COVID-19 Safety Information

The Policy below and FAQ’s applies to all Eden Hotel Collection properties.

In light of the latest Government announcement, Boris Johnson confirmed that from 12 April, England will move to step 2 of its Roadmap.  Self-contained accommodation will be able to open for overnight stays in England for people with their household or support bubble.  Outdoor hospitality venues will be able to reopen, with table service only.  Spa’s can re-open, except for steam rooms, saunas and Rhassuls, which must remain closed.

We are delighted to announce we are re-opening our Lodges from 12^th April at Bovey Castle, our Elan Spa’s at The Greenway Hotel & Spa, Mallory Court Hotel and Bovey Castle and outdoor Terrace Dining at The Arden Hotel.

Our hotels remain sadly but responsibly temporarily closed until 17^th May 2021.  We still have a small skeletal team who will be contacting you to re-arrange bookings to later dates.  Whilst we’re closed, it may take us slightly longer to reply to enquiries, but rest assured we will respond to all emails and messages as quickly as we are able to.

Wellbeing and safety is at the forefront of everything we do for you and our teams and we are committed to following the Government’s guidelines and adhering to the legal requirements being set out.

Important highlights relevant to your stay include:

Please be advised that in England the following legislation must be adhered to:

• It is mandatory for us to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data. Our hotels will be displaying a poster which allows guests to scan the NHS QR code, if you have the NHS Covid-19 app.  We will also continue to ask that every guest & visitor register their details and have their temperature taken on arrival at our Reception.  These details are only retained for 21 days.
• You must wear a face covering in all public areas.  We will require you to wear a face covering on arrival, when walking through the Spa or at our Receptions.  Once seated at a table in our outdoor Terraces, you will be able to remove the face covering. Our teams must also wear face coverings.
• Limits on the number of people you can see socially indoors (Lodges) have changed to your own household (or have formed a support bubble with). From Monday 12^th April, when meeting friends and family you do not live with (or have formed a support bubble with) you must not meet in a group of more than 6 outdoors, but not more than 2 households.

Currently, the following services are either unavailable or temporarily suspended in our hotels until further announcements from the Government:

• We are no longer accessing or servicing guest’s rooms throughout the duration of your stay – unless for more than 3 nights.  We respectfully ask that you leave your room to allow the housekeeping team sole access whilst they work.
• Access to changing rooms are restricted and showers are not permissible.
• Sauna’s, steam rooms, Rhassuls and hot tubs are not permissible indoors.  Swimming pools and gyms must be booked in advance to allow single household use only.
• Some Activities do not allow for social distancing so have been suspended.
• Children’s play barn and babysitting services are not currently available.
• Transport, valet parking and the use of lifts are not available.

Things may look a little different whilst we adapt to the current situation, but please be assured that we will continue to look after you in true Eden style.

You can find all the latest updates here, and we’re delighted to share with you our re-opening plans that detail our approach to safety measures and some changes to our services as we look forward to welcoming you back.

Are the hotel Spas open?

Following Government guidelines our Spa’s and gyms will be reopening on 12^th April. We are working closely with UK Spa Association and Espa guidelines to ensure the safety of members and guests.  For bookings, or more information, please contact our hotels directly.  See further FAQ’s listed below.

Are the hotels open for Weddings?.

If you’d like any more information and have questions, please do call or email the specific Hotel.

Have you amended your cancellation policies? 

To help you book with confidence we have extended our cancellation policies.  Hotel bookings made on a flexible rate can be cancelled or transferred up to 48 hours prior to arrival.  Hotel bookings made on an advance purchase rate with prepayment can be transferred to a new date and prepayments will be used as a credit against your new reservation.  (Rates for new dates may vary from original booking).

To help reassure our guests in this time of uncertainty we are offering free cancellation for flexible rates or transfer of bookings for advance purchase rates, should the Government guidelines change and you’re no longer able to travel.

If you’d like any more information and have questions, please do call or email the specific Hotel.

Now you have re-opened, what can we expect?

I have a Wedding or an event coming up – should I be contacting you?

If your Wedding or event cannot currently go ahead, we will contact you and will gladly find an alternative date in the future, so your Wedding or event can still go ahead as planned.

