OYO features a Sanitized Stays badge to showcase properties that meet standards for safety, hygiene, and protective equipment

OYO Hotels & Homes is rolling out its Sanitized Stays in the Philippines from 1 June 2020. Under the initiative, OYO will implement comprehensive hygiene protocols and step up vigilance measures pre and post-check-in and throughout its customer journey, to curb any potential spread of Covid-19.

○      Check-in & check-out: To ensure social distancing, OYO will revamp its guest check-in & check-out process to a minimal touch process. The hotel chain is in the process of acquiring the required approvals for guests to upload their IDs and complete their formalities at the hotel with minimal staff interaction. Similarly, check-out and payment processes are being restructured to ensure minimal staff interaction. 

○      Minimal contact service: To ensure social distancing at all customer-facing touchpoints, OYO will introduce minimal contact room service and will train the housekeeping staff on the same

○      Sanitized Stays Tag: All OYO properties enrolled in the platform will have the Sanitized Stays logo displayed on the Oyo App and Hotel Booking Platforms. Prior to being awarded this tag, hotels will go through an initial check, followed by checks are regular intervals for compliance. Out of these, properties that have cleared the background check will display the Sanitized Stays tag on the booking page. An audit based on reviews from guests will be conducted on the properties regularly to ensure that feedback, reviews and recommendations are taken into consideration to ensure they continue to be accredited as Sanitized Stays. 

●      Training of on-ground teams: The new training module will incorporate SOPs on the changed operating procedures across functions like:

○      Health screening including temperature checks and symptoms for guests as well as employees. Guests, Vendors and Contractors will be required to complete travel and health declaration.

○      Proper disinfection of the space frequently with the placement of hand sanitisers at the reception and the increased need to wear safety gear at all times

○      Encourage in-room dining and avoid all public areas

○      Distance markers on floors to highlight the correct physical distance people must adhere to

○      Guests will be requested to handle their own luggage as far as possible (unless the guest is a senior citizen or has a physical impediment). All luggage will also be sanitised.

○      Policies for dealing with outside suppliers and contractors complying with health advisories and government regulations

○      Property management to oversee the property’s housekeeping practices

“In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospitality industry is facing a new normal in the way we operate. As a brand committed to offering safe accommodation options, OYO is proactively leading the change in housekeeping and cleanliness protocols within the hospitality industry, across all OYO properties. In this industry, maintaining the trust and confidence of guests is key - and this is reflected in the guest-first approach OYO is taking through our new protocols, in order to provide reassurance and peace of mind to guests,” said Ankit Gupta, Country Head, Philippines, OYO Hotels & Homes.

Hotel proprietors and staff can exercise discretion to accept or decline guests who exhibit signs and symptoms associated with Covid-19 such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, runny nose, headache and sore throat.

The Department of Health's Crisis Preparedness and Response Centre (CPRC) will be contacted if guests and staff show signs any staff members show such signs and symptoms of having the virus. 

Reminder to guests and staff

To ensure that social distancing is continuously observed, reminder signs will be placed in locations with higher foot traffic such as the hotel reception and lobby, in lifts and lift lobbies, and in restaurants. There will also be reminders on proper handwashing techniques in all toilets. To encourage frequent hand-cleaning, hand sanitisers with at least 60% alcohol content will be placed in common areas such as the reception and lobby, for all guests and staff to use. All staff will also be reminded to maintain appropriate hand hygiene standards by frequently cleaning their hands with soap and water or hand sanitiser.

Thorough cleaning protocols

As a vigilance measure, public spaces will be cleaned frequently using disinfectant products that have been pre-approved by the Ministry of Health for cleaning activities. Extra focus will be given to frequently touched areas such as tables in the lobby, the reception desks, lift buttons, door handles, room key cards, water dispensers and so on. Hard surfaces will be cleaned with warm water and detergent, followed by the disinfectant solution.

All items for laundry will be thoroughly washed at the hottest appropriate setting and fully dried, while all equipment used to transport and handle laundry will be thoroughly cleaned and sterilised.

For more information on OYO in the Philippines, please visit https://www.oyorooms.com/ph/

OYO Hotels & Homes seek to raise $1.5 billion in the latest round of financing

Earlier this month, OYO announced that RA Hospitality Holdings’ has received CCI approval for $2 billion primary and secondary management investment round in the Company.


OYO Hotels & Homes, the world’s fastest-growing chain of hotels, homes & living spaces, announced last Monday that it is raising $1.5 billion, as part of its Series F funding round. As a part of this round, RA Hospitality Holdings’ will infuse approximately $700 million as primary capital in the company, with the balance $800 million being supplemented by other existing investors. A significant part of the funds will be diverted towards continued growth in OYO’s fastest-growing market the United States, and in strengthening the company’s position in the vacation rentals business in Europe.

