COVID-19: The new reality of eating out or staying at hotels

Government has lifted restrictions on restaurants and hotels. These outlets can now re-open from Friday, 22 May subject to conditions imposed on them to maintain hygiene and social distancing.

Hotels

• Rooms decluttered of unnecessary items
• Hand sanitiser available as bathroom amenity or for sale in minibar
• Enhanced disinfection of high contact surfaces
• Use of soluble plastic bags for laundry for direct placing in washing machines
• Room service use of disposable condiments and single use items
• Linen from food tray removed
• Staff to wash hands before and after touching tray
• No air flow dryers or revolving cloth towels in bathrooms, only disposable paper towels to be used
• Elevator use limited to 1 person at a time or to people in same party
• Reception staff, porters to wear masks/visors
• Perspex barriers to be installed at reception with a height of at least 2m from floor
• Temperature control on entrance
• No new or indoor child play areas are allowed

Outdoor pools only

• Disinfectant dispensers, liquid soap and disposable towels provided
• Capacity limited to 50% of maximum bathing load
• Staff to wear visors
• Umbrellas, sun beds, chairs and other equipments are disinfected after every visitor leaves
• Public toilets and changing rooms to be disinfected every hour and limited to maximum of 4 persons at any one time
• 2m distance in every direction between each 1 umbrella/2sunbed unit in open area around pools. Only 1 person per sunbed
• No water attractions to be operated
• No indoor pools or spas will be allowed to operate

Restaurants general rules

• Guests reminded to disinfect hands with sanitiser at the entrance
• Buffet service banned
• Use of disposable condiments and single use items for oil, vinegar, sauces, salt and pepper, sugar and sweetener, or alternatively use single servings in bowls
• Extended service time to avoid guest crowding
• No self-service dispensers
• All dishes, glassware have to be washed and disinfected in a dishwashing machine and in case of manual washing, adopt a wash, disinfect, rinse process and drying carried out using disposable paper towels.
• Cigarette vending machines allowed as per applicable laws but hand sanitiser has to be placed next to machine

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Indoor dining

• Maximum number of persons will be 1 client per 4sq.m, excluding staff
• Back to back distance of chairs should be 2m apart between tables
• Tables limited to groups of not more than 6 persons, or persons from the same household
• Minimal material on guest tables for effective disinfection
• Tables and chairs disinfected after each use
• Staff to wear masks/visors
• Menus and wine lists replaced with single-use ones
• No smoking allowed at and within 10m of the seating area

Outdoor dining

• Maximum number of people determined by minimum distance of 2m between chairs on different tables
• Tables limited to groups of not more than 6 persons, or persons from the same household