From 17^th May, civil ceremonies are permitted for no more than 30 people and subject to Covid-19 secure guidelines. A sit-down meal, for no more than 30 people is now allowed, with restrictions.  Over time, the Government will assess and communicate when larger wedding receptions can take place.

I have a voucher that is due to expire/expires whilst you are closed, does this mean it is no longer able to be redeemed?                             

Guests who have digital and paper vouchers purchased directly from our online system which are due to expire while our hotels are closed have had their vouchers automatically extended. Please contact the Hotel of your choice to re-book.

What social/physical distancing measures are you putting in place for your guests and staff?

We are introducing a number of measures to help social/physical distancing which include:

• Guests must wear a face covering by law in public areas of our hotels from 8th August 2020.  Once seated at a table in one of our lounges, restaurant or bars you will be able to remove the face covering.  We will require you to wear a covering on arrival, when at Reception, in our Spa’s or walking through the hotel.
• Our staff must also wear a face covering in public areas of the hotel.
• One-way systems in some areas of the hotel to prevent guests and staff crossing paths, and avoid small groups causing congestion at entrance or exits, where it is practicable to do so.
• Screens at our Reception, Spa & Golf desks where it is appropriate to do so.
• Floor markers to ensure that guests stay 2m apart at Reception & Concierge desks, Restaurant entrances, Spa desks, and our Shops.
• Signage reminding you of any actions you may need to take to ensure amended practices help keep everyone feeling safe.
• Re-arranged our public areas, Dining Rooms and Lounges so that there is appropriate spacing and less furniture in these areas.
• We will be closing some of our Dining rooms (where we have more than one) and adapting our Dining options, such as modifying Room service, and ceasing to offer buffet style food.
• We will be managing table reservations so that guest arrivals are spaced more evenly to prevent tables arriving together. We would politely request that all allocated times are strictly followed, or we may not be able to allow your reservation to go ahead.
• We will be managing spa reservations so that guest arrivals are spaced more evenly to prevent several guests arriving at our Spa reception together.
• We politely ask if payment can be made by card, rather than cash, to prevent unnecessary contact.
• Our lifts will not be available for use other than when required for those guests with accessibility needs. In this instance, we will ask that only one guest or family occupy the lift at any one time. Our staff will not be able to accompany you.
• We will be suspending our usual practise of servicing bedrooms, for stays of less than 3 nights.  If a freshen up or maintenance is required, we will respectfully then ask you to leave the room, to allow the Housekeeping / Maintenance team sole access whilst they work.
• We will be spacing out work-stations across all our hotel departments and Head Office, and will be staggering staff rotas so staff arriving, leaving and on breaks will be spread more evenly.

We’re no longer able to greet you warmly with a handshake or hug, but rest assured we will now be raising our imaginary hat and are delighted to welcome you!

What additional cleaning measures have you put in place?

When you check in to our hotels, you can be confident that we have set an even higher standard of cleanliness. This includes:

• Your room key will be sanitised before your arrival, we request you keep this for the duration of your stay, and deposit it in the box provided at Reception on check out.
• In public areas, rest rooms and at our front desk we have increased the frequency of cleaning, requiring all surface areas to be regularly cleaned with viricidal disinfectant.
• In our Spa treatment rooms we have introduced ozone cleaning after each treatment as part of our enhanced sanitised cleaning procedure.
• In areas where our teams work we will be increasing cleaning and focusing on high touch areas such as employee entrances, offices, team rest rooms, changing rooms and staff canteens. All equipment used by our teams will be cleaned daily and at every available opportunity.
• We have increased the time allocated to clean our guest bedrooms to ensure that rooms are cleaned thoroughly after guests depart, paying extra attention to high touch items such as light switches, plug sockets, tv remote controls, handles
• In guest bedrooms we will be removing all high touch items such as magazines, room compendiums, marketing literature and extra amenities.
• Our linen provider adheres to the recognised guidelines for thermal disinfection during the laundry process. Thermal disinfection is achieved at 93°C for one minute, 71°C for three minutes, or 65°C for at least ten minutes.

How are you supporting your staff?

