Katie McGonagle interviews Rebecca Platt, director of sales and marketing, Bodyholiday.
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Q. BodyHoliday Saint Lucia reopens this week having been closed to guests since March 20. Can you tell us more?
A. We can’t wait to welcome guests back when the resort reopens on October 1. We have been just as frustrated as they are, but we’re delighted to be back now. We have made a lot of adjustments in the lead-up to reopening. In Saint Lucia, any hotel that’s operating has to have a Covid certificate from the government to show they’ve adapted to certain protocols, plus we have added many of our own. The safety and wellbeing of guests is at the forefront of everybody’s minds.
Q. What can guests expect at the resort following the changes you’ve made?
A. There are certain tweaks like physical distancing – that two-metre distance that everybody has to keep everywhere in the world. And we’ll be limiting numbers in our studio classes, depending on how much physical exertion it involves and how much space it needs. But we haven’t reduced our activities, and if a class is oversubscribed, we can put on another, so nobody’s going to miss out.
“In Saint Lucia, any hotel that’s operating has to have a Covid certificate from the government to show they’ve adapted to certain protocols, plus we have added many of our own.”
Q. Are guests asked to adhere to any rules?
A. Around the resort, the main request is you wear a mask when you’re in a public area and can’t physically distance, but you can take it off on the beach, for a spa treatment or in the restaurants. A mask is only needed where you might come into close contact with others.
Top tip
Find out more about Saint Lucia’s entry requirements and hygiene protocols for accommodation, transport and dining on the Ministry of Tourism website at:
slutourism.govt.lc
Q. What about other facilities such as restaurants and spas?
A. We’re changing the way food and beverage is offered. We’re not doing buffets any more, we’re doing either à la carte or table service, and we’ve redesigned our menus. People put more thought into their food choices nowadays, so we have included a lot more immune-boosting and detox foods. We’ve also rebranded one of our restaurants to be a Wellness Café. At the spa, all the treatments are still there. Guests will have their temperature checked when they arrive, and there’s extra sanitation beforehand, but the therapist will also wash hands and sanitise the face cradle in front of the guest.
Q. Are your themed wellness and activity months going ahead?
A. Yes! Because we couldn’t do our September Solos themed month, we’ve decided to run September Solos and October Yoga at the same time, as so many people wanted to come but couldn’t. We didn’t want them to miss out on that experience, as many have been trapped at home for so long and they want to get out! Then we go into our pre-Christmas restorative break, and then next year, we plan to run all of our themed months.
“Guests will have their temperature checked when they arrive at the spa, and there’s extra sanitation beforehand, but the therapist will also wash hands and sanitise the face cradle in front of the guest.”
Q. Have you added any features to help guests adapt to the new way of life in-resort?
A. We have brought in a resident nurse to do the temperature checks, and we’re introducing contactless check-in via a new Webroom tool on our site. That will have a facility to allow guests to load their negative PCR certificate – which they have to have to come to Saint Lucia – and to agree to the resort’s Covid protocols in advance, so when they arrive, they go straight into their holiday. We’re also launching a mobile app, so when guests are at the property, it’s all contactless and we don’t have to keep handing out bits of paper. It’s been a big investment for us, but it means people can plan and understand what they’re going to do when they come on holiday, and leave with that sense of wellbeing that is now more pertinent than ever.
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