Hotels all around started opening up to guests and Hawaii was not the exeception.
With tourism at a halt at the moment due to Hawaii's 14 day quarantine resorts on the island are relying on the local community to book staycations so they can stay afloat and their employees can earn a living.
It has been a while since we had a staycation and we decided to take advantage of booking rates being lower than normal to spend a couple days at a local Military resort to relax and unwind.
Before booking we did our research on the hotel's covid-19 precautions and sanitizing guidelines. We also learned that like other businesses they were working at 50% capacity therefore not many rooms were being booked and not all of their ammenities open. We were totally fine with that and booked for a week day stay since we figured less people would be there.
STAYCATION TIME!
We arrived before our check in time since we had lunch plans and figured they could hold our bags if our room was not ready but thankfully it was. The reception desk had plexi glass separating the hotel employees from the guests along with social distancing markers on the floor to wait in line to be called to check in. There was no line at the time we went, only one other person checking in. The main lobby and hallways were pretty empty. We kept seeing multiple employees sanitizing hand rails, elevators, furniture, counters... everyone wearing a mask.
There were plenty of hand sanitizer stations and bulletin boards with hotel information on precautions and guidelines. Including the 3 person elevator guideline unless you were all the same family. There were standing markers in the elevators as well to keep distance.
Once we settled in our room we then decided to check out one of the hotel's restaurants for lunch. It was all outdoor seating. There was only about 2 tables with people and everybody was away from each other. All employees wearing masks including our waitress. The restaurant has a scan and go menu which was really great. No need to worry about holding menus.
Around the hotel and including the pool area masks were a must. At the pool deck all pool chairs and loungers were cleaned after every use by the staff. Even at their snack shack a plexi glass screen separated the cashier from guests.
During our stay the one thing we did differently on our own was to skip the housekeeping services. We were only staying there for a couple of nights so we did not care if the pillows were fluffed and bed perfectly made but we did care if someone we did not know touched our things while cleaning and the possibility of germs. We took our trash and left it by the door to be picked up. It was something that gave us extra peace of mind.
We really loved our stay and even though we know judgement will be there we also needed some sort of normalcy to spend time as a family and enjoy what we are able to enjoy as safe as possible.
Everyone was taking the necessary steps to enjoy a healthy stay and it showed.
Wear your mask!
We have done our best to keep to ourselves and our bubble of friends and social distanced as much as we could throughout the past couple of months.
I hope we are able to do this again, maybe next time we won't be wearing a mask.
Maybe next time there will not be a Pandemic to worry about.
And so, if you decide to travel or have a staycation don't put blinders on to what is going on. Enjoy safely, know limits and keep situational awareness.
Xo,
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