Last year, the Singapore market saw several new entrants such as the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay, the Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore, the Duxton Reserve and the Mint Hotel at One Farrer Hotel. The hotels must comply with the applicable sector-specific requirements as set out in Appendix A of the Hotel Circular and in the notices issued by the respective authorities. In this regard, the Singapore Tourism Board (“STB”) has updated the SMMs applicable to hostels. Most hotels have established a pre-arrival check-in schedule, where your cooperation is also very important.
The STB, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (“MTI”), Enterprise Singapore (“ESG”) and the Ministry of Health (“MOH”) have drafted SMMs and certain restrictions specifically for hotels. The STB explained that among the safety measures that each hotel must adhere to is reducing the capacity and mingling of hotel visitors in the hotel lobby and guest facilities, such as prohibiting more than five people from different households from congregating in one guest room. Hotels that have been designated as facilities on behalf of the government for Covid-19 purposes, such as those that accommodate persons who have a residence permit, must comply with additional requirements, such as assigning all rooms occupied by such persons to specific floors or blocks away from other guests, and posting notices that the hotel provides Covid-19-related accommodation. The Ascott Orchard Singapore and Lyf Funan Singapore, for example, were at almost 100 per cent occupancy during the holiday season from 24 December to 1 January. According to industry experts, the hotels were kept afloat mainly by the government’s demand for travellers to stay overnight, as well as bookings for domestic stays following the introduction of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers.
The hotel is also required to screen each person for symptoms such as fever or a runny nose before allowing anyone to enter the hotel or individual guest facilities. The hotel is also close to Clarke Quay, where there are plenty of 1-for-1 dining deals to feast on. The newly opened The Clan Hotel also tries to combine modern luxury with nostalgia and history through its location near Chinatown. Even now, hotels are applying and making their accommodation and recreational areas available to the public after receiving permission.
Hotels are facing the worst occupancy rates in their history as the number of foreign visitors to Singapore has all but stopped due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
