Quarantine hotels: Everything you need to know

If you’ve opened a newspaper or news website in the last couple of weeks, then you’ve undoubtedly seen the term ‘quarantine hotels’ countless times.

The scheme has been operating in a number of countries – from Australia to New Zealand, Singapore to Taiwan – for months, and has largely been successful in keeping Covid-19 cases down, so the reason for the introduction of quarantine hotels in the UK is clear, and is a crucial step towards ultimately ending local lockdowns, and encouraging tourism once again.

The quarantine hotels can, of course, only be successful if wholly supported by the hotel industry, and that is absolutely the case. Numerous chains have offered their services, are showing that they are absolutely willing to play a key role in keeping Covid cases low, and are also showcasing that they are capable of adapting so as to meet changing consumer demands.

The rules around quarantining and the requirements of travellers are slightly complicated and can easily lead to people falling foul of the guidelines, which can ultimately result in hefty fines – as these four individuals recently discovered. So, with that in mind, here is everything you need to know about the UK’s quarantine hotels scheme.

The Red List

The government’s ‘red list’ is a comprehensive catalogue of 33 countries. Anyone who has visited one of these 33 countries (listed below) in the 10 days prior to flying to the UK will likely be refused entry, unless they are a UK or Irish national, or they are regarded as a UK resident. Should this be the case, they will be required to remain in a designated quarantine hotel for 10 days before they can be released into society.

The 33 countries on the red list are:

• Angola
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Burundi
• Cape Verde
• Chile
• Colombia
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Ecuador
• Eswatini
• French Guiana
• Guyana
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores)
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Suriname
• Tanzania
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

The Entry Locations

Those travelling from countries on the red list are obliged to fly into one of five airports – Farnborough, Heathrow, Birmingham, London City or Gatwick. For the time being, no other airports will be used.

The Cost

Anyone who is going to make use of a quarantine hotel will have to pay for the stay out of their own pocket. The ‘quarantine package’ costs £1,750, and this fee must be paid prior to arrival.

The Penalties

The potential penalties associated with flouting the rules are severe. Individuals can be fined as much as £10,000 if they attempt to conceal that they have arrived from a red list country or if they break quarantine rules at any point during their hotel stay. The government has also confirmed that a rule-breaker could potentially be handed a 10-year prison sentence, though the specific actions that would lead to such a punishment have not been confirmed.

What happens to those who test positive for Covid-19?

If someone tests positive while they are in a quarantine hotel, they will need to remain in their room for at least 10 days after the positive test. If the positive test is recorded on day nine of the hotel stay, for example, then they will have to spend 19 days in total in the hotel. All of these additional days will need to be paid for by the traveller at a cost of £152 per day.

The next step for hoteliers

Though most hotels in the UK will likely be forced to remain closed for the next few months, the end is most certainly in sight, and all hoteliers can look forward to a time when they will be able to welcome guests once more. It could be that, if Covid cases remain low and the R rate decreases, hotels - and the wider hospitality industry - could be given the green light as early as April. Quarantine hotels will play a crucial part in keeping cases low, and the efforts of the hotel sector during this incredibly challenging time should certainly not be overlooked.