Program “Be Healthy & Stay Active with Bt Hotels Collection!”

The safety and COVID - 19 prevention rules and procedures are in partnership with Tokuda Hospital Acibadem City Clinic, Sofia and EcoLab.

Dear guests, our team is ready and delighted to welcome you to a safe and clean hotel environment, operating with the highest standards in sanitation and hygiene. In addition, we are also observing social and physical distancing practices and adhering to the “new normal” during the Covid–19 and post- Covid–19 era. We have created an Action Plan which we update and coordinate constantly with the leading epidemiologist of our partnet and consultant Acibadem City Clinic Tokuda Hospital.

We apologize in advance if the requirements of our new “Be Healthy & Stay Active with Bt Hotels Collection!” program, causes delays and/or changes in our regular hotel services.

Please bear in mind that protecting the health of each and every one of us is a shared responsibility. For this reason, we would like to stress the importance of adhering to the safety recommendations below, during your stay with us:

• Please maintain a high standard of personal hygiene, washing hands regularly and making use of provided hand sanitizer, throughout the hotel premises!
• Please maintain a reasonable distance from other guests!
• Please read the Covid–19 Safety Rules and Procedures on our website and follow the signage posted throughout the hotel!
• After using single use/disposable packages/consumables, please discard them right away, in the nearest bin!
• Should you feel a headache, dry cough, weakness or temperature over 37.5С, please contact the Reception desk by calling them on the phone and do not leave your room until you receive further instructions!

Dear guests, we kindly ask you to read the safety measures in place, before your arrival to the hotel and we thank you in advance for your understanding and strict adherence to these guidelines.

Our Employees

All of our employees undergo special training and weekly instructions by our special Covid–19 Response Task Force, on the following topics:

• virus infection caused by Covid–19 and Mandatory Protection Measures
• personal safety and guests’ safety;
• operating procedures – new and amended;
• sanitizing rules;
• communication standards– in normal work process, in Covid–19 confirmed cases and in infection presumptive cases; 
• response and communication rules and procedures if Covid–19 case/s has been detected in the resort.

We keep all our employees updated on the latest changes and additions to the Safety Rules and Procedures based on the anti-epidemic measures undertaken in the country and the other members of the EU.

All employees:

• undergo health checks at the entrance when arriving to work. Employees displaying temperature over 37.5º С are not allowed in the hotel. If an employee is confirmed to have contracted Covid–19, measures are taken to trace the contacts, isolate and test other employees who are under contamination risk;
• work with the obligatory protective equipment – face mask or face shield and gloves, where applicable.

For you

A full-time Guest Relations manager is available at the hotel, who is also a member of the Covid – 19 Response Task Force and has full knowledge of the sanitation procedures adopted for your safety and protection.

The Hotel

Throughout the hotel premises you will find:

• appropriate signage reminding guests and staff of the prevention and protection rules and use of protective equipment. Detailed safety and sanitation instructions are also available on the hotel website and the information TV channel in your room;
• sanitation dispensers are available throughout all common and public spaces for guest use.

Sanitation in guest rooms, public areas, dining premises, conference rooms/halls and SPA center, is done using medically approved products for pathogen protection.

Following the recommendation of the health authorities and our medical consultant we have switched off the HVAC system in the guest rooms. Please air your room regularly by keeping the balcony door(s) open. We advise also to keep the bathroom door open at all times.

In the common areas we are also relying on natural airing and ventilation with some exceptions following the guidelines of the health authorities. All ventilation and A/C filters are disinfected regularly with approved products for pathogen protection.

Reception

• Check-in & check-out will be conducted via online channels. A few hours prior to your arrival, you will receive an email with additional instructions and your room number. (coming soon...)
• Signage is posted on the floors in front of the Reception desk, to mark waiting areas and to ensure appropriate distancing is maintained at all times.
• If you opt for in-person check-in at arrival, please keep in mind that a plastic protective shield is installed to maintain adequate separation between guests and staff, at the Reception desk. We have procedures in place ensuring minimum contact with guests, room card-key, personal ID card and the POS terminal. Any items that you receive from our staff will have been thoroughly sanitized beforehand. Invoices and receipts can only be e-mailed and shall not be issued on paper.
• No more than 2 guests at the same time are permitted at the Reception desk, unless they are members of the same family.
• At departure from the hotel please drop off your key card in the designated box at the Reception desk.
• For additional consumption in the hotel facilities, please charge the payment to your room number. Room charge is considered the safest form of payment acceptance.

