Things have changed dramatically at the Residence Inn Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, as they have for hotels across the country and around the world. A few months ago, our hotel was a busy place, with guests, families and business people checking into our hotel each day, enjoying a hot breakfast in our Lobby restaurant, the panoramic view and crab cakes from our rooftop bar and grille, and even our wild weekly lobby karaoke event for guests from countries around the world. Our conference rooms were filled with meetings and events hosted by the Johns Hopkins Hospital and other area businesses and organizations.

All that changed as the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country and travel came to a standstill. The pandemic has hit the hospitality industry harder than 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis combined. A recent study projected that nearly four million people in the U.S. who work in or for the hotel industry would be furloughed or lose their jobs. In early May, nearly eight out of 10 hotel rooms across the country were unoccupied. Nationwide, hotels have lost more than $25 billion in room revenue and are on pace to lose up to $400 million in room revenue per day.

The impact of the pandemic has been staggering. Thousands of hotels have been forced to shut their doors and lay off staff members. We were almost one of them.

Early in April, we were on the brink of temporarily closing our doors. But because of our partnership with and proximity to Johns Hopkins Hospital, rather than closing we’ve been fortunate to be able to remain open and serve the doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers who are on the frontline caring for patients. Through a partnership with the hospital forged by our hotel’s Director of Sales and the Johns Hopkins Office of Emergency Management, we’re providing scores of rooms per night to healthcare providers, courtesy of Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Our hotel has become a close, comfortable, and safe temporary home where these healthcare heroes can sleep, eat and recharge after their 18- to 20-hour days of saving lives. We appreciate all that they are doing! Our staff has been laser focused on delivering personalized and empathetic hospitality to show our gratitude.

We’ve had to reduce our staff too and as hard as our team members worked before COVID-19, today they’re working even harder to care for our guests. They’re taking on work in areas of the hotel outside their normal positions to ensure all our guests’ needs are met. Our management and supervisory teams are tasked with cleaning and refreshing rooms, providing contactless delivery of food and beverage orders, and other requested items 24/7 to sustain these essential healthcare providers.

In the hospitality industry, there’s a saying, “Last night’s empty room is revenue that’s lost forever.” Thanks to our creative partnership with Johns Hopkins Hospital, we’ve been able to fill rooms and preserve at least some revenue, while paying it forward and supporting frontline healthcare workers. And because we’ve been able to remain open, we’ve preserved jobs and are able to continue to support the economy of East Baltimore and Baltimore City.

I’ve always been proud of my team and the incredible hospitality they provide to each and every guest, but now I’m even more proud of their hard work and the sacrifices they are making. Supporting the Hopkins healthcare heroes is a heroic effort in and of itself. We are all looking forward to the day when our city is once again filled with the sounds of people living their lives, spending time together, and celebrating life’s big and small joys. We’ll be here to welcome them when that day comes.

Author Info:

Ian Harvey is the General Manager at The Residence Inn Baltimore at Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, offering extended-stay hospitality, and a beautiful rooftop restaurant, 16 On The Park, for modern travelers.