COVID Update and Policy
We are all currently navigating the unpredictable and ever-changing seascape relating to COVID-19. We will continue to ride the waves of this situation together with our abode owners and holiday guests.
We strongly believe in treating our holiday guests fairly in these unprecedented times and have our COVID booking guarantee in place.
The health and wellbeing of our holiday guests, abode owners, housekeeping and maintenance teams and the wonderful local community are the priorities in our response to this situation.
Latest Position – Abode Openings
As you will be aware, the Government issued their route map and anticipated timeframes for the lifting of the current UK COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on 22 February 2021. We have interpreted this for Salcombe Abode as follows:
- From no earlier than 12th April 2021, self-catering holiday accommodation will be able to reopen for single households.
- From no earlier than 17th May, self-catering accommodation will be able to welcome 2 households or the rule of 6.
- From no earlier than 21st June, self-catering accommodation will be able to welcome larger groups and all legal limits on social contact will be removed.
For further details, please consult the government website as follows: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Impact on Salcombe Abode holiday bookings
All our abodes unfortunately remain closed to holiday guests until at least the 12 April 2021 in line with government requirements.
Existing Bookings
We are pleased to say that all bookings for abodes prior to 12 April 2021 have been successfully dealt with in conjunction with our holiday guests.
For those with bookings after 12th April 2021 and before 17th May 2021 where you can no longer attend as planned due to being more than one household or all the planned facilities will not be available to you. We are in the process of contacting all holiday guests impacted to discuss the options available to you.
New bookings
We will continue to take new bookings for arrivals from 12th April 2021 until we are made aware of any extension to the restrictions through government announcements.
COVID Booking Guarantee
We are committed to treating our holiday guests fairly in these current rough waves of COVID.
We will work with our holiday guests to ensure the best outcome for them, based on their individual circumstances.
Our COVID cancellation policy offers a full cash refund of monies paid to date, if that’s what you would prefer to do. It’s your choice and you will not get any quibbles from us.
Alternatively, our COVID cancellation policy offers you the opportunity to move your booking to another date in the future (with the balancing payment due if it’s a higher cost or a refund due to you if it’s a lower cost). If you select this option, then you will receive a little thank you from Salcombe Abode to enjoy in Salcombe during your new booking.
So if you need to use it, the above policy covers the following scenarios:
- If you or your holiday party cannot travel outside of your primary residence area due to Government restrictions relating to COVID.
- The area in which the holiday abode is located in becomes a restricted area, or in a Tier that can no longer offer holiday accommodation relating to COVID.
- Government guidelines restrict the number of people permitted to stay in a holiday abode which differs from your booking. For example, an abode that accommodates 12 people can now only permit six to stay, under the 'Rule of 6’.
Additional steps being taken to keep you safe
Salcombe Abode keep a close eye on the government guidelines and updates and we seek input from a variety of sources, including but not exhaustive - Central Government guidance, Local Government guidance and the Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK ("PASC").This process is an ongoing process as guidance continues to evolve and change over time.
We are working closing with our wonderful housekeeping teams and our abobe owners to ensure that the appropriate steps are being taken in our abodes, especially in respect of rigorous cleaning and hygiene measures.
We are determined that most new procedures and protocols will go on in the background without our holiday guests having to be concerned about them in detail, so you can enjoy your much longed for holiday and time in Devon. We do not propose to bombard you with information, such as what disinfectants are being used etc - although please do feel free to ask any such questions. We see our main role here as the provision of holiday accommodation in as safe an environment as possible and our holiday guests role being of coming to Salcombe & the South Hams to enjoy their holiday whilst respecting and following the required government guidance in respect of COVID-19.
To provide some peace of mind, the below is a high level summary of the measures being taken to manage the challenges of COVID-19. If you would like to know more details or have specific questions, then please get in touch as we would be more than happy to share with you.
1. Following the latest guidance relating to COVID-19
We are in regular communication with our abode owners and housekeeping teams to ensure that their policies and procedures relating to Covid-19 meet the standards required.
If you or any of your holiday group experience symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with anyone who’s showing symptoms, please follow government guidelines and isolate at home. You should not travel on holiday under these circumstances. Should you or any of your holiday group develop symptoms of COVID-19 whilst on holiday, you and your whole holiday group are required to leave your abode immediately and travel back home via car to isolate at home. You should notify us immediately of the situation, so we can take the appropriate steps and safeguards in conjunction with our abode owner and our housekeeping teams.
During your stay, please adhere to the latest government guidelines to wash hands, cover your face in enclosed spaces and maintain social distancing when out and about in the local area. Please respect the local community that you are staying in.
2. Open and honest communication at all times
All our pre-arrival email communications to holiday guests have all been updated to reflect our latest requirements under COVID-19, so you’ll be provided with detailed information ahead of your stay.
We are taking all the appropriate steps to ensure the wellbeing and health of our holiday guests, abode owners, housekeeping and maintenance teams and local community. In return, we ask that you follow the requirements shared with you in respect of COVID-19 un your pre-arrival information.
Most importantly, you and your holiday group must not travel to your holiday abode if any of you experience symptoms of COVID-19 in advance of your holiday. If any COVID-19 symptoms develop in your holiday group during your stay, your whole holiday group must leave via car to isolate at your own homes and you must notify us immediately. This is extremely important for the wellbeing and safety of housekeeping and maintenance teams, as well as the next guests due to arrive.
3. Adhering to COVID-19 protocol
Our housekeeping and maintenance teams are committed to following COVID-19 protocol when carrying out any services at our abodes either during changeovers or if a visit during your stay is required.
We have adjusted arrival and departure times of our holiday guests to slightly later and earlier respectively to permit a thorough deep clean of our abodes. Our abodes may be fogged using a ULV (ultra-low volume) fogging machine prior to guests arrival to minimise the risk of COVID-19 further.
Particular attention will be paid to hard surfaces and high touch points such as keys, light switches, bannister rails, remote controls, kitchen appliances and door handles.
To help maintain good hygiene standards, anti-bacterial cleaning products and hand soap will be provided for holiday guests’ use while staying at each abode.
We request that our holiday guests adhere to government guidance when staying at our abodes and when out and about enjoying your holiday. We are asking holiday guests to undertake some additional steps in respect of their departure from our abodes which are set out in our pre-departure emails sent to our holiday guests.