Shore Hotel, Ocean View Hotel and Santa Monica Motel offering Hero Rates for COVID-19 front line workers
By Staff Writer
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has hit the Santa Monica tourism industry hard with many hotels shutting their doors. One Santa Monica hospitality group, however, is partnering with the state to offer ‘hero rates’ for healthcare workers and first responders.
“Despite operating at a loss, our hotels are staying open to continue providing resources to our community and jobs to our employees, who are an extension of our family,” said Jon Farzam, vice president of the hospitality group that includes the Shore Hotel, Ocean View Hotel and Santa Monica Motel.
In addition to remaining open to support their employees, the hotels are also offering first responders and healthcare workers rooms at discounted rates. According to Farzam, the Shore Hotel ‘Hero Rate’ is $109 + Tax a night, the Ocean View Hotel is $79 a night and the Santa Monica Motel is $69 a night.
“Our Hero rates are an opportunity for us as responsible hoteliers to support healthcare workers and first responders during trying times. Providing close to work accommodations for well-deserved rest between shifts and the ability to keep their families safe at home, free of risk,” Farzam said.
The Hero Rates are part of a program recently announced by Governor Gavin Newsom to provide doctors, nurses and other critical front-line health care workers access to no-cost or low-cost hotel rooms.
The program prioritizes health care workers who come in direct contact with or are suspected of having direct contact with COVID-19 patients or who test positive for COVID-19 but do not require hospitalization. According to Newsom, by providing hotel rooms in close proximity to medical facilities, health care workers can avoid potentially spreading the virus once leaving their shift by selecting to stay in one of the pre-identified hotels across the state.
“California is fighting to protect those who are protecting us,” Newsom said. “Health care workers are the heroes of this moment. As we ramp up the workforce to meet the demand we are also stepping up to help keep our workers’ families safe by providing hotels as temporary housing options.”
The state has already identified 150 hotels, including the Shore Hotel, Ocean View Hotel and and Santa Monica Motel who have volunteered to sign up.
“During this time, our healthcare workers and first responders are the lifeline to our wellbeing. Despite most hotel closures, our hotels will stay open to support our employees and the community. In conjunction with the State of California’s efforts, we will continue being a resource to our beloved heroes who serve us,” Farzam said.
In addition, Farzam noted that the hotels are taking measures to prevent the transmission of the virus via healthcare workers and first responders who come in direct contact with or are suspected of having direct contact with COVID-19 patients.
“Our hotels are fully prepared to serve all types of guests. While we are not aware of any guests who are positive for COVID, we have proactively instituted numerous measures to prevent the transmission of the virus in addition to aggressive disinfecting procedures which meet or exceed CDC guidelines,” Farzam said.
For more information on the program and to make a reservation, California Health Corps workers should visit caltravelstore.com.
For more information about the Shore Hotel, Ocean View Hotel and Santa Monica Motel, visit shorehotel.com, oceanviewsantamonica.com, santamonicamotel.com
