SAFE & SOUND COVID-19 CODES OF PRACTICE

Last Updated: 03.03.2022 (Updates highlighted in RED)

Dear Loyal Guest,

We would firstly like to begin by hoping everyone is safe and well during the Covid-19 pandemic. It's certainly been a challenging time for everyone, and we are reminded that our health is our number one priority.

In such an era of unprecedented uncertainty, we wish to provide you with additional information specific to Covid-19 in order to remove some of the uncertainty you may have about any travel or dining plans that you have in place, or that you may make going forward, whilst staying at West County Hotel. This following information also includes information of the additional measures undertaken by West County Hotel as part of a coordinated response to ensure the safety of guests, customers and hotel staff.

West County Hotel is an Irish family run hotel. Ensuring the safety of our guests, suppliers and staff is our number one concern and we have taken the following steps to reassure and safeguard the health, safety and well-being of all personnel visiting the hotel. 

General Hotel

• As on Monday 28th February 2022, face masks are no longer obligatory throughout the hotel. However, please feel free to wear one should you wish to do so. Please respect fellow guests and hotel staff who choose to wear a mask.
• Prioritised the focus of Covid-19 with the establishment of a dedicated committee at management level as well as assigning a Covid-19 Compliance Officer.
• The hotel has undergone additional training on hygiene practices with all staff and management. 
• All of our team members have undergone training in how to put on and take off PPE safely and will wear it when necessary.
• The hotel has implemented signage and floor markings where necessary to guide guests and visitors to ensure adherence to social distancing measures, while a flow system in in place for all team members throughout the hotel and back of house areas.
• The installation of fixed sanitiser units and the provision of sanitiser for all guests is made readily available at all points throughout the hotel. 
• Additional tissue and blue paper towels will be made readily available to all guests.
• We have introduced systems to deal with deliveries, packaging, personal contact points and other supplier activities in order to minimise on-site presence and waiting times.
• A screen guard (sneeze guard) has been installed at the main reception of the hotel for guest and staff protection.  
• Posters and recommended information are on display throughout all areas of the hotel. 
• High traffic areas, dining tables and contact areas (e.g. stair banisters) will be sanitised on a regular basis. This process takes 5 minutes and there will be signs indicating sanitisation is in operation. It is important to avoid using areas during sanitisation. 
• The hotel elevator is strictly to be used by one person at a time.
• Ongoing communications with all staff about symptoms and procedures.
• Encouraging contactless card payments instead of the handling of cash. In the situations where cash is used, our member of staff may handle cash through the use of disposable gloves.
• Adopted the recommended social distancing practice to ensure all guests and staff keep the recommended 2 metre space between individuals. Hand shaking and close contact should be avoided in all cases. 

Accommodation

• Check-in to the hotel will be processed with social distancing practices in place. A screen guard (sneeze guard) has been installed at the main reception of the hotel for guest and staff protection.
• Guests to the hotel will be asked to confirm their acceptance of our special Covid-19 terms and policies. These include strict social distancing from other guests and hotel staff at all times.
• In the case of guests staying multiple nights, guests have the option of requesting their room not be serviced or entered by a member of staff. In such a case, guests will be provided with fresh towels and toiletries each day and these will be provided at designated times. 
• The hotel has adopted a full procedure for sanitising all bedrooms before guest arrival and after guest departure. As a result, you will witness staff use full PPE when carrying out servicing duties.
• All areas of accommodation will undergo full sanitisation, including door handles etc. Particular attention will be paid to all key touch points of bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms, including door handles, remote controls, televisions, telephones, seat backs, light switches, table tops, ironing board, taps, toilet handles and seats.
• To ensure the highest standards of hygiene, we have removed the guest directory, notepads, pens and any non-essential material from all accommodation. These items are still available on request at the hotel reception (dial 0 on your bedroom telephone). 
• Higher temperature washes will be implemented for all linen and towel laundry. 
• Keys are cleaned and sanitised after every use.
• West County Hotel is fortunate to be in a position where all rooms and public spaces are serviced with fresh air via openable windows and are not reliant on air being brought through to rooms via air ducts or conditioning units. The circulation of fresh air will be a key procedure to the servicing of accommodation rooms before your stay.