Accommodation

• The use of disinfectant solution is mandatory for the room cleaning and sanitation process, at which time the room windows and doors will be kept open, throughout the entire time. Special attention is given to the sanitation of high frequency touch points in the room, the hallway and the bathroom.
• Once you have checked-in, the room shall not be cleaned on a daily basis and will only be cleaned after your departure. Additional room cleaning can be arranged by special request during your stay and it will be done only when you are not in the room. Should you require new towels during your stay, please seal the used towels in the plastic bag provided in your room and put it just outside the door. Fresh towels will be replaced by the room attendant in a sealed plastic bag.
• Room attendants track the sanitation process with a detailed check list and a cleaning schedule, assigned to every room. A log is kept of each cleaning’s time and place, with sign off by the staff person responsible for the task.
• For hygiene purposes, all small multiple-use items have been removed from the rooms; spare blankets and pillows, decorative accessories, electric machines, tea/coffee jars, water glasses, napkins, paper tissue etc.
• You can find all information pertaining to our “Be Healthy & Stay Active with Bt Hotels Collection!” program on the hotel website and in-room TV info channel (by scanning the QR code on the laminated panel), as well as all the hotel’s Food & Beverage menus, including room service, restaurants and bars.

Common and public spaces

• Floor path -Please follow the arrows on the floor, guiding the pathway through the corridors to the lobby, meeting rooms, and other areas of interest, as they manage the entire guest flow of the hotel.
• Elevators – Please consult the signage indicating the maximum number of guests allowed into the elevator at any given time. The elevator buttons and panels are sanitized every hour, for your safety. By the elevators/lifts on the ground floor you will find sanitation dispensers for guest use.
• Sanitation schedule - The frequency of cleaning and sanitizing has been increased in all public spaces in accordance with the respective hotel occupancy. Frequent touch points and surfaces such as handrails, desktops and other areas / items are sanitized every hour.
• Restrooms - The public restrooms are sanitized at least once every hour. The frequent touch points (door handles, hangers, toilet seats, handles, water faucets) are sanitized more often, this is noted and signed, with date and time by the on-duty attendant.  
• Lobby and all common areas are aired regularly by leaving the doors and windows open during the day as long as possible.

Dining - restaurants

• Separate entry and exit points for guest flows, have been organized in the restaurants.
• New layouts have been made by rearranging the tables at a min. distance of 1.5m and no more than 4 people at one table unless they are members of the same family in order to reduce the capacity so as to apply the physical distancing requirements.
• If needed, a dining timetable will be introduced to ensure adequate distancing measures. Guests will be notified about their dining hours.
• Please note that if you have missed your dining time, you can use the hotel in-room dining service (packed food based on the room service menu).
• Dining is based on a set menu style and is served by the attendants, in compliance with the proper physical distancing rules.

In the event of higher occupancy, buffet style dining may be organized which will comprise of:

• plastic shields separating the buffet counters;
• stickers on the floor indicating the direction of guest flow, entry and exit;
• upon entering the restaurant, guests will be seated directly at their table and asked to wait their turn to approach the buffet counters. The restaurant attendants will guide guests in this process. This allows the attendants to maintain proper distancing between guests and prevent cluster gatherings around the counters;
• the food will be served by a cook to prevent direct guest contact with the food;
• the temperature rate of hot cooked food is increased;
• drinks are served on trolleys by attendants only;
• orders for additional consumption such as drinks, will be charged to your room by the attendant;
• for additional consumption in the hotel facilities, please charge the bill to your hotel room. Room charge is considered the safest form of payment acceptance.

Dining – lobby bar

• We have rearranged all the layouts in order to ensure the proper distancing requirements are maintained and to ease the movement of the attending staff.
• Please do not stop to order at the bar or the sweets corner. Orders are taken by the bar attendants only when the guests are seated at their designated table, in accordance with the appropriate distancing measures.
• Table menus will not be provided. Laminated (sanitized after each use) or single use menus will be provided to the guests. You can also scroll through the menu on your smartphone by scanning the QR code, which will be made available throughout the restaurants.
• Sugar, salt and other condiments will not be freely available on the tables but will be served to you in individual packages, according to the order.
• Tables and seats will be thoroughly sanitized between guests.

Conference block /after opening/

• The layout of the rooms will be made in accordance with the 1.5m distancing requirements between participants.
• Separate entry and exit points for guest flows have been organized.
• The participants will be registered online beforehand, by the organizer of the event.
• The conference badges will be arranged on a table outside of the room in alphabetic order, for pick-up by the participants (or as otherwise agreed with the client).
• Hotel ushers at the room entry/exit points control and assist the guest movement and flow, so as to ensure proper distancing is maintained.
• Conference stationary and other materials shall not be provided by the hotel. The organizer shall make the respective arrangements upon the client’s request.

