Locally-owned Hotel McCoy boasts an amazing location, only one mile from downtown Tucson, 10 minutes from the University of Arizona, and within viewing distance of Sentinel Peak.
Hotel McCoy also boasts a great community atmosphere and art program, having over 45 murals on its property, all from Tucson artists. General Manager Nicole Dahl says, "The cool part about our art program is that it is commission-free, meaning, if an artist sells a piece, they keep the entire sale, the hotel does not take a cut." This means that Hotel McCoy strives to have their property showcase the work of local artists and fund their work.
4th Ave. Vibe by Joe Pagachotelmccoy.com
Industry standard for art exhibition usually ranges from 30 to 60 percent, meaning that pieces bought from galleries, coffee shops, or hotels, will usually result in the artist receiving only 40 to 60 percent of the cut. Dahl states that Hotel McCoy strives to give back to the community, and supporting local artists is a step in that direction.
View From the Mountain by Joe Pagactucsonmurals.blogspot.com
McCoy strives to help their community -- offering major discounts, free breakfast, and at-cost rooms during local crises. When COVID-19 displaced local artists and hospitality employees from their homes, McCoy offered them rate assistance grants.
Dahl decided to start her own business because she wanted to provide an ethical and positive workplace for her employees. Dahl says that she's been in a few toxic work environments, and she focused Hotel McCoy on setting an example for a good one.
"The vision was for this feeling or experience that people get at Hotel McCoy to be accessible for all, truly inclusive to every demographic of traveler, and to be a place where one would never feel bored or alone."
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hotel McCoy has been hit hard. "We were blindsided", Dahl says. The travel industry saw a plummet in profits since people canceled their travel plans due to health concerns. Like other hotels and local businesses, McCoy had to take initiative and redesign their business in a way that would help keep their guests and employees safe.
As for safety precautions, McCoy has implemented a drive-thru check-in method and offered room service instead of having guests pick up their food from the hotel's self-serve breakfast bar. McCoy has also begun blocking rooms for 24 hours after a guest checks out in order to further keep their staff safe.
According to Hotel McCoy's official website, McCoy is "beyond-clean", meaning that they've taken the CDC and AHLA's guidelines and expanded them in order to bring their guests and employees the cleanest and safest experience possible.
As for the future of Hotel McCoy, Dahl says that the future is bright; other locations are being planned in other cities, and McCoy plans on hosting events once COVID-19 clears.
