Hyatt Regency Orlando Hotel on International Drive announced that will close its doors to guests in light of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The hotel will be shut starting today and remain closed until May 3rd 2020. The property provides accommodation of nearly 1,600 rooms, all of which will be temporarily shut. This becomes the first major hotel property in Central Florida to undergo a lockdown due to the COVID-19 spread. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise across the globe, businesses in Orlando bear the brunt of the outbreak, similar to other regions around the world.
Kevin Kennedy, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Orlando said in a recent statement that as a result of the rapidly evolving coronavirus situation, the hotel will temporarily suspend normal operations in order to prioritise the safety, security and well-being of guests and employees. During the period of suspension, the hotel will refrain from accepting any new accommodation or dining reservations and will cease food, beverage, meetings and events operations. However, the hotel is expecting to resume normal activities on May 3rd this year.
He also mentioned that third-party providers have been informed about the closure and all other future reservations have been cancelled without penalty. All reservations that come with pre-payment will be fully refunded by the hotel.
Jerry Demings, Orange County Mayor informed in a recent press brief that various other hotels will also be shut by the end of this week. He mentioned that major hotel chains are closing down in the area as the occupancy levels post the virus outbreak was dipped to an extremely low level. Orlando also witnessed the closure of Universal Studios Orlando and Walt Disney World earlier this month as a response to the COVID-19 virus.
