Marriott International will require guests to wear face
coverings in public indoor areas at all U.S. hotels, starting July 27.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson announced the new policy in a
video message on Monday, attributing the update to “recent spikes [of Covid-19]
across the U.S. and guidance from health officials.”
Previously, Marriott had only required hotel staff to wear
masks as a brand standard.
“Health experts have made it clear that wearing face
coverings in public spaces is one of the easiest steps we can take to protect
one another and reduce the spread of Covid-19,” said Sorenson. “We are now
extending the requirement to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces of
hotels to our guests, no matter the jurisdiction.”
Sorenson added that Marriott will be rolling out pre-arrival
reminders, signage and training ahead of the policy’s launch.
Marriott’s face-covering rule follows a recent revision of
the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Safe Stay health and safety
initiative, with the AHLA recommending that hotels require face coverings in
all indoor public spaces.