With St Lucia’s reopening of its borders to travellers earlier this month, Bay Gardens Resorts has implemented heightened health and safety protocols and standards at all of its properties in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism.
Sanovnik Destang, Executive Director of the island’s largest locally-owned and operated resorts, said the steps taken by the hotel group surpass, in many instances, the government-prescribed protocols for screening and monitoring the health of staff and visitors during the destination’s phased reopening.
“Even before the new criteria for sanitization and social distancing were enacted by our government, we had taken specific steps to ensure that we operate in an environment to mitigate the spread of disease,” said Destang, who added that over the past few months Bay Gardens has redoubled its commitment to providing an exceptional quality experience to its valued clients.
In addition to adhering to elevated sanitization standards, Bay Gardens has invested in training its staff, sharing additional guidance on health and safety, and building capacity to help adapt to the “new normal”.
“Our operational future depends on our ability to debunk myths and restore confidence among our team members, guests and community,” said Destang, who assured that as Bay Gardens “resets, refocuses, and recreates”, new levels of customer service and performance will emerge.
Guests at Bay Gardens Resorts will benefit from an increased frequency of cleaning and sanitizing of public spaces, washrooms, restaurant tables and chairs, doors and doorknobs, beach and pool facilities, and the interior and exterior of hotel shuttles. Guest rooms will also be thoroughly sterilized, and nonessential items such as pens, directories, note pads, and coffee and tea will be provided on request only.
The hotel properties, which include Bay Gardens Inn, Bay Gardens Hotel, Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Bay Gardens Marina Haven, and Water’s Edge Villas by Bay Gardens Resorts, have increased the temperature of the water used to clean soiled linen, and ultraviolet disinfection lights will be deployed to inspect vacant rooms and newly cleaned public spaces.
Social distancing will be in place for shuttles, restaurants, the front desk, the pool and the beach, and contactless sanitizers will be positioned in high-traffic areas. An in-house nursing station to conduct temperature and symptom checks for guests and team members will be available at each property, each of which is in close proximity to a medical center and a respiratory clinic.
Bay Gardens Resorts, which has expended great effort to keep its 350-member workforce off the breadline during the pandemic, has been offering resort credits on future stays to travellers who donate to a relief fund created to support its staff members.
The family-owned group, which suspended its operations in mid-March, launched the fund to augment the enterprise’s cash support as well as national insurance contributions to provide income for staff members.
During the pandemic shutdown, Bay Gardens also premiered a completely reimagined website featuring new videos and virtual tours as well as a dedicated page outlining its enhanced health and sanitization protocols.
Barring any restrictions from the Government of St Lucia or the Ministry of Health, the resort group plans to resume full operations on July 1, 2020.