Welcoming our guests again
We hope that you and your family have been well during this strange time.
As we’re sure you know, the government has now confirmed that we can re-open for business from the 4th of July 2020.
We know from talking to many of you how important a holiday is to our guests at the moment. We’re therefore keen to do everything we can to give you a lovely and safe stay in Cornwall this summer/autumn.
We therefore thought we would put this blog post together to try and answer as many questions as possible in relation to your stay at Fal River Cottage. If you have any further questions, please do feel free to contact us at any time:
- Email: enquiries@falrivercottage.com
- Phone: 07966 398854
What will be different at the cottage this year?
In short, very little. The last thing we want to do is to turn this quaint cottage into something that resembles a hospital. The only obvious differences you will see in and around the cottage are as follows:
- Books, games, some soft furnishings and ornaments will be locked away to reduce the touch points.
- There will be hand disinfectant available for guests to use.
- The TV remote will be protected in a sealed plastic bag (which will be changed between guests).
- Sorry, but there will be no welcome pack – again to reduce any potential touch points.
Other than this, the cottage will look the same as it does at any other time. You and your party will have full use of the cottage including the three outside seating areas with those amazing views.
What other changes are taking place?
Most changes relate to the enhanced cleaning protocols that we are putting in place for changeover days. These changes go above and beyond the requirements of the government’s COVID Secure protocols.
One of the key changes will be a second (disinfectant) clean of all touch points (taps, switches, handrails etc.) after the normal clean is complete. This will include external touch points as well as internal touch points. Our cleaner will wear full PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) whilst performing this second clean and will use disinfectant that complies with BS EN 1276. This means the disinfectant has been shown to kill 99.999% of germs rather than 99.9% (which is commonly available in supermarkets).
Please be assured that there is no requirement for our guests to wear protective gloves or masks.
Why are we telling you this?
The only reason for sharing information on our enhanced cleaning protocols is to put our guests’ minds at rest. The last thing we want is for our guests to worry about catching COVID 19 when they should be enjoying a lovely break at the cottage.
You should also be aware that we will be signing up to the COVID accreditation schemes that Visit England and the AA are currently putting in place. This is again designed to give the guests some peace of mind that we’re doing all we can to keep them safe.
What are we asking from our guests?
The only things we ask from our guests is that they:
- Tell us before leaving home if any of their party is ill with COVID-19 symptoms or has been told to isolate by the government’s ‘Track and Trace’ service. Unfortunately, you will have to cancel your stay if this is the case since holiday accommodation cannot be used as an alternative location for self-isolating.
- Observe social distancing when outside the cottage and thoroughly wash your hands each time you enter the cottage.
- Don’t bring visitors into the cottage. The cottage is only to be used by the party referenced on the booking form.
- HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY !
There are a few other things that guests may want to consider:
- Pre-booking parking at National Trust sites (like Trelissick) if you plan to visit.
- Bringing your own books and games with you, since we will be locking away the books and games that are normally available for guest use.
- Bringing food with you from home. – The population goes up by around 50% during the summer period, so anything you can do to minimise the use of local supermarkets would be of benefit to yourself and the locals.
What if the government re-introduces the lock-down?
We will not allow any stays to go ahead if this were to break the rules imposed by the government. If we’re not allowed to accept holiday makers, we will cancel the impacted bookings and refund the impacted guests.
What if the guest’s personal circumstances prevent the guest from travelling?
You would need to inform us as soon as possible that you need to cancel. Any refund (if due) will depend on the terms and conditions governing your booking.
For guests that booked through AirBNB / Booking.com / HomeAway, your cancellation terms will be referenced on your reservation on the agent’s website.
For guests that booked direct with ourselves (via https://falrivercottage.com/ or https://premiercottages.co.uk/), the cancellation policy will depend on when the booking was placed:
- Before 26th March 2020 – There are no refunds as per the T&C’s in place when you booked.
- After 26th March 2020 – There is a full refund under the condition that you give us at least 48-hour notice
What if a guest gets ill with COVID 19 whilst on holiday?
The government is advising that guests should (if they can) travel home and self isolate at home.
Eating out at the pub
We’re please to say that the Heron Inn is also planning to re-open on the 4th of July. There is a takeaway menu available and the staff will walk round to the cottage with your food if you order it over the phone. (01872 272773). So your own private table on the front decking of the cottage can be used by yourselves as an extension to the pub’s outside seating.
Stay in touch!
We’re really looking forward to opening again! Fal River Cottage is a quaint little holiday home in the most amazing setting. We really want all our guests to fully enjoy their holiday in the cottage. You deserve it!
Please do join our Facebook Page. We will be posting some ideas for days out as we get more information on attractions that are opening. Do get in contact if you have any other questions. We’d also love to see the photos of your own holiday experiences if you don’t mind sharing them on our Facebook Page.
Stay safe and well!
Phil and Lubi
Recent Comments