Are you considering staying in a hotel during the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic? Then you're no doubt asking yourself the same sort of questions we were before we embarked on a couple of short breaks in the UK. The main one being: what safety measures will be in place?
Like so many, our original holiday plans were cancelled in 2020, so we took the opportunity to visit a number of UK locations, staying in 3 different hotels throughout the year.
Before we arrived at the first one, I have to admit to being a little apprehensive as to how safe it would be. I needn't have worried. There are so many measures in place, it soon became apparent that guest and staff safety was number 1 priority in all locations.
Here's what we discovered, and what you can likely expect:
Arriving
- Have your masks at the ready as you'll be required to wear these when you enter the hotel building.
- Hand sanitiser is provided at the hotel entrance for your use.
- Screens will be in place at the hotel reception desk.
- Markings on the floor around the reception area help you and fellow guests maintain social distancing measures when checking in.
General Areas of the Hotels
- Masks are required to be worn in all indoor areas of the hotel (except when eating or drinking).
- A limited number of people will be allowed in the lifts at one time.
- Hand sanitiser dispensers can be found situated in various areas of larger hotels.
- There may be a one way system in place.
- Toilets and general areas are cleaned more regularly.
Rooms
- Many soft furnishings, such as cushions and bed throws, will have been removed.
- Housekeeping is unlikely to be available during your stay - if you require a change of towels, or extra tea/coffee/milk, these can be requested from reception.
Food & Drink
- If breakfast is usually served buffet style, table service will be provided instead.
- Breakfast menu options are likely to be reduced.
- The kitchen and/or dining area may be closed completely, meaning an alternative breakfast will be delivered to your room.
- The bar may also be table service. If not, screens will be up at the bar and markings on the floor for social distancing.
- Tables and chairs in the bar area and restaurants are cleaned between each use.
Overall, we felt the measures which had been put in place at all the hotels we visited were excellent. Most guests were compliant, adhering to the rules, and we felt extremely safe at all times. The friendly and welcoming staff made it a more pleasurable experience, and we had an absolutely fantastic time.
Have you stayed in a hotel since lockdown? What was your experience?
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