Breakfast & Dining

Breakfast Times
7.00am - 10.00am (Monday - Friday).
7.00am - 10.30am (Saturday).
8.00am - 10.30am (Sunday/Bank Holiday Monday)

Afternoon/Evening Menu Times
12.00pm - 9.00pm (Monday - Saturday).
12.30pm - 9.00pm (Sunday/Bank Holiday Monday).

• We are providing dine-in services for breakfast, lunch and dinner menus for all guests.
• Hand sanitiser units are available in all our food and beverage areas.
• All our food service team will be using masks during food and beverage service. 
• All contact areas and points are cleaned several times a day to ensure your safety.
• All menus used will be disposable or sanitised after each use.
• All menus will be available in Take Away (collection only) and Room Service options. 
• Breakfast-on-the-Go or takeaway breakfasts are available to all guests and these must be booked with our reception team before 8.30pm each night.
• Children and young guests must be supervised at all times to ensure social distancing protocol is met.
• Please adhere to all recommendations from our staff and Covid-19 Compliance Officer at all times.

Conferences, Meetings and Events

West County Hotel have implemented a full new protocol with regards our service, and these changes are summarised below. Due to the frequently changing nature of these restrictions, we would advise you to contact the specific hotel directly to discuss your Meetings & Event requirements.

• Cleaning standards have been fully reviewed and updated to ensure we have robust enhanced cleanliness and hygiene practices.
• Hand sanitizer will be available in all our Meeting & Event areas.
• Increased Frequency of Cleaning: all touchpoints are cleaned several times a day to ensure your safety.
• All meeting rooms can be laid out with social distancing measures in place if requested. As a result, delegate capacities have been reduced for each of our conference rooms – please find capacities adjusted for a 1m distance between all delegates for each individual meeting space and preferred set up in our Conference and Events Brochure. In the case where this is not possible, delegates/patrons must wear a mask at all times throughout the event.
  

Recommendations

The effectiveness of the above policies will only be maximised with full cooperation from all guests and visitors of the hotel. Therefore, we recommend you play your part by:

• Keeping your hands washed is the best advice given to prevent the spread of the virus.
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, nose or face with your hands.
• Discard all items of refuse properly in the provided bins. 
  Please do not come to the hotel if you are unwell with any symptoms of a cold, cough or flu, or if you have been in close proximity to someone who is potentially unwell.
• If you feel unwell during your stay at West County Hotel, or develop symptoms of Covid-19 including a cough, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties and/or a high temperature fever, please report this to a member of staff immediately.
• Follow the advice and recommendations of all staff during your stay at the hotel, particularly in relation to social distancing policies and washing/sanitation procedures. 
• Follow all advice already handed down by official bodies such as the HSE and the Irish government. 

Cancellations

If you have a reservation booking with West County Hotel for accommodation, dining or an event and you wish to cancel, please see our specific FAQ on this topic here.

We look forward to hosting you during your stay at West County Hotel. We are committed to the highest level of safety around Covid-19. Should you have any questions in relation to the above or our policies, please contact our hotel desk on 01 626 4011 or email reception@westcountyhotel.ie. 

Finally, we would ask for your patience and cooperation. As evident from the extensive information above, the hotel has undergone an enormous amount of training and spent weeks preparing systems to be put in place to ensure your safety without compromising the traditional welcome from an Irish Family hotel. Such systems and policies, however, will be fluid in implementation as we learn more through monitoring its operation in practice.

Should you have any questions in relation to the above or our policies, please contact our hotel desk on 01 626 4011 or email reception@westcountyhotel.ie.    

The West County Hotel team.