IStock, Alyssa Powell / Business Insider. Article by Alesandra Dubin, Business Insider – March 4, 2021.

• Though vaccine rollouts have started, travelers continue to prioritize safety amidst the pandemic.
• The risk for hotels depends on myriad factors, but experts and the CDC say private home rentals are safer.
• Experts and an infectious disease doctor gave us guidance and tips for mitigating risks during hotel stays.

For some travelers, there’s nothing more desirable than the hotel experience, awash in luxury and service. But amidst the continuing pandemic, many are wondering how much risk they’d face if they booked a stay. Many hotel selling points, such as round-the-clock staff, are now potential liabilities.

By definition, hotels are gathering spaces, often crowded with both staff and other guests. They are places where many objects — from remote controls to furnishings — are shared and reused by visitor after visitor, sometimes with mere hours in between. If these facts never raised red flags for travelers in the past, they certainly do now at a time when social distancing and sanitizing are top of mind. […]

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