Keeping Safe for the Health of Our Community, Our Crew and Our Guests

Draft in Progress April/May 2020

As we prepare to reboot our lives in a new era of COVID-19, and subsequently welcome back guests to St. John, our Antares team and St. John neighbors are exploring ideas toward developing best practices to help protect the well-being of our dedicated crew, the greater community and our vacationing guests.

Below is a DRAFT framework to collect ideas, build scenarios and share our thinking. We want to highlight where guests and everyone working in the hospitality industry may be most vulnerable and identify “things we can do” surrounding guest arrivals, vacation activities, and guest departures — Our goal is to talk about the situations that need attention, and to subsequently develop the protocol and scenario details to mitigate community spread.

Our goal is also to encourage each other on island to develop similar new protocol, share notes across industries, join together and assist each other in managing the guests’ expectations, as a community island front, and keep all of us as safe as possible while rebooting our economy.

This is a work in progress, and it will evolve.

 
 
Boat NIGHT.jpg

FOCUS 1 - Minimizing in-person contact

TAXI & GUEST: This is a placeholder for Taxi Association & Dept of Transportation, private vendors, etc. What changes can we tell guests about, specifically regarding group taxis and private taxi protocol? To date, group taxi is up and running, however, they can only carry half of the amount of passengers due to the social distancing rule. Masks required. We anticipate an increase of private taxi services and will continue to provide that concierge coordination for all guests.

FERRY & GUEST: This is a placeholder for the Ferry Services, Dept of Transportation, private water taxi vendors, etc.

CAR RENTAL & GUEST: Again, a placeholder. What is the protocol from Car Rental agencies specifically regarding, pick up procedures, handling of luggage, disinfection measures, etc? Considering the vehicle rental is the point where guests are transitioning from public space to private space, this might be an opportunity to accommodate a new guest courtesy, allowing guests to change clothes (bag laundry), wash hands and disinfect luggage, prior to loading the vehicle. Facilities per rental car agency would vary, and if guests are made aware of this new courtesy ahead of time, they could plan accordingly.

MORE TIME BETWEEN GUEST STAYS: During this time, we must implement no same day turns for remaining 2020 and 2021 season on all new bookings until further notice, in order to achieve what we are proposing. We are figuring out what to do with existing bookings that are same day turns. For these bookings, we will work to modify check-in and check-out times to allow for as much time as possible between villa reservations. We will also allow guests to tweak dates if desired, to help us all achieve over 30+ hours between guest stays. If a majority or all managers and owners adopt this new interim process, guest arrivals will naturally be staggered more, resulting in a less concentrated guest load at ferry docks, stores, taxis etc…

CREW SAFETY: We will reduce or completely rid overlap of departure check, maintenance, housekeeping, provisioning, and arrival check processes. We will develop new ‘Last to Leave’ protocol. We may consider equipping our crew with new tools, designed to efficiently disinfect specific materials and spaces, when having to work within “X” amount of hours between guests. We are in communication with friends and colleagues in the hotel industry, exploring similar options. … exploring all ideas and scenarios at this point.

NO GROCERY STORE STOPS ON ARRIVAL DAY: We will require a basic villa provisioning to be stocked so to keep guests out of grocery stores on arrival day. All provisioning and other deliveries must happen before ‘last to leave’ protocol, or work with us directly to be designated ‘last to leave’ crew member. To help ensure quality control, safety and our standard of hospitality, we are working directly with Landlubber Logistics, a new COVID-19 era born provisioning service that is providing safe and sanitary handling of groceries, restaurant takeout and a vast array of island fare. Options for arrival day meal delivery from local restaurants and private chefs will be included. Guests request to pick up a to-go order will be discouraged to mitigate guest travel day contact within the community.

THE NEW GREET: We are re-designing what a GREET looks like. We may keep an escort to house, however we will not have an in-person villa tour. Instead guests will be assigned an Arrival Day Co-Pilot and we will develop video productions per villa/accommodation.

