Coronavirus Crackdown: Mass. Hotels & Airbnbs Not Allowed 'For Vacation Or Leisure'
BOSTON (CBS) – The state of Massachusetts issued a crackdown on hotel and short-term rental guests in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. Governor Charlie Baker announced Tuesday that rooms are only to be used for emergency purposes.
"Hotels and short term rentals like Airbnb may no longer be booked for vacation or leisure purposes," the governor said. "People really should be using common sense on this one and should not be going on vacation right now."
The state wants rooms reserved only for people who need them for reasons directly related to the COVID-19 fight.
"For example, as housing for frontline healthcare workers or for Massachusetts residents who have been otherwise displaced from their homes; or to house workers that are part of our essential business community," Baker said.
A number of hotels in and around Boston have closed their doors entirely in recent weeks.
Those that have stayed open have made changes to keep guests safe, like reduced staff, increased cleaning, and masks for employees.
"As guests are departing, we are actually leaving those rooms vacant for a day or two as part of the CDC's guidelines," Wyndham Boston general manager Tom Chmura told WBZ-TV this week.
Governor Baker said he expects this order to hit Cape Cod and the Berkshires particularly hard.
