Since the first days of the outbreak, our priority has been the health of our guests and our team.
In the early days of the outbreak, we improved our cleaning and hygiene routine in line with our emergency action plan. We maintained our team’s and their relatives’ health, strengthened our internal communication, and provided regular information to all our stakeholders by following international publications. We have remained in touch with our guests through digital platforms. We believe that health comes first. As such, we chose to temporarily suspend our services at Hotels.
During our closure period, we created a Hygiene and Healthcare Board composed of different experts. We have implemented many additional hygiene practices at our own initiative in addition to the measures and changes stipulated in the legislation.
Legal Procedures and Regulatory Recommendations
As the pandemic started to spread across our country, we established a Hygiene Board comprising all department managers, onsite physicians, health personnel, food engineers and occupational health safety specialists under the presidency of our general manager. Firmly following the directives and recommendations of the World Health Organization, the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health and Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Board ensures that all necessary measures are implemented timely.
External Audit
A contracted internationally accredited hygiene and safety organization regularly performs unannounced audits in our hotels in accordance with the relevant quality standards and legal requirements. The organization has introduced the Safe Hotel Program (Auditing for the Risk Management of Epidemics) in addition to its independent audits Food Check-Crystal, Hygienic Room Audit, Hygienic Spa & Fitness Audit, Legionella and Water Safety programs.
Isolation Protocol
The Safe Tourism Certification Program implemented implemented by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism allows guests who are diagnosed with, exhibit symptoms of or suspected to have COVID-19 during their stay at certified hotels to enjoy their accommodation by staying in an isolation room at the hotel provided that they accept the conditions below.
*In case a guest, a family member or companions who share the same room with the guest are diagnosed with COVID-19 during his/her/their stay for any reason, this guest or these guests shall stay in the isolation room designated by the hotel, shall not leave his/her/their room and shall not accept outside visitors.
*Family members or companions of the guest who are diagnosed with COVID-19 shall also stay in isolation rooms. Those under the guest’s parenthood/guardianship shall also stay in the isolation room, and it shall be the guest’s responsibility to ensure that he/she/they do not leave the isolation room.
*Room and housekeeping services shall be provided to the guest, his/her family members or companions who are diagnosed with COVID-19, in accordance with the accommodation contract for the time period specified in the contract.
*In the event that a guest is isolated following a diagnosis of COVID-19, the conditions of the accommodation contract signed by the guest can be extended and the guest may be subject to additional charges due to the isolation rooms that will be provided in addition to the accommodation contract.
Regular Tests and Checks
*We continue to take daily reference samples of all foods served in restaurants and store them properly for necessary analyses. Similarly, we take daily water samples from pools and carry out and record all necessary tests.*The aforementioned hygiene and safety organization takes samples using swabs and petri dishes during regular unannounced audits to scientifically verify the efficiency of our hygiene measures. The samples are analyzed and reported by an independent accredited laboratory.
Disinfection Practices
*All areas of the hotel have been disinfected with hydrogen peroxide silver-based materials by an accredited company since the outbreak occurred and this practice continues regularly.*In addition, we formed special teams to disinfect our hotels. This dedicated team continuously disinfects relevant areas with hydrogen peroxide on a daily basis.
Health and Training of Employees
*Our employees regularly undergo health checks in compliance with regulatory requirements.*We have added all relevant regulatory and notably the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 directives and recommendations to our current hygiene training programs.*According to the directives of the Ministry of Health and the relevant authorities, all employees use masks and related protective equipment.*We have reorganized the common areas used by our personnel according to social distancing rules and established adequate disinfection units.
Check-in and Check-Out
*We follow the protocols specified by the Ministry of Health during your arrival and stay. Any guests exhibiting symptoms of the disease are transported to a hospital as per the necessary measures.*We kindly ask our guests to park their vehicles themselves on their arrival under the guidance of the responsible concierge.*We have taken the necessary social distancing measures and re-arranged common areas to avoid crowded lines during check-in and check-out.*All devices and materials used by our guests during check-in and check-out are disinfected after each use.*On your arrival, we deliver your luggage to your room door while adhering to the hygiene rules. Similarly, we take your luggage from your room door and place it in your vehicle at the end of your stay.
Common Areas and Meeting Rooms
*We work with an internationally recognized company to ensure we can access the necessary supply of chemical cleaning products. The company gives regular and comprehensive training to our personnel. This way, our personnel properly cleans our hotels using the correct cleaning agents for each section.*We have rearranged the seating arrangement in all indoor areas and meeting rooms according to the social distancing rules.*Additionally, we placed photocell disinfection devices at all common areas and meeting room entrances.*As always, we exercise great care in cleaning common areas and meeting rooms. Our special cleaning team disinfects all common areas and meeting rooms with hydrogen peroxide following a routine cleaning procedure.*We disinfect all technical equipment (microphone, radio, telephone, monitor, and so on) in meeting rooms before each use.*Elevators have been limited to two people per lift and necessary warning signs have been placed.
Guest Rooms
*To ensure maximum hygiene, we disinfect every guest room with hydrogen peroxide after our regular cleaning services, which have always met the strictest hygiene standards.*Cleaning personnel use new gloves, masks and cleaning cloths in each room.*We regularly maintain our air conditioners with hydrogen peroxide and disinfect their filters. *Besides usual cleaning, we also disinfect the materials and equipment to be used by guests in rooms before each use.
Food and Beverage Services
*We have rearranged the seating arrangement in restaurants according to the social distancing rules and installed the necessary warning signage.*When needed, we allocate different time periods to our guest to prevent crowds.*We disinfect tables and chairs after each guest.*We offer single-use salt, black pepper, sugar and prepackaged toothpicks.
Spa, Swimming & Thermal Pools and the Beach
*We have arranged all seating groups in common areas and sunbeds according to the social distancing rules.*We regularly disinfect sunbeds throughout the day and keep them ready-to-use and sterile.*We offer packed pool and beach towels.*Pool hygiene has always been of great importance to us. As such, we continue to ensure that pools’ disinfectant ratios are in line with legal standards.*Wet areas in the wellness-SPA and fitness center continue to serve with set capacities by taking all necessary precautions into consideration.
Mini Club and Recreation Activities
*All child-friendly areas are cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with hydrogen peroxide.*Our Mini Club staff has been thoroughly trained in hygiene measures. Inspections are in place to ensure that social distancing rules are being adhered to.*We organize our recreation activities outdoors in line with the social distancing rules.
Shops
*We clean and disinfect shops regularly and thoroughly.*Sales locations have been rearranged to comply with social distancing rules. Only a single shopper, or a party of shoppers who are traveling together, can be admitted at a time. No new guest(s) is admitted before the previous shopper(s) leaves the area.
