Themes (Posture)	Definition	Code	Data example
Denial posture
Attack the accuser	The hotel is impolite to the person or group that claims the crisis exists.	impolite and rude attitudes; unethical behaviours; shout at customers; threaten customers; quarrel with customers; hang up on customers; discrimination	Due to COVID-19 I had to cancel … I told him I would have to dispute it on my credit card. At this point he became belligerent. He was yelling at me that he wouldn't do anything.
Denial	The hotel denies guests' demands related to the pandemic.	refuse to refund; lack of empathy; refuse to provide help; refuse to answer questions; refuse to clean room; refuse to provide information	La Comtesse cancelled my reservation (understandably) after they closed due to COVID-19. They refused to refund my money.
Scapegoat	The hotel states that some person or group outside the hotel is responsible for the crisis.	pass the buck; selfish; evasive; shift the responsibility	The day when the Spanish state announced the state of emergency because of the COVID-19 … All Saturday I was fed with evasive responses promising “to make a decision when the policies of Booking.com are known to us and the manager is talked to …”
Ignoring	The hotel neglects to implement pandemic prevention measures and disregards guests' demands by refusing to answer phone calls and emails.	ignore; undervalue; disregard; not sterilized and cleaned	With COVID-19 and the stay-at-home orders, I called to cancel and request a refund … I have called 4 times now and the call center keeps telling me they will submit a request to billing for a call back to explain, however I have received nothing. I was not given a full or partial refund as a high-risk patient who had to cancel their booking due to COVID-19 … In addition to ignoring all my emails, they stated the manager was never available anytime I tried to call up regarding this.
Diminish posture
Excuse	The hotel offers an excuse by providing an explanation for its inability to provide normal service and amenities, as well as free cancellation.	excuse; explain; response	During these 5 nights, I asked for cleaning my room but front desk staff said I cannot go in my room for cleaning due to the coronavirus period … I asked for cleaning my room but front desk staff said I cannot go in my room for cleaning due to the coronavirus period. I am not a quarantine guest!! But they just did this is to avoid cross-infection, what an excuse!!! Unfortunately, we planned a trip to Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic … we asked for our money back … Their response was “the virus was outside of our control and as such I am unable to refund your deposit”. I stayed here for a few days during the COVID-19 pandemic … Food was average, but it was explained that they did not have fresh products because of the lockdown and had many people to feed in these difficult circumstances.
Justification	The hotel justifies that the pandemic is not as bad as it may seem, and its actions to mitigate it are reasonable.	guarantee safety to customers; pandemic is not serious	On the grounds that Milan was quarantined because of the new and dangerous coronavirus … On the contrary, with all his boldness, he tries to convince me that everything is okay and there is no reason to worry.
Separation	Individuals or departments disconnect themselves from the responsible parties within the hotel.	separation	Horrible amid COVID-19 restrictions … I called everyday the week before our trip and then after the “start” of our trip to try and get a refund. The Manager was never around when we called (which was during their business hours!) and the Manager was the only person able to issue a refund.
Rebuild posture
Compensation	The hotel compensates guests by providing them with additional services or gifts.	upgrade room; compensate; give gifts; prepare a surprise; provide additional service	Coronavirus had set back staffing so they were shorthanded … The desk clerk provided a free bottle of wine for our “troubles” & for us being so understanding.
Apology	The hotel expresses regret for inconvenience caused by the pandemic.	apology; sorry; regret	They notified her the mountain got shut down due to COVID-19 30 min after we checked in … Without hesitation Dena talked to me and reassured me about the situation and apologized for everything.
Bolstering	The hotel adapts to the pandemic by catering to the guests, including providing free cancellation, quality service, and taking pandemic prevention measures.	free cancellation and reschedule; quality service; ensure safety and hygiene; COVID-19 preventable measure	As COVID-19 is ravaging throughout the world there are few places where we would feel safer than at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin … Home Away from Home and perhaps safer than home, the hotel seems to be taking all possible precautions to keep its guests secure. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cruise has been cancelled … Despite my having booked a nonrefundable room rate, the hotel did indeed refund my entire fee, without penalty!