Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort and Spa in Saint Lucia has become the latest resort in the Sandals hotel chain to re-open following the shutdown brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Sandals Regency welcomed some 80 guests on Monday August 31, 2020, just over five months after it announced a temporary closure in March 2020.
The arriving guests were greeted by a team of exuberant employees amid a carnival atmosphere, all taking place under the strict guidelines of the Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness.
The re-opening of Sandals Regency is in line with the commitment given by the World’s Leading All Inclusive Resort chain to work closely with tourism stakeholders in the Caribbean to try and get the sector back up and running, since so many persons including taxi drivers, farmers, entertainers and vendors among others depend on it to make a living.
Sandals Regency La Toc worked closely with local health authorities to ensure all safety measures and systems are in place to operate within the current environment, and recently received full certification and clearance from the local authorities to do so. The company’s signature Sandals Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness provides additional safety measures to guarantee the highest protection to guests and team members.
The reopening of Sandals Regency, along with the Sandals Grande Saint Lucia Beach Resort and Spa which opened seven weeks ago, means that the company has been able to bring close to 1,000 of its team members back out to work.
The team members, many of whom expressed both excitement and relief to be back out to work after such a prolonged layoff lined both sides of the resort’s driveway; some waved St Lucian flags while others made heart signs with their hands to greet the guests. The official welcome also included entertainers in carnival costumes, stilt walkers and fire eaters.
General Manager of Sandals Regency La Toc Gaurav Sindhi said, ‘We are excited to welcome back our loyal guests to enjoy the world-class service that has become synonymous with the Sandals brand. We are also delighted to welcome back our team members, as we work together to rebuild the tourism industry in St Lucia.”
Meantime Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort and Spa, the third Sandals Resort in Saint Lucia, has been scheduled for reopening in November, 2020.