Sandals Resorts plans to reopen all of its resorts (with the exceptions of the Bahamas resorts) on June 4 (this includes Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia and Turks & Caicos). Sandals' Bahamas locations have a scheduled opening date of July 1. There have been several ongoing travel restrictions, airport closures and increased government protocols, which have caused border closure extensions; these dates are, therefore, subject to change, as they are dependent on those factors.
In preparation to welcome guests back to the Caribbean, Sandals Resorts has unveiled its “Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness,” building on its existing practices to guarantee cleanliness standards and heightened health and safety measures that address changing consumer expectations amidst COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness will include several pre-emptive cleanliness measures that safeguard the guest journey from arrival to departure. New and enhanced protocols that will take effect across all 15 Sandals Resorts and three Beaches Resorts include:
- Enhanced Triple-Check System for Cleaning and Sanitation: All resorts will be cleaned and sanitized with a minimum of three inspections daily. These inspections include all hard surfaces, from door handles and interiors of vehicles used for airport transfers; public restrooms, which are inspected, cleaned and sanitized in 20-minute intervals; kitchens, bars and restaurants; and swimming pools and hot tubs. Additionally, hand sanitizing stations will be provided for guests and team members throughout the resorts, at all dining locations and within each individual guest room.
- New Certified Sandals Sanitized Guest Rooms: Sandals will introduce even more robust housekeeping measures to include: the introduction of additional hospital-grade disinfectants; electrical aerosol sprayers for advanced cleaning; 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 guest room; and strict adherence to the Triple-Check System.
- At-Home to In-Room Check-In: Beginning in June, guests will have the ability to check-in online, allowing them to skip the front desk and go directly to their room. A welcome cocktail, a personal anti-bacterial hand towel and in-room hand sanitizer will await guests.
- Social Distancing Practices: Sandals will be 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: Sandals is ensuring all team members stay healthy both inside and outside the workplace with ongoing specialized training on precautionary measures geared toward preventative protocols and added sanitation practices. 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; and removing all outer packing upon arrival.
Under the guidance of medical professionals and with constant monitoring of advice and instruction provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and local ministries of health in each country Sandals Resorts operated, a quality inspection team, alongside environmental health and safety managers, are to ensure strict adherence and implementation of the protocols. All resorts are equipped with medical stations staffed daily with a registered nurse and 24/7 on-call medical personnel.
Visit www.sandals.com.
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