(TAN): IHG Army Hotels, a portfolio of hotels which serves thousands of guests every day on forty military installations in the United States and Puerto Rico, continues to fulfill its mission to serve communities and military families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to caring for active and retired members of the military and their families, properties are providing safe and comfortable accommodations for service members who are supporting COVID-19 relief efforts or those who have been temporarily displaced during this emergency, including military personnel whose barracks or on-post housing have been repurposed.
Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, Americas, IHG, commented: “During these uncertain and challenging times, the dedication of the men and women in uniform is evident – and we appreciate their service. Our teams at IHG Army Hotels, which include many veterans and military family members, understand the stress that COVID-19 has created and are committed to delivering the best care and True Hospitality that members of the military deserve.”
All IHG Army Hotels will remain open and operational during the COVID-19 response. In addition to serving guests, local hotels are focused on working with the U.S. Army and base leadership to best support the installation mission and their communities in the most impactful way.
Hotels on Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Stewart bases in Georgia are just a few of the properties that are using their talents to make face masks for their colleagues, local first responders and hospital personnel on post.
[ALSO READ: Etihad continues to progress sustainable initiatives to help cut carbon emissions]
To help provide a sense of normalcy for families, hotels on Joint Base San Antonio in Texas and Fort Wainwright in Alaska maintained and adapted a years-long holiday tradition with a “socially distant” visit from the Easter Bunny, who dropped off individually wrapped goodie baskets for children in house.
Through fundraising activities across multiple bases in recent months – including bake sales, denim days and other grassroots activities – teams at IHG Army Hotels properties across the country were able to make a collective donation to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization which builds mortgage-free smart homes for injured veterans and first responders.
In addition, many IHG Army Hotels have reached agreements with Garrison leadership in order to alleviate the financial burden of service members affected by the “Remain in Place” order while awaiting transportation to their new permanent duty station. Service members who present Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders upon check-in at these hotels will receive a daily room rate equal to their basic allowance for housing.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, IHG’s top priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of guests and colleagues. All IHG-branded hotels, including IHG Army Hotels, have received extensive guidance regarding hygiene, as well as enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures, and hotels are also following the advice of the relevant health authorities.