We will produce two videos per villa/accommodation. One will be a video (in case of no escort) ‘Driving Guide’ to point out visual landmark-based directions, and tips, supported by maps. This will include a driving at night edition as well. This video will be available for a phone download before your trip, as well as pdf form for back up reference. A second video will be a ‘Welcome To…’ that guests may watch either upon arrival or prior to arrival. This will be an entertaining personal greeting — hitting on all of the villa’s custom points, protocols, features, etc… The video will also be available in the villa, uploaded onto TV or other picture frame or LCD play-screens.

Greeters will have a new name on arrival day… ‘Arrival Co-Pilot’… and will be in communication via text, available for phone calls/FaceTime on day of arrival to help guide the guests during the journey and to answer questions. Follow up with guests via Wellness Checks will operate as usual.

GUEST ARRIVING to VILLA: Upon arrival to the villa/accommodation, guests will have already reviewed a list of ‘First In’ advisories. These advisories will essentially be Arrival Tips during time of COVID-19 — considering guests have just traveled and will want to know how to avoid bringing the travel journey into their vacation space. I.e., have change of clothes in prepacked bag, laundry bag ready to isolate travel clothes (access to laundry), work to sanitize themselves and luggage before unloading car, etc. Consider providing “for your extra comfort” disinfectant wipes at front door, for guests to open the door and wipe down things as they see fit. Suggest using provided Lysol wipes in “Sanitizer Gift Basket” to wipe off car steering wheel, shiftier, handles etc. once they get to the villa (new emphasis on messaging regarding any type of wipes…MUST NOT GO INTO SEPTIC SYSTEMS).

AVAILABLE IN PROVISIONING PACKAGE: We are planning to have locally made masks and locally made hand sanitizer available as part of the arrival provisioning selection. While guests will be traveling with their own, new/clean (souvenir!) masks and sanitizer refills will surely be needed. We are working with local vendors to have an inventory in stock for all guests at our Antares office for easy pick up during stay as well.

LONGER STAYS: Still undecided, but we may no longer accept short stays for the 2020 season and possibly into 2021 (Short stays are bookings less than 7 nights). We will be building an new program to encourage longer stays, with a 14 night minimum incentive.

 
ReefMadness-017.jpg

FOCUS 2 - revise PROTOCOLS & reduce items WITHIN VILLAS

REVISE PACKING & CARRY ON TIPS: Revise ‘carry on’ packing tips to include helpful items to keep safe. We will need to look at what airlines will be requiring, allowing and recommending.

PPE FOR ALL CREW: All crew will have PPE and a revised checklist for each step of turnover. Departure check/maintenance crew member (first on site) will now be the most at risk — extra precautions will be made and will have added items to checklist. We will no longer have casual overlap between crew members and housekeepers - all will be sequenced and spread out as much as possible over the course of 30+ hours.

EXTRA COVID-19 CARE: All remotes, switches, handles, security safe, and other touchable interfaces will have extra special treatment, as well as possible special presentation so to reassure guests to the level of care given to their arrival.

ON THE SHELVES: Re-evaluation of all interiors to reduce unnecessary items. Books, DVD’s and games will have specific signage regarding use. i.e. new courtesy, asking guests to leave items used in a bin as opposed to re-shelving. OR removal of all non essential items, including books and similar items to be boxed up and stored. Guests alerted prior to arrival and asked to bring their own.

WELCOME BOOK: Welcome Books will only be in digital form; other specific literature will be laminated for ease of cleaning or only disposable pages. No magazines or maps will be left from prior guests.

UPDATED RESEARCH: During the development of protocols, and as we learn more about the virus, we will include information about specific materials and current knowledge about transmission of COVID-19 to all crew…“The most important thing to know about coronavirus on surfaces is that they can easily be cleaned with common household disinfectants that will kill the virus. Studies have shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, less than 4 hours on copper and less than 24 hours on cardboard.” - WHO website

KITCHEN: The kitchen will be a new kind of hot spot for turnovers. Need revised protocol of spices, condiments, and other small kitchen items. Case by case, per house, we will develop a minimal kitchen set up, to reduce unnecessary items in the kitchen. We may also develop an “available upon request” list — meaning items are available but stowed elsewhere and will require washing. Re-evaluating all procedures here. Suggestions have been made to move to disposable products while things are uncertain in 2020… Not sure we will go that far, due to waste… but all a work in progress!

