Many Things Have Changed, but Today’s Focus on the Guest Experience is No Different

    By Michelle Heston, Director of Public Relations, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

    Fairmont Grand Del Mar has a long-standing tradition of setting benchmarks for service excellence in the industry, and today is no different.

    For decades discerning travelers and guests have trusted us with their care and safety, and today is no different. As we navigate through this unprecedented moment in our history, we remain deeply committed to the wellbeing of our guests, employees, neighbors, and community. Welcoming, safeguarding, and taking care of others is the very heart of what we do and who we are.

    Today, this means keeping our guests and employees safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19 by partnering with top experts to implement new standards of safety and enhanced operational protocols and procedures which are amongst the most stringent in the hospitality industry. Our practices have been validated under the new global Accor ALLSAFE cleanliness label.

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    Our new operational standards were developed and vetted by a team of expert advisors—including Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspections and certification; Dr. Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security & fellow with the Infectious Diseases Society of America; and Ruth Petran, PhD, CFS, Senior Corporate Scientist, Food Safety and Public Health, for Ecolab, global leaders in cleaning and hygiene, and trusted advisors to the CDC—to ensure maximum efficacy in preventing the spread of all viruses and pathogens, including COVID-19.

    At each touchpoint along the guest journey through Fairmont Grand Del Mar, and all sister Accor properties, extensive measures are being taken to protect our guests and employees including: physical distancing; mandatory screening for all guests and employees, which may include a temperature check; masks provided to guests and worn by all employees; a 48-hour “settling period” for occupied rooms post-departure; increased frequency of cleaning & disinfecting, with a focus on high-touchpoints; and continued use of EPA registered disinfecting chemicals that are proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19.

    Additionally, hands-on training for all employees, dedicated on-property rollout committees, and a formal ALLSAFE audit program, executed by the hotel’s operational experts and third-party auditors, ensure initial and continued compliance.

    To further strengthen our hotel’s commitment to the care of all who visit, Accor has announced groundbreaking strategic partnership with AXA, a global leader in insurance, to offer medical support to guests across the 5,000 Accor hotels worldwide. Guests will benefit from AXA’s most recent advances in telemedicine through free access to medical teleconsultations, as well as access to AXA’s extensive medical networks that include tens of thousands of licensed healthcare professionals.

    At each touchpoint along the guest journey, extensive measures are being taken to protect our guests and employees, and aid in preventing the spread of COVID-19. All of our protocols have been developed following the guidance of the WHO, CDC, PHAC, AHLA, USTA, as well as local health agencies and government authorities. Further, our protective measures have been validated by our expert advisory partners to ensure maximum efficacy.

    In order to help us ensure the wellbeing of all our guests and employees, we are asking guests to self-identify if they belong to a risk group for COVID-19 via pre-arrival communications; if yes, we are asking that they postpone their travels until the risk period has passed. Each guest will also receive communication from the hotel prior to arrival providing additional information on the arrival process, online check-in, hotel services, amenities, fast checkout, and more.

    As we welcome our friends, family and community back to Fairmont Grand Del Mar, please be assured that we are looking ahead, through and past the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that our valued guests and employees will always be looked after with the highest degree of safety, care and comfort. For additional information on our commitment to helping our Accor community stay safe and stay well, please visit ALLStayWell.com.

    For additional information on our commitment to helping our Accor community stay safe and stay well, please visit ALLStayWell.com.

    About Our Changes

    Welcome & Check-In

    • Gloved and masked Welcome Greeters offer hand sanitizer and masks upon arrival
    • Welcome Greeters manage queues to promote physical distancing and mandatory screening for all guests
    • Adjustments were made to front desks to promote physical distancing (i.e. Plexiglass partitions, extra desks where needed, etc.) and shift to low- or no-touch payment where possible
    • Guestroom keys are disinfected
    • We provide a welcome letter communicating cleaning procedures, amenities available upon request, and protocols in public spaces including lobby and public areas throughout the resort
    • Hand sanitizer stations are placed in key areas
    • We increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting with EPA-registered chemicals that are proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and focus on high-touch points
    • We display cleaning time sheets
    • Lobby seating area was rearranged to facilitate physical distancing, with signage and markers communicating physical distancing protocols placed in public spaces
    • “Wellness kits” are provided in each room (masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, etc.)
    • Tea/coffee maker are provided upon request and disinfected between each use
    • We removed: minibar items, pens & stationery, hotel collateral, print magazines, alarm clock, etc. these items are available upon request and disinfected between each use

    Housekeeping

    • Rooms are given a 48 hour “resting period” between guest stays, followed by cleaning and disinfection
    • Stayover housekeeping service is provided every third day and wellness checks are provided daily
    • No housekeeping service while guest is in room
    • Personal Protective Equipment is worn by all room attendants and changed after each guestroom
    • We have enhanced our focus on disinfection of all guest room touchpoints and are continuing our extensive training and auditing
    • Continued use of EPA-registered disinfecting chemicals, proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19

    Restaurants

    • Gloved and masked Welcome Greeters offer hand sanitizer and masks upon arrival
    • Customized seat allocations are used to promote physical distancing
    • Envelopes/pouches are provided to place masks in while dining
    • Shifted to disposable menus and/or disinfection between each use
    • We change all items and disinfect all touchpoints on a table between diners
    • We increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting for both front and back of house with EPA-registered chemicals, proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19
    • Masks and gloves are provided for all restaurant workers, front and back of house

    Pool/Recreation

    • Gloves and masks worn by attendants providing towels
    • Physical distancing maintained via signage, placement of chairs and umbrellas, and revised occupancy limits
    • Lounge chairs, sun umbrellas, and lifeguard stands disinfected after each use
    • Hand sanitizer stations in key areas
    • Increased frequency of cleaning and disinfecting with EPA-registered chemicals, proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19, including public areas, restrooms and towel desk
    • Signage and markers communicating physical distancing protocols in public spaces

    Checkout

    • Contactless checkout via email, text message, telephone or television
    • Keys may be left in room or in checkout box in the lobby, to be disinfected
    • Promote email invoice

    Departure

    • Gloves and masks for bell persons
    • Increased frequency of bell cart cleaning & disinfecting
    • Temporary suspension of house car service

    Employees

    • Mandatory screening for all employees upon arrival, which may include a temperature check
    • Masks worn by all employees
    • Gloves worn as needed by department
    • Hand sanitizer dispensers at entrance and throughout all work spaces and employee common areas
    • Physical distancing observed in all employee areas, including dining areas and in hotel communication sessions
    • Adjusted shift start times to promote physical distancing of employees
    • No self-service or buffet in employee dining areas
    • Increased frequency of cleaning and disinfection in all common areas, i.e. cafeteria, locker room, washrooms, etc. with EPA-registered chemicals, proven effective in preventing the transmission of COVID-19
    • COVID-19 related training and retooling provided to all employees
    • Signage and markers communicating physical distancing protocols throughout employee areas
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