Accor Reopens 300 Hotels In France To Accommodate Coronavirus Patients

Accor announced on Thursday that it is working with the French government to reopen up to 300 hotels where coronavirus infected people could stay and isolate themselves.

The intention is to house patients that are asymptomatic or only slightly affected. More severe cases are taken care at hospitals.

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Chief Executive Sebastien Bazin also told France Inter radio that 300 of Accor's hotels in France had indicated they were prepared to participate in the initiative, which comes as President Emmanuel Macron has indicated the country's lockdown could be progressively lifted from May 11.

"Last evening, the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP)) decided with local authorities to launch three pilots from today in Ile-de-France (Paris region)... We were asked if we could make some hotels available from this evening for people infected by the virus and symptom-free or with slight symptoms but who are contagious. We are going to welcome them from this evening," Bazin said.

Health measures in the hotels will be beefed up so that they can safely re-open later for business.

There are many hotels in places such as Singapore and other countries that have been taken over by local authorities to act as quarantine centers.

Citizens who arrive from overseas are housed at these hotels and not allowed to leave for 14 nights. You get limited housekeeping service, and food is usually through room service only.

Interestingly, Accor is effectively opening hotels to allow people to quarantine themselves. Not sure what rates these hotels are offering and whether they are eligible for Accor Live Limitless points.