BEACH GEAR & OTHER: This will vary per villa/accommodation. Beach gear, totes, snorkel, multiple coolers and other stowed amenities provided for guest use will be addressed. A new protocol for cleaning and set up presentation will be developed. Our goal is to draw attention to shared use, last used date, care and handling based on material of item, etc. We will also provide guests an easy way to communicate with our team, regarding what items were used or not used during the stay. We may also provide a ‘request to use’ checklist, prior to arrival, so to limit the amount of items set out for potential use.

 
Rooster.jpg

focus 3: prepare for services & activity recommendations

Island host sTJ concierge

KAYAK, SUP RENTALS, TOURS & SUCH: Anticipate these activities being most popular as it is easier to practice socially distancing.

BOAT EXCURSIONS & GUESTS: Need input here regarding plans and efforts toward social distancing, and sanitizing. We anticipate an increase in private charters and decrease in group/shared charters despite the size of the boat.

PROVISIONING: We will either highly recommend fully stocking for most of the week, or we will require a basic villa provisioning to be stocked so to keep guests out of grocery stores on arrival day. See note above regarding Landlubber Logistics services. Guests will be advised not to make stops on arrival day, including to-go orders, to mitigate guest travel day contact within the community. Throughout a guest stay, we will promote curb-side pick up and delivery services.

PRIVATE CHEF: In lieu of cooking withing a villa space, we will encourage family style delivery only. Arrival day and mid-stay meals as a new promoted offering - easing the pressure of potentially longer travel day, possible later arrival times, less person-to-person contact, and helps support local small businesses — which is a growing request by guests..

MASSAGE & OTHER SPA SERVICES: We have solicited information and ideas from Spa La La and other vendors to learn more about tweaks to their existing health and safety protocols, and learn more about what in-spa services might be modified — As of May 4th, all spa services are by appointment only per the government phased re-opening. Regarding in-villa services, we suggest limiting this to open-air massage or other similar treatment — essentially services that allow the professional technician to bring all prepared equipment to the villa without any exposure to interior spaces.

MID-STAY HOUSEKEEPING: This will be a modified menu of services and protocols.

DINING IN AND OUT: We anticipate establishments sharing individual plans as things evolve… like everything else!

CLOTHING/GIFT/JEWELRY SHOPPING: We all look forward to supporting our many wonderful local businesses. Guests will be reminded of social distancing, government guidelines, and recommended practices in place during their stay. As we learn more about what vendors are doing to create a safer shopping experience, we will make this information available as well.

 

focus 4: Define guest responsibility

Be Kind — Be Safe — Be Prepared Visitor (Antares Guest) Pledge

We are preparing and operating diligently to keep our island crew, our community and our guests as safe as possible. <<Learn More Link soon come>>

All Guests will be required to take the Be Kind — Be Safe — Be Prepared Visitor Pledge

  • I will not travel if feeling unwell or have knowingly been exposed to COVID-19.

  • I will follow all CDC and local requirements and recommended guidelines from my home to yours and back again.

  • I understand that while I may be safe and healthy at home, I may contract COVID19 during my travel day, and will take extra precaution knowing this.

  • I will travel with plenty of Personal Protective accoutrements to last my entire stay.

  • I understand these are strange times, and we are all making this up as we go.

  • I will not make any stops after picking up my vehicle to avoid unnecessary contact with anyone or any place until I have checked into my villa.

  • I agree to all Antares Arrival Day tips for attending to luggage and travel clothes upon arrival.

  • I agree to arrival day provisioning and/or meals coordinated by Landlubbard Logistics to ensure proper handling.

  • I will sing happy birthday while washing my hands. Just kidding…I may sing any song I like so long as it is 20 seconds long, and I will still work to conserve water by shutting off water during lather portion of hand washing.

  • I understand plenty of hand soap will be provided at my villa.

  • I will practice distancing and respect all of those around me throughout my stay on island.

  • I will wear a mask when in public areas or not able to social distance.

  • I will consider using grocery delivery throughout my stay.

  • I understand the local restrictions may change during my stay.

  • I will have a wonderful time on St. John.

QUESTIONS NEEDING ATTENTION

1) What happens if a guest develops symptoms while on island?

Please send us comments, input, ideas… Thank you!