Earlier this year, RA Hospitality Holdings received CCI approval to invest $2 billion in OYO. In order to facilitate this transaction, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia, are selling part of their shareholding in OYO to help the Founder increase his stake while remaining invested and committed to the company’s long-term mission. 

Prior to this, OYO had raised over $1 billion in its last financing round, announced on September 2018, led by SoftBank through SoftBank Vision Fund, with participation from existing investors Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sequoia and Greenoaks Capital and supported by new strategic partners like Airbnb. 

OYO Hotels & Homes has emerged as the world’s second-largest hotel, and fastest-growing chain of hotels, homes, living and workspaces, leaving behind several traditional and long-standing hospitality brands. In a short span of 6 years, OYO has expanded its presence to 80+ countries around the world. 

This fast-paced growth is fueled by the company’s success in China with presence in 338 cities and over 590,000 rooms, followed by fast-paced growth in Indonesia with presence in 100+ cities and over 27,000 rooms, the UK with presence in 30 destinations and over 3,500 rooms, and more recently in the U.S., with presence in 60 cities, 21 states and over 7500 rooms. This year, the company has seen a 3.8x YoY growth in revenue in Aug 2019 (vs. Aug 2018), with 1.2 million rooms under management across hotels and homes. 

The company already has a strong balance sheet of ~ $2 bn across group companies, a significant part of which will be further invested in the business, given the company’s focus on maintaining its growth momentum. The company already employs over 20,000 OYOpreneurs and has created economic opportunities for over 300,000 local hospitality enthusiasts around the world. 

Commenting on this development, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO (Global), OYO Hotels & Homes, said, “The continued support of our investors like Softbank Vision Fund, Lightspeed, Sequoia Capital is a testament to the love, trust and relentless support of our asset owners and customers, hard work of all OYOpreneurs, and our commitment to making #LivingTheGoodLife a reality for over 3.2 billion middle-income people around the world. With the CCI approval now in place, the company will get a capital infusion of approximately $1.5 billion to support this mission, supported by me and other shareholders.”

“I am also happy to share that on a Y-O-Y basis, we have seen that not only are we operating profitably at the building level but at the same time our EBITDA has also improved by 50% (on a Y-o-Y basis). The losses as a percentage of NRV have also been on a steady and significant declining curve. The growth across verticals in India and globally has been phenomenal and we truly believe that we will be able to build a truly global brand out of India, while ensuring that the business is run efficiently and with a clear path to profitability. Our immediate goal however is to make forward looking investments so we can achieve our mission, while delivering on our fiduciary responsibility to our investors by building a sustainable business,” added Ritesh.

Known worldwide for its innovative chic offerings that have impacted hospitality experiences positively, OYO Hotels has attracted some of the world’s leading investors, including Airbnb, SoftBank Vision Fund, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia India, and Hero Enterprise. With the support of the investors, asset owners around the world and customers, OYO is today a leading player in the hospitality industry in every country where it has a presence. 

OYO HOTELS & HOMES LAUNCHES ‘OYO LITE’ GLOBALLY

OYO Lite is a light version of the OYO Consumer App that aims to enhance the user experience in low connectivity OYO Hotels & Homes, South Asia’s largest, China’s 2nd largest, and the world’s 6th largest and fastest-growing chain of leased and franchised hotels, homes & living spaces, announced the global launch of OYO Lite, a lighter version of the consumer app. The new Lite app has been designed to work in low connectivity areas or low networks to enhance the user experience. With a size of less than 800 KB, OYO Lite app consumes less space while offering an optimized user interaction time and a seamless experience no matter how connected the user is. With this launch, OYO reiterates its commitment to providing quality living spaces to travelers.

OYO offers quality and affordable accommodations at the tap of a button with technology by its side. This launch further reinforces the fact that technology is deeply embedded in OYO’s DNA and plays a key role in solving all areas of guest experience. 

Anil Goel, Chief Technology Officer, OYO Hotels & Homes said, “At OYO we are committed to creating multiple touch-points with guests for a seamless, convenient and comfortable experience by leveraging our technology prowess. The Lite app is a step forward in that direction and will enable travellers to make last minute travel plans without worrying about network and availability of quality accommodations at the tap of a button. With security, quality, location and price being key considerations for a majority of travellers in the budget to mid-scale segment, OYO aims to help create a perfect space in every place by solving for each of the said considerations through a combination of technology and on-ground interventions. OYO Lite has also been designed as a solution to key problems users face - connectivity and space/storage constraints on phones. We feel that this product would be ideal for travellers who are remotely connected to the internet as well as those with basic smartphones”

At less than 800 KB, it is less than 7% of the size of the current OYO app. OYO Lite is currently live and available to consumers across the globe on Android.