GRANVILLE, Ohio — The Cherry Valley Hotel in Granville finished its $20 million re-development this time last year, anticipating a lively and lucrative 2020.

Instead, Patrick Beaver said it's been a year filled with major challenges.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Cherry Valley Hotel in Granville just finished its $20 million renovations winter of 2020, just before pandemic hit

  • Ohio hotels are operating at 30% capacity during the pandemic

  • Most hotels, including Cherry Valley, are experiencing steep revenue drops that one expert said is hard to sustain long term. 

 

“I think everybody thought in the beginning, these changes would be temporary,” said Beaver

Now, 10 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Beaver said he feels like the hand sanitizer, plexiglass and social distancing are here to stay.

 

“It affects everything in your business. Staffing. It affects your service (and) the level of your amenities.”

 

Chip Rogers is the CEO and president of the American Hotel and Lodging Association. He said implementing these protocols are impacting the bottom line.

“Right now, hoteliers are wondering how they can possible keep their business in business and not go into foreclosure,” said Rogers.

And he said Ohio’s numbers aren’t very promising.

“Ohio is looking pretty much like most places in the country with occupancy in the mid-30s.”

But Rogers said there’s an even more concerning statistic to pay attention to.

“When you look, the revenue from the same time last year has dropped by 50%. There are very few businesses that can sustain a 50% revenue drop.”

Beaver said they're doing everything they can at Cherry Valley to give guests the confidence to walk through their doors.

“I think across our industry, organizations are doing everything they can to make sure that your stay is safe and you are feeling comfortable.”