MONTEGO BAY — In preparation of the ‘new normal’ post COVID-19, Sandals Resorts has unveiled the Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness, a series of health and safety measures that will safeguard the guest journey from arrival to departure.
Noting how the near 40-year company takes care of its ‘family’, which includes loyal guests and team members, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart says that cleanliness and safety have always been his #1 priority.
“We want our guests to not have to worry about a thing so they can enjoy the Luxury Included vacation they’ve trusted in time and time again,” he says. “We’re doing everything we can to offer peace of mind during a time that has been difficult for the entire world, and that is why we have continued to evolve our protocols to maintain an even safer, healthier stay.”
The new protocols will take effect across all 15 Sandals Resorts and three Beaches Resorts, and include the following:
- All-Encompassing 18 Touch Point Practice: After conducting an assessment of all points of guest contact, Sandals has integrated advanced hygiene practices across 18 key touch points. These include the airport lounge; guest transfers to/from the resort; guestrooms, food and beverage experiences; housekeeping & laundry; elite services; maintenance; resort activities; fitness centres and the Red Lane Spa; public bathrooms; suppliers & receiving; all public areas & beaches; back-of-house facilities; Kids Camps and waterparks; and HVAC systems.
- Enhanced Triple-Check System for Cleaning and Sanitation: All resorts are cleaned and sanitized on an ongoing basis, with a Triple-Check system and a minimum of three inspections daily. These inspections include all hard surfaces (door hands, vehicle interiors, etc.), public restrooms that are sanitized in 20-minute intervals, kitchens, bars and restaurants, and pools and hot tubs. Additional hand sanitizing stations will be provided for guests and team members throughout the resorts, at all dining locations and within each guestroom. Any items guests come in contact with, from room cards to welcome cocktail glassware, will be sanitized before distribution.
- New Certified Sandals Sanitized Guest Rooms: Enhanced housekeeping measures will include the introduction of additional hospital-grade disinfectants; electrical aerosol sprayers; the use of UV-LED lighting equipment to inspect cleanliness; air duct sanitization for each arrival and upon each departure; weekly steam-cleaning and sanitization of carpeting; placement of anti-bacterial gels and soaps in each guestroom; and strict adherence to the Triple-Check System.
- Social Distancing Practices: Sandals is introducing new ways to encourage guests to maintain a safe social distance, including: adding more airport transfers with fewer guests per vehicle; extending check-in times between visitors; setting up a safe social distance across restaurants, bars and beaches; replacing handshakes with a nod and a smile; and restricting elevator trips to one couple per trip at Sandals Resorts and one family per trip at Beaches Resorts, with staff members taking alternate routes.
- Team Member Trainings and Precautionary Temperature Checks: All staff will be required to know where the nearest hand sanitizer stations are located at all times, wear protective face gear and gloves at all times when on resort, and ensure uniforms are not worn during travel to and from work. All team members across resort locations will also undergo required temperature checks before the start of each shift in addition to stringent medical clearance.
- Supplier-held Standards: All vendors, suppliers and partners will be held to the new Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness standards by restricting delivery windows to one party at a time, while limiting physical contact; sanitizing all touch points, including equipment, storage spaces and access areas; and removing all outer packing upon arrival.
