General requirements
Guests must be traveling for essential reasons. They include essential work, school, caregiving, complying with a court order, or getting safe shelter.
Guests can also use hotel rooms to self-isolate or quarantine, if they have or were exposed to COVID-19. Guests from out of state can book rooms, but must quarantine at the hotel before resuming the rest of their trip.
Limit physical contact between staff and guests. Encourage people to park their own cars and use the stairs. Remove vending machines.
You can screen guests for COVID-19 symptoms when they come in.
Everyone in a hotel lobby, elevator, or common area must stay 6 feet apart.
Indoor gathering areas must remain closed. These include:
- Restaurants or dining areas
- Indoor gyms
- Indoor pools, hot tubs, and saunas
- Personal care services, like spas
- Ballrooms
- Conference rooms
- Business centers
- Lounge areas
Hotels must reserve at least 5% of rooms as a COVID isolation rooms, if they host guests who are COVID positive, are sick, or are close contacts. You cannot force a guest to leave if they are isolating or quarantining due to COVID-19.
Save contact information for your guests for at least 3 weeks. If a guest gets sick later, the City of San Francisco can help close contacts get tested.
Short-term rentals must be for an entire home
Do not book lodging for one room, if there are others already living in the home.
See guidance for other activities
You must follow other public health rules if you plan on reopening:
- Outdoor sports facilities (tennis, golf, pickleball, outdoor pools)
- Gyms (outdoors only)
Documents
Action required: Complete and post a Health and Safety Plan from this fillable PDF.
Action required: Complete and post this Social Distancing Protocol. See this protocol in Español or 中文 or Filipino or русский or Tiếng Việt or عربى.
Action required: The Health Order requires that businesses post certain signage for their customers during the coronavirus pandemic. This poster meets of all the signage requirements for hotels, hostels, and short-term rentals for tourists. It is in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino.
Action required: All businesses open to the public for indoor services must complete and post this ventilation checklist. It is in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino.
Action required: Give this handout to all guests before checking in at a hotel, hostel, or short-term rental.
See this guidance in 中文, Русский, Pilipino, Español, Tiếng Việt
Action required: The Health Order requires that businesses post certain signage during the coronavirus pandemic. This poster meets the requirement for communicating indoor risk, for all businesses doing indoor operations.
Action required: All businesses must post information for their staff about how to report violations of COVID-19 health orders at the workplace. It is in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino. You can also download this poster in 11x17 size.
Tips developed by the Department of Public Health.
See this guidance in 中文, Русский, Pilipino, Español, Tiếng Việt
Guidance about ventilation from the Department of Public Health, for businesses, offices, schools, faith-based and similar organizations.
This 8.5" x 11" poster directs hotel and lodging customers how to behave to avoid spreading COVID-19. It is in English, Spanish, Chinese and Filipino.
Health directive about best practices for lodging facilities, like hotels, hostels, and short-term rentals.
The Shelter-in-Place Order that states what activities are allowed and prohibited during the COVID-19 emergency.
More information
Health screener you can use with your guests and workers.
Download signage to print yourself, or get printed posters.
See general information about operating a business during the pandemic.
See business guidance from the Department of Public Health.
More languages
See health directives and plans in various languages.
News updates
Bay Area Regional Stay Home Order in place tonight (December 6, 2020)
Indoor dining suspended, capacity for gyms and movies reduced due to rise in COVID-19 cases (November 13, 2020)
Indoor dining, indoor worship, and other activities allowed (September 30, 2020)
Indoor gyms, indoor personal care, tourist hotels, more outdoor activities allowed under new health directive (September 14, 2020)