Hilton Updates ‘Do Not Disturb’ Policy, Requiring Alerts for Signs Up More Than 24 Hours
by Jessica Montevago /
Hilton quietly changed its “Do Not Disturb” policy late last year, USA Today reported Wednesday, as more hoteliers seem to be reassessing the universal sign.
Hilton team members will now alert a security or duty manager if a Do Not Disturb sign or light has been in place on a guestroom door for more than 24 consecutive hours. Previously, several days might have gone by before an employee entered a room. However, the new policy does not mean hotel staff will have to enter guestrooms every 24 hours.
Hilton, which revised its internal policy in November, will notify guests of the update. In the memo, Hilton said that any “Unable to Service” cards or notes employees leave for guests must contain the following language: “We understand and respect your need for privacy. The hotel reserves the right to visually inspect all guest rooms every 24 hours to ensure the well-being of our guests and confirm the condition of the room. If service is refused for this length of time, a member of hotel management will check on the guest room,” USA Today reported.
While a Hilton spokesperson “declined to link the change” to any specific event, it comes after the Las Vegas mass shooting in October, where a gunman holed up in a room at the Mandalay Bay resort for three days before he opened fire at a country music festival on the ground, killing more than 50 and injuring more than 500.
Other hotels are amending their policies, too. Resorts at Walt Disney World — the Polynesian Village Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and the Contemporary Resort — replaced the Do Not Disturb signs with "Room Occupied" signs beginning Dec 22. Resort employees are now required to enter each room at least once per day and must knock and identify themselves before entering if the “Room Occupied” sign is out.
Disney also declined to say whether the shooting prompted the change, but attributed it to safety, security, and the guest experience.
It said the measure will be expanded to all resorts at the Orlando, Florida-based theme park, as well as hotels in Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif.
Wynn Resorts implemented a stricter policy: employees now have to investigate if a Do Not Disturb sign is in place for at least 12 consecutive hours.