• Before returning to our hotels to work, all our teams will have been through specific e-learning courses related to the changes in work processes, including Preparing to re-open; Cleaning & hygiene standards; Food hygiene standards; Social distancing and Well-being.
• Our staff will receive a Returning to work – Covid-19, Induction programme which provides them with access and contact to ongoing support.
• We are providing regular updates to our teams to ensure they have the latest advice and we have increased the number of team briefings being held throughout the day.
• We have limited the number of people attending a meeting and when holding physical meetings ensuring they are in a sufficiently large space and limiting the number of attendees to 10. Our Head Office teams will be encouraged to use virtual meetings.
• We have robust hygiene practises in place for our teams and where our teams do not always have access easy access to hand washing facilities, hand sanitising gels are provided, including our Reception and Office teams.
• We have increased the frequency of cleaning in all Departments, to ensure equipment and areas are sanitised appropriately.
• Work-stations both guest facing and ‘back of house’ have been adapted, including protective screens at Reception desks. We are limiting the number of people working in the same office.
• Face masks and visors are provided to all of our staff.
• We have amended shift times to alleviate the number of staff arriving and departing for shift and staggered breaks to allow social distancing in staff rest rooms and changing rooms.

How does the reservation process differ now?

Prior to your arrival we will send you a confirmation letter and request certain information to be returned to us – this includes a visitor health questionnaire, a concierge form and a registration card.  We’ll then follow up with a pre-arrival call to finalise details and exact procedures in advance of your stay.

How will Check In and Check out work?

• We’ve adapted our procedures on arrival, check in and check out and we’ll contact you prior to arrival.

• It is mandatory for us to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data. Our hotels will be displaying a poster which allows our guests to scan the NHS QR code, if you have the NHS Covid-19 app.  We will also continue to ask that every guest register their details and have their temperature taken on arrival at our Reception.  These details are only retained for 21 days.

• It does mean that we will no longer be able to offer valet parking, assistance with luggage or room orientation currently.
• Our lifts will not be available for use other than when required for those guests with accessibility needs. In this instance, we will ask that only one guest or family occupy the lift at any one time.  Our staff will not be able to accompany you.
• Your bill will be presented night prior to checking out, enabling you to phone our Reception team should you have any queries.
• These measures are in place to support with physical distancing and ensure the safety of guests and staff.

Can I book a table in the Restaurant?

• We are open to residential and non-residential guests for dining in our Restaurants, Brasseries and Afternoon Tea. You can call or Book online.

• It is mandatory for us to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data. Our hotels will be displaying a poster which allows our diners to scan the NHS QR code, if you have the NHS Covid-19 app.  We will also continue to ask that every diner have their temperature taken on arrival at our Reception.  These details are only retained for 21 days.

What dining experiences will be available?

• We have re-arranged our public areas, Dining Rooms and Lounges so that there is appropriate spacing and less furniture in these areas.
• We will be closing some of our Dining rooms (where we have more than one) and adapting our Dining options, such as modifying Room service, and ceasing to offer buffet style food.
• We will be managing table reservations so that guest arrivals are spaced more evenly to prevent tables arriving together – this will now include breakfast reservations. We would politely request that all allocated times are strictly followed, or we may not be able to allow your reservation to go ahead.
• Sanitisation stations will be available at the entrance to our Restaurants.
• We have implemented a number of small changes to ensure that we can safely maintain sanitisation and hygiene standards.

What will the Spa experiences be?

• Pre-arrival health consultation forms will be issued to all members and guests to complete before accessing the facilities.
• All members and guests will be required to have their temperature checked on arrival at the Spa, by our Spa reception team.
• It is mandatory for us to have a system to collect NHS Test and Trace data.  Our hotels will be displaying a poster which allows our spa members and guests to scan the NHS QR code, if you have the NHS Covid-19 app.
• We have reduced guest capacities throughout the facilities and will limit each guest’s time in the facilities to ensure that we can adhere to social distancing measures of 2m throughout the Spa. This includes the use of saunas and steam rooms when they re-open.
• Changing room facility use will be restricted, and available only to non-residents and members.
• Our therapist will be wearing visors; face masks and aprons where appropriate. We also request that guests wear a face mask during treatment, owing to the length of time in close proximity to our team.  Screening will be in place for manicures.
• We are currently taking treatment bookings for members, residents and non-residents, on a reduced treatment menu.
• Certain areas of the Spa will remain closed for example, sauna’s, steam rooms, changing rooms; showers; thermal showers and Rhassul.