Coffee breaks

• Will be served individually and remotely to a maximum number of locations, so as to ensure proper distancing between the participants or outdoors, weather permitting.
• Tea/coffee and other drinks will be served by Food & Beverage attendants in single use cups, wearing the respective protective equipment at all times. Guests shall have no access to tea/coffee/juice dispensers/machines.
• Water shall be served in single-use bottles only – both inside and outside the meeting rooms.

Technical equipment

• Equipment in use during events, shall be sanitized during the breaks.
• Any shared equipment such as microphones etc., shall be made available in larger numbers and shall be sanitized throughout the course of the event.
• At the end of the event, all surface tops, including movable counters, side tables, dustbins etc., shall be sanitized.
• The premises shall be aired during and after the sanitation, for prolonged periods of time, before the next group of guests is allowed in.
• A sanitation checklist shall be used by the conference room attendants, signed with name, date and time.

SPA Center /after opening/

• Please note that SPA staff are responsible for preventing congregation of guest groups, in any areas throughout the SPA center.
• SPA therapy services are available upon preliminary booking only. The hours are staggered to provide staff sufficient time to sanitize all areas of the treatment rooms between customers and to avoid guest congregation. Guests will be accompanied by a therapist throughout the common areas of the SPA.
• The SPA manager has the authority to determine at their discretion, which treatments are available to customers, such as the Swedish (dry) sauna areas, which are deemed safe for individual/family use, at high temperatures.
• In the lounge area, distance is adequately maintained between the chaise lounge chairs. Chairs are sanitized after each use.
• Every other locker in the changing rooms shall be blocked off, as to ensure proper distancing between guests.
• The fitness center shall allow one person or a family/group at any given time, for a period of 30-45 min. The equipment in the fitness center is sanitized between guests/groups. The next guest/group can be admitted no earlier than 15 min. after the sanitation process has been completed.

Kids‘ areas and Activities

• The kids’ areas are re-arranged in a new way to guarantee easier deep cleaning and sanitation.
• Children will be admitted for a maximum of 2-hours at a time, to allow for the sanitation of all surface areas.
• The parents/custodians are kindly requested to fill in the statement forms, which will be given to them prior to using the service.

Beach and pool

• The water in the swimming pools (including thermal water) is treated following the instructions of the Bulgarian Health Ministry. The water circulation has been increased.
• Sun-shades and umbrellas in the open or around the pool, shall be spaced at a 5m distance from each other.
• The chaise lounges are grouped by two (max.) with distance between the couples of min. 1.5m.
• Crowding in the pool is not allowed. Please keep a distance of min. 1.5m.
• Please put the used towels in the bags provided so a member of our housekeeping staff can collect them safely.
• Chaise lounges and sun-shades will be sanitized between guests/groups.

Security

Our security staff will be wearing proper protective equipment (face mask/shield and gloves) and will enforce the obligatory distancing measures, at all times.

They have been trained to respond and enforce measures for social distancing. PLEASE FOLLOW AND ABIDE BY THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. Please remember that protecting the health of each and every  one one of us, is a shared responsibility.

Transfers

Our transfer company is abiding to the COVID-19 prevention standards which are part of our “Be Healthy & Stay Active with Bt Hotels Collection!” program, including the following rules:

• Personal protective equipment use (face mask and gloves) is mandatory
• Please keep your masks on during the whole trip!
•  Please maintain a high standard of personal hygiene making use of the hand sanitizer provided in the bus/car!

Updating our Covid–19 Safety Rules and Procedures

We follow regularly the constantly changing epidemic situation in our country and in the world, as well as the information coming from the WHO and the EU institutions. We are adapting and updating our Covid–19 Safety Rules and Procedures based on the guidelines from the Bulgarian health authorities, the Bulgarian government and the standards and practices of the other EU member countries. Each and every one of the rules and procedures on our Program “Be Healthy & Stay Active with Bt Hotels Collection!” will be updated regularly and we will keep you notified of every change.

Dear guests, we don’t know when this pandemic will be over or when our lives will go back to normal. Meanwhile we will be adhering to the standards of the “new normal”. But we would like you to know that when you decide to travel once again, we will be ready to welcome you back to a safe and clean hotel environment.

Thank you for your loyal support. Please be healthy and stay active.