Is Your Hotel Clean? Find Out with a Few Clicks

BOCCONIAN JACOPO DI CERA HAS LAUNCHED HOTELPULITO.COM, THE FIRST SITE WHERE HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES GET CERTIFIED ACCORDING TO THEIR STANDARDS OF CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE. SOMETHING WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST SURVEYS, IS INCREASINGLY FUNDAMENTAL IN ORIENTING IN THE CHOICE OF TRAVELERS

There is a widespread belief that in many industries, or perhaps more generally in our life, there will be a clear dividing line between the "pre-covid era" and what is going to happen from now on. Some parameters have definitely changed and, in particular, some of the criteria orienting consumer choice.

In a strategic and sensitive sector for Italy such as hotel hospitality, for example, it will not be enough to give a vote to the generic item of "cleanliness". Much more will have to be done. Hotels, B&Bs, accommodation facilities in general, of any order and grade, can indicate, by registering for free on HotelPulito.com, everything management did in terms of hygiene and sanitation for the protection of guests. With covid never being explicitly mentioned, while always being on everyone's mind. "We are convinced that the pandemic has brought about an epochal change in terms of sensitivity to hygiene norms, and this will not go away once the covid is definitively eradicated", says Jacopo Di Cera, Bocconi class of 2005 (Business Administration), founder of HotelPulito with Filippo Riccò.

"Our web portal has been active for a few days and we are already encountering great interest; we have entered into an agreement with the Municipality of Trapani thanks to which we have involved hotel facilities in that part of Sicily, but we are already working with other local administrations, associations, and major players in the tourist industry with the aim of spreading as widely as possible". A hotel that wants to appear on the HotelPulito website must first register by filling out a cleaning policy list that focuses on three areas in particular: reception, rooms, common areas. "The protocol is inspired by that of Federalberghi, supplemented by aspects present in various local regulations, which are often rather vague", summarizes Jacopo Di Cera, "with special attention being given to the date of the latest extraordinary sanification operation. In addition, it is possible to attach various cleaning and hygiene certifications". So far registration is free, but if you want additional services, “such as having a cleaning policy page directly on your site, you need sign up for a paid premium subscription. Today there is no real common standard on hotel sanitation, our goal is to create one by studying and developing the various guidelines scattered throughout the national territory".

On HotelPulito you don't book hotel rooms, Di Cera still specifies, “but it is possible for guests to leave a vote on the cleanliness standards found in their experience and this will obviously determine a specific rating. At the fifth negative report, we open an investigation into the matter.”

by Davide Ripamonti
Translated by Alex Foti