Hyatt to offer free COVID-19 testing at resorts in Mexico, Caribbean, South America
new U.S. requirement goes into effect for travelers on international flights to present a negative COVID-19 test before boarding their flight, concern has brewed over how and where travelers might get tested abroad.
Hyatt Hotels announced Tuesday, the same day the requirement took effect, that it would offer free COVID-19 testing at 19 of its resorts in Mexico, Costa Rica, the Caribbean and South America for guests traveling to the U.S. The company claimed to be the first major hotel chain to offer widespread free testing, though other individual international hotels and some smaller hotel chains have announced similar measures.
Hyatt also announced in a news release that it would offer 50% off room rates and 30% off food to guests who can’t travel due to the testing requirement.
“Our new complimentary COVID-19 testing and Travel Delay Rate provide travelers with added confidence, peace of mind and convenience when staying at or considering travel to Hyatt properties in Latin America,” Mark Vondrasek, chief commercial officer for Hyatt, said in a statement.
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The free testing is available for up to two registered guests per room per stay through May 31. Some hotels have minimum stay requirements, and room rates may not be cheap. A weekday stay in mid-February at the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino had room rates starting at $515. And at the Hyatt Zilara all-inclusive adult resort in Cancun, Mexico, rates for the same week started at $330 a night.
Face masks are required in Hyatt hotel indoor public areas globally and when moving around in outdoor areas.
Other hotels, ranging from the swank Atlantis in the Bahamas to Karisma Hotels Resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica to timeshare resorts throughout the region, have added on-site testing for guests. Puerto Vallarta, another popular Mexican vacation destination, touted a number of hotels that offered COVID-19 testing, some complimentary.
was announced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Jan. 12 and formalized in President Joe Biden’s executive order on COVID-19 safety in domestic and international travel last week. It significantly broadens a CDC order on Christmas Eve that required tests for passengers flying into the U.S. from the United Kingdom.
There is already evidence the testing requirement, which means travelers have to find a place to get tested during their vacation and risk being stranded if they test positive, is having an effect. United Airlines last week said it has seen an increase in cancellations and a decline in bookings to Mexican beach resorts since the testing rule was announced.
For more information on testing options in international destinations, check the websites and social media accounts of U.S. embassies. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has assembled a list of private providers throughout the country, and so has the embassy in Costa Rica.
Contributing: Dawn Gilbertson
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