UK: With manufacturing, construction and other businesses in England encouraged to resume operations, OYO has made available over 1000 additional rooms.
Since the UK lockdown began, OYO has seen over 50,000 room nights booked for government approved purposes.
Fixed-rate accommodation was offered from £25 per night when staying seven nights or more, or from £32 per night for shorter stays.
OYO has since spoken to more owners at its independently-owned hotels to reopen properties in order to cater for extra demand.
Bookings will only be accepted if it complies with government guidelines, and guests are requested to respect social distancing and best hygiene practices.
Demand has come from key works across the private and public sectors, including fire-fighters and prison workers, and the utilities, oil and gas industries.
Through its OYO Rooms for Carers initiative, free rooms are continuing to be distributed to healthcare workers.
More than a dozen hotels are being exclusively used to house the homeless. Mick Clark, chief executive of The Passage, an organisation that provides homeless people with support, said: “This public health emergency has posed a particular threat to those living on the streets, so we at The Passage are grateful to OYO for opening their doors and helping us provide safe accommodation to those in need. We’ve had up to 30 people staying across OYO’s hotels for the past eight weeks already and we’ve been delivering them daily food parcels of nutritious meals and snacks.”
Following the recent announcement that overseas arrivals in the UK are required to self-isolate for 14 days, OYO is speaking to the relevant authorities to identify suitable accommodation.
OYO Hotels & Homes has a portfolio of more than 43,000 hotels with over one million rooms. UK hotels under the OYO brand remain independently owned and the majority of the 200+ properties are independently operated.
