Shanghai Authorities Let 7 Filthy Luxury Hotels Go With Fines of USD292 Each

LIAO SHUMIN

(Yicai Global) Jan. 9 — Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai have punished seven high-end accommodation providers, including Bvlgari Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel, and the Ritz-Carlton, that were caught in a hidden camera scandal last year that exposed low hygiene standards of staff members, with fines of CNY2,000 (USD292) each, which is less than the price of a single night at some of these establishments.

A health commission of Huangpu district in Shanghai has organized two training sessions for star-rated hotels, and 320 such events for non-starred ones, state-backed The Paper reported. The focus in these sessions has been room cleaning, disinfection of items, and customer service. Authorities have also given these hotels self-inspection forms to encourage them to pursue a higher level of service.

A WeChat user with a handle Chairman Hua Lost Jingu Bang revealed the cleaning process of hotel tableware and toilet bowls with the same dirty towels and sponges in a video named “The Secret of Cups” last November. The video combined data from various luxury hotel chains such as Conrad, Shangri-La, Sheraton, Bvlgari and Le Royal Meridien in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Fuzhou, and Nanchang.

The other four Shanghai-based hotels were Mandarin Oriental in Pudong, Le Royal Meridien, the Puli Hotel and Spa, and Waldorf Astoria.

Punishment is not the ultimate goal, a spokesperson from the health commission said. Providing consumers with clean, and comfortable accommodation is the foundation of hotel services, and clients’ online reviews affect the popularity of chains, the person added.

Fierce marketing efforts may cause service providers to neglect quality, the spokesperson said.

Editor: Emmi Laine