The hospitality industry has been on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many hotels, it’s been a death knell. But for those that could convert into quarantine facilities, adversity has been the mother of invention. Let’s meet one hotel operator who embraced the need for quarantine hotels early. He now has a chain of specialized COVID-secure hotels across the country.

Tai Tung-chieh dons protective gear and makes a round to check each room in the hotel. He goes over the cleaning implements, supplies, and all the plastic coverings to ensure they’re perfect. At 38, this quarantine hotel operator is an expert on all things COVID-secure.

Tai Tung-chieh
Hotel owner
Our guests haven’t been back for many years. They may not be familiar with Taiwan anymore. Of course, I have a real sense of achievement when I see guests leaving here having eaten a good meal and had a great night’s sleep.

Joyce
Quarantine hotel guest
I remember one day it was Thanksgiving. They made us turkey lunch boxes, and they wished me “Happy Thanksgiving!” I thought it was very thoughtful.

The care shown by Tai’s staff does not go unremarked by guests. Even months later, they still remember. But making the transition from a small tourist hotel to a quarantine facility was not all plain sailing.

Tai Tung-chieh
Hotel owner
We dropped straight from 70% occupancy to 7%. Should I tell the staff who’d followed me for so long to move on? Or should we transition to a model that allowed us to survive?

At its peak, the hotel was making annual turnover of up to NT$60 million. Tai never imagined that in his sixth year of business, COVID would turn it all upside down. Bookings plummeted. He was spending NT$2 million a month on covering costs, and thought he might have to shut down or lay off workers. But he found a way out of the dilemma.

Tai Tung-chieh
Hotel owner
Large sums are invested in hotels. The rent is high too. But right now is a relatively good moment to get into the market. We don’t know how the government policies will change, but what we can do at the moment is apply for quarantine hotel status, and protect some of our former or future employees.

The prices of hotels have fallen drastically over the last year. Since Tai converted his first location into a quarantine hotel, he has acquired six more venues across Taiwan. He’s also partnered with other businesses to operate 12 other hotels. Nobody knows how the pandemic will evolve, but for this hospitality expert, it’s the start of a fascinating new adventure.