While we all have been booking hotels and planning trips left, right and centre, maybe some of you may have forgotten about the GLOBAL PANDEMIC! 

Travelling might be our escape from the stress of being cooped up in our homes for more than a year but it certainly isn’t an escape from COVID-19, which is still very much a danger to all of us. 

So, here are some of hygienic steps that you should practice when travelling: 

1. Find out the hotel’s safety guidelines 

Before choosing a hotel or Airbnb, make sure you find out what are the pre-cautions that they are practising to help keep guests and staff safe. Make sure that the hotel is following the government guidelines before booking a stay there. 

Other important services that the hotel should have is cashless payments and other contactless services. Make sure to also drop and email or call he hotel to find out the occupancy rate during your desired dates. A better option would be to ask the hotel to give you a room that has been unoccupied for a few days before your stay. 

2. Decline housekeeping service

If you’re staying just for a few days, then how about cleaning you own room? Avoid requesting the housekeeping service so that you can limit the number of people who are entering your room, even if they are wearing a mask. 

If you need some extra shampoo or towels, tell the front desk to get the staff to leave it outside your door. Make sure you sanitise the items before bringing them in your room. 

3. Open a window if you can

In case you didn’t know, virus particles are spread through the air not only from coughing and sneezing but also talking and they can linger in a room for hours. 

The World Health Organization suggests that ventilation lowers the risk of airborne transmissions. 

So, if you have a hotel room with a balcony or a window, open it for ventilation. Let the air in your room be replenished with some clean, fresh air from the outside. Keep you mask on and windows open for at least 30 minutes. 

4. Mild sanitizing 

No need to go into full on germaphobe but just maybe 40% germaphobe. Use some antibacterial wipes or DIY disinfecting solution to wipe down the light switches, doorknobs, remote controls, sinks, toilet flush, phones and anything else that you will be constantly touching. 

DIY disinfecting solution: ⅓ cup of bleach (containing 5.25 percent to 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per 3 litres of water.

5. Bag up everything

After sanitizing the items you would be using often, use a zip lock bag or some cling wrap to crap things like the tv and air cond remote since you will be using them regularly. 

6. Bring you own cups or bottles

While it is nice to enjoy a cup of coffee in your room with the hotel mug, it is better to bring your own. Bring you own bottle too and boil drinking water to refill your bottle. Save the environment and also save yourself from any germs that maybe lingering on the plastic water bottles or the cups.

7. Avoid shared spaces in the hotel

If you’re waiting for the lift to go up to your room and it gets a little crowded, walk away until the crowd clears or take the stairs. You might reach your room later than expected but its better to be safe than sorry. 

Even if the gym junkie in you might be trying to convince you to use the gym in the hotel, opt for a quick workout in your room instead. Hotel gyms are usually compact and crowded, which is a huge NO! Other NOs should also be allocated for spas, buffet areas and any other places that are shared by the other guests of the hotel.