Thanks A Million: How a Sydney hotel manager is going above and beyond for guests during COVID-19

After being stood down without pay, hotel manager Joshua Dows was called back to manage the quarantine program at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park.

Joshua Dows remembers going to breakfast at Altitude Bar in the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney one day in March and being confronted with staff wearing masks and taking guests’ temperatures.

Later that day he was on Balmoral Beach when it was closed and people were told to head home because of COVID-19.

The next day, the food and beverage manager at Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park was given the news he will never forget – to close all the hotel’s bars and restaurants, after which he was stood down without pay.

Joshua Dows, food and beverage director at Sheraton Sydney Grand Hyde Park, who helped manage his hotel when it became a quarantine hotel. Picture: Justin Lloyd

A week later, the hotel entered the quarantine program, accepting guests off international flights who were forced into 14-day hotel isolation, and Dows was called back to help manage the operations change.

He was nominated in our Thanks a Million campaign by his brother Matthew for his quick-thinking ability to make fast and drastic changes at the hotel.

To qualify as a quarantine hotel, the Sheraton Grand had to be able to provide isolating guests with three meals a day and manage the logistics of using single-use plates and cutlery, along with getting meals to 565 rooms as they were operating at full capacity.

“I never thought it was possible to just close all restaurants and bars, it was unlike any situation we had ever experienced,” Queensland-born Dows, 33, said.

“When we closed down the restaurants and bars, it was like an opening, but in reverse.”

New legislation was later introduced to allow places that could satisfactorily separate quarantine guests from regular guests, the ability to open their restaurants and bars to the public.

“We literally built a makeshift wall on level two to keep quarantine guests separate from the public,” Dows said.

“And due to this we were able to keep up to 70 per cent of the food and beverage team employed.”

The hotel went above and beyond implementing activities to keep their quarantined guests occupied in interesting ways.

They introduced virtual wine tasting experiences, in-room fitness programs and Zoom yoga, to name a few.

At the end of their 14-day stay, guests received a quarantine certificate to mark their historic time at the hotel.

To nominate someone and say thanks, go to thanksamillion.net.au and they could receive a $200 Woolworths Gift Card. Terms and conditions apply.

CHRISTMAS LUNCH BRINGS CHEER TO DISADVANTAGED AUSTRALIANS

Goodwill and good times made Christmas a special day across Sydney as disadvantaged Australians gathered for some festive cheer at a special takeaway lunch hosted by The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation at Ashfield.

And there was no shortage of goodwill from volunteers.

The bakery team at Woolworths in Ashfield supplied 1500 Santa choc chip cookies (320 packs of five) made specially for the annual lunch.

320 packs of Woolworths Santa cookies. Supplied

Host Bill Crews said the event was a special way to spread festive cheer and support struggling Australians who couldn’t afford to put food on the table.

“I’d like to thank Woolworths for the help they’ve given us and the special cookies they have baked for our Christmas Day lunch and special food hampers,” he said.

The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation gives free meals, support and hope to thousands of homeless, poor and disadvantaged Australians every week.

This Christmas, the team assembled 1500 emergency food hampers for guests and key frontline crisis agencies as well as prepared for a Christmas Day takeaway lunch in coordination with NSW Health.