SHANGHAI, April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The work of Frontline Medical Professionals during the coronavirus outbreak has been challenging and carried great personal risk, as medical staff have worked night and day during these difficult times to save lives. Since the outbreak began, Hilton has continuously taken an active role in supporting frontline heroes in the fight against COVID-19 in Greater China.
As medical teams from around China flew to the epicenter of Wuhan to support local hospitals, three Hilton hotels in Hubei province provided clean, comfortable rooms for these frontline medical professionals. Subsequently, as these frontline professionals completed their duties in Wuhan, another four Hilton hotels received medical teams who returned to their home cities after finishing their assignments.
"It is truly inspiring to see so many medical professionals working in the most challenging circumstances, sacrificing their own needs for the greater good. They are truly heroes. As they fight the coronavirus, we have done our best to give them all the support, care, and love that we are capable of providing," said Qian Jin, Area President, Hilton Greater China and Mongolia.
"Home for nearly two months"
Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley, Hilton Wuhan Riverside, and Hilton Garden Inn Shiyan have served as homes for 1,369 frontline medical professionals from different parts of the country since the end of January, while China was in mid of traditional New Year. These three hotels, with a total of 168 Team Members, worked around the clock during the lockdown to provide safe and clean environments, and to ensure frontline medical professionals were well taken care of. They went to great lengths to ensure their special guests were provided for during their stays, organizing surprise birthday celebrations, cooking their familiar hometown dishes, and offering many other personal touches.
As these heroes took to the battlefield in hospitals, Hilton Team Members built makeshift shelters for frontline medical professionals.
After the medical team of Shanghai Huashan Hospital arrived at Hilton Wuhan Optics Valley late at night on February 9, Yang Bo, the hotel's operations director, led his colleagues until 2 a.m. to check in all of these new guests and carried all of their luggage and supplies to their appropriate rooms. At 6 a.m. the next morning, Yang Bo began to supervise breakfast arrangements to make sure the medical professionals were properly fed. "We want to contribute to help win the COVID-19 fight," Yang Bo said.
The lockdown created manpower challenges for the hotel team. Hilton Wuhan Riverside usually operates with 170 team members but managed to operate with only 50 team members. Beginning on New Year's Eve, two engineering team members at Hilton Wuhan Riverside shouldered the work of typically 10 people to maintain the safe operation of the hotel's 336 rooms.
After seeing these heroes off, our housekeeping teams were surprised and touched to find that all the rooms had already been straightened, with beds fully made and everything put back in place. Many of these heroes also left our Team Members handwritten notes, and in one note, they said, "Thank you so much for providing a 'home' for us for nearly two months. We felt re-charged here and were well-fed with great food and hometown specialties after coming back from hospitals each day. You prepared steaks, fresh fruit, seafood and even ice cream for us even when supply and transportation of food had its challenges. Every morning before 6 o'clock, breakfast was ready for us. No matter how late we returned from the hospital, there was always hot food and warm soup waiting for us. You are heroes behind the scene and best representations of true hospitality. Thank you so much for everything. Hope to see you again next year to enjoy the cherry blossoms together."
"Light and warmth of hospitality"
As medical professionals who have fought the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan since late January complete their tours of duty, Hilton has given heroes' welcomes to 1,045 medical professionals who are returning home.
Hilton Qiandao Lake Resort hosted 266 medical professionals of the Zhejiang Hangzhou Medical Team who were returning from Wuhan, for a 15-day recuperation period. During these 15 days, the hotel organized eight tailor-made activities, including a garden party, yoga, climbing, beach volleyball, a luxury yacht tour of Qiandao Lake, and fishing. The hotel also hosted a birthday party for 10 of the medical professionals setting up special buffets, including hot pot, barbecue, a fish feast, lobster, authentic local dishes, and more. Hotel Team Members formed a strong bond with these 266 heroes who supported Wuhan, and they made a commitment to reunite at Hilton Qiandao Lake Resort after the country has fully recovered from the outbreak.
Other hotels receiving medical professionals demonstrated their hospitality in unique ways. Hilton Haikou Meilan arranged fitness programs on the beach, while Hilton Zhuzhou made special Chinese dumplings for medics' families, and Hilton Dalian Golden Pebble Beach Resort cooked up a famous Dalian seafood feast. While staying at Hilton hotels, frontline medical teams have enjoyed relaxation and recovery from the continuous battle of nearly two months. Hilton Dalian Golden Pebble Beach Resort also launched a photography competition to help medical professionals to relax and enjoy with more than one hundred participating and more than 70,000 viewers judging.
The hospitality of these hotels subsequently received glowing praise from the medical professionals, with Hilton Qiandao Lake Resort receiving over 400 letters and messages. Many medical team members also posted Tik Tok videos of their stay. Team Members fully demonstrated the value of Hospitality which deeply impressed all medical professionals. Hilton Team Members will continue to serve in this spirit and be ever-prepared for future challenges in the future, adhering to our motto "We Are Hilton, We Are Hospitality."
"Hospitality extends to community"
Hilton has extended its hospitality to its communities as well. This was evident in the support provided to the heroic essential workers at the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 -- including medical teams, delivery workers, city sanitation staff, police officers, highway traffic controllers, social workers, community volunteers, and many others. Hilton Team Members came together to support these unsung heroes with creative acts of care, including free food and drink delivery and community watch volunteering, showing not only the warmth of hospitality, but also Hilton's commitment to the communities in which it operates.
While the hotel industry as a whole is still working to recover, Qian Jin, Area President of Hilton Greater China and Mongolia, said: "Though the pandemic has brought great challenges and changes to the hospitality industry, some things remain constant -- Hilton Greater China stands together and will fight for a better future."
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