The Shadow
HOT SPRINGS — The Omni Homestead Resort is scheduled to reopen Monday.
The historic Hot Springs hotel has been closed since March 29 due to the unprecedented implications of the Coronavirus on the hospitality industry.
The Homestead was one of 38 Omni properties affected by this suspension.
“We will be following state guidelines for all restaurants and amenities,” said John K. Hess, director of sales and marketing for The Omni Homestead of the reopening. “We will also implement new cleaning and guest interaction procedures.”
Omni Hotels and Resorts President Peter Strebel said the health and safety of guests and associates continues to be a top priority.
“COVID-19 has changed every facet of our world and the way we do business,” he said. “In an effort to Stay A Part of Safety, we have updated our already thorough cleaning guidelines and implemented additional processes and procedures to ensure your health, safety and comfort as part of the new ‘Omni Safe & Clean’ initiative.
“Within each of our individual hotels and resorts, guests can expect to see the following standards implemented allowing our associates to provide exceptional service in a safe environment,” Strebel added. “The Omni Safe & Clean initiative follows the guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and each individual Omni location will adhere to local and/or federal mandates. Protocols and guidelines from these authorities are expected to evolve, and as such, so will our below processes and procedures.
“Similarly, these guidelines meet or exceed the ‘Stay Safe’ initiative set forth by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA),” Strebel continued.
Omni’s Safe and Clean protocols include:
Associates: Daily health screening, including temperature checks; Frequent sanitization of all associate common areas; Thorough retraining on proper hygiene and best practices; Personal Protective Equipment.
Cleanliness: Increased frequency of sanitization with EPA-certified cleansers that are CDC-compliant; Additional guest sanitization stations in public areas; Increased cleaning of HVAC systems and replacement of air filters.
Social Distancing: Signage and distance indicators will be used throughout the hotel in high-traffic areas to allow for and encourage proper social distancing.
Banquet Food & Beverage: Custom menus focused on quality ingredients that limit contact in kitchen prep; Attendant-only served buffets or plated meals, receptions and coffee stations; Single-use, individually sealed food and cutlery items, where applicable.
Audiovisual: High-touch equipment will be disinfected after each session; Encore Event Technology team members will follow daily health screening; Encore will provide multiple options to planners to assist in virtual content for attendees not on-site.
Arrival Experience: Self-parking recommended, where applicable; For valet hotels, queuing experience that allows for social distancing; Limited contact with front doors, bell carts and key cards; Limited contact check-in and -out process.
Outlets: All cleaning and disinfecting measures follow CDC and EPA guidelines; Kitchens will be deep cleaned and sanitized at a higher frequency including the cleaning of food prep stations after each use; All dining tables, chairs and common furniture will be disinfected after each guest use.
Amenities & Recreation: Contactless transactions, where applicable; Golf carts will be cleaned after each use and single guest use encouraged; Pool furniture arranged for proper social distancing; Thorough disinfecting of equipment in fitness centers with limited capacities.
Response & Protocols: Enact safety protocols specific to COVID-19; Coordinate medical assistance requests or self-isolation needs; Deep cleaning of all known points of contact and recleaning of impacted common and high-traffic areas; Assist health professionals with contact tracing.
Traffic Flow: High-traffic areas will be designated as one-way passages to include wider aisles, where practical; Informational signage throughout all locations to communicate information such as recommendations, health alerts and guidelines from the CDC.
Meeting & Event Space: Spaces will be modified to allow for limited touch and proper social distancing; Updated seating capacities and room sets; Additional sanitation stations; Physical barriers to be used at event registration, where practical.
Spa: Reduced capacity limits and scheduling modifications; Required PPE for associates and service providers; Stringent cleaning and disinfecting following each service; Modified treatment protocol to ensure guest and staff safety.
Guest Rooms: Cleaned and disinfected guest rooms will have an “Omni Safe & Clean” seal of approval sticker upon completion; Single-use amenities provided in each guest room; Enhanced disinfecting of high-touch items; Requested items will be delivered in a contactless manner.
“We are confident in our entire family of associates’ ability to welcome you safely back at our hotels across North America, with the personalized service you’ve always known and trusted,” Strebel said.
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With additional safety measures in place for both guests and staff, The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs is scheduled to reopen Monday. The resort has been closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic since March 29. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
