Meetings + Events

by Laura Bickle

As resorts prepare to reopen, setting a safe, reassuring and welcoming tone is clearly top of mind, judging by the actions of leading resort groups.

Palace Resorts and Le Blanc Spa Resorts have introduced Purely Palace, an advanced safety and cleanliness program encompassing staffing protocols, dining, accommodations, crowd control, sanitation and transportation. Among the measures:

• Team members walk through a disinfecting tunnel and have their temperatures checked upon arrival. They will also wear masks that will be replaced every four hours.

• Guests will be encouraged to check in online through the resort app.

• Acrylic protective barriers have been installed at all guest check-in areas.

• Luggage will be disinfected upon arrival.

• Housekeeping teams will wear gloves, face shields, and facemasks while cleaning and disinfecting guestrooms. 

• Each room will undergo a complete disinfection process using an electrostatic nebulizer system before new guest arrival. 

• Guests will receive a personal hygiene kit with antibacterial gel, facemasks and disinfecting wipes.

• All public areas will be sanitized daily with an electrostatic mist system. 

• Social distancing will be enforced when waiting in line for outdoor activities.

• The number of people in elevators will be limited, and antibacterial gel dispensers will be placed at each elevator.

• Spa and beauty salons will offer sanitized check-in areas and common areas will be limited to maximum capacity.

• Swim-up pool bars will be closed.

• Buffets will be removed from restaurants.

• All golf carts and internal transportation will be disinfected every 30 minutes.

Over at Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, they are looking at ways to reconcile enhanced health measures with its commitment to its Wave of Change program, which is focused on eliminating plastic use, promote responsible consumption of seafood and improve coastal health. 

In a recent webinar, Iberostar said they are exploring biodegradable products that can be used where single serving handouts are needed on buffets and are also working to determine how their buffet set up will change.

Meliá Hotels International has launched the Stay Safe with Meliá program, partnering with inspection, certification and testing company Bureau Veritas. Each hotel will have a staff member responsible for the "emotional well-being" of guests and ensuring compliance with sanitation and operational measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The company is testing the new processes in areas such as food and beverage, cleaning procedures, customer flows at check-in and check-out, car parks and pool areas, and is working on new capacity limits for different spaces. Digital solutions are also being tested to reduce direct contact.

"We are fully committed to apply the experience we have gained over the last few months from our hotels in China, into the "Stay Safe with Meliá" program,” says Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice President and CEO of Meliá Hotels International. “The Bureau Veritas certification confirms that our hotels comply with the maximum health and safety guarantees and the most rigorous international standards, a factor that will be essential to operate in the post-COVID-19 period."