Staying safe at Lavender Hill

We would like to update you all with the new measures, procedure and protocols  that we have put in place for as soon as we reopen  and onwards from then. We are delighted to be opening and welcoming guests back to enjoy West Somerset and our properties. We  have always  the highest of standards here at Lavender Hill – our housekeeper Sam and her amazing team preperare all the cottages to the highest of standards and we are reassured wit the new body and Government guidelines that we have been doing most of the recommended ‘new normal’ for at least fifteen years!

We are really looking forward to opening and have been busy  maintaining the cottages and gardens , painting and decorating and doing lots of jobs!

 We hope you will see that we have gone above and beyond in making sure that Lavender Hill Holidays is not only safe and legal, but also still a great place to visit for a family holiday with plenty still to do on and off site, for all ages.

We have been working with The AA to achieve their accreditation for Covid Safe and Ready to Open status, our trade body, PASC ( Professional Association of Self Caterers)   has been advising us all the way though the pandemic of new guidelines and procedures.

Please do see terms and conditions for Covid details and also watch this space for the links to Booking Protect insurance policy coming soon as an extra when booking your stays

Cleaning

Cleaning will take extra time. Our cleaning regime is now extended to include double cleaning . This means we clean everything to our usual extremely high standards and then we go over everthing again with th virucidal sanitizer.. Everything from light switches to remote controls will be sanitized.  Here at Lavender Hill we have gone the extra step to protect you which is using a fogging machine , operated by our maintenance team . This blows fine molecules of  WHO recommended hospital grade disinfectant ( kill Log 7 that breaks down to water, oxygen and carbon) this ensures that  EVERYTHING even soft furnishings and walls are disinfected.   This means there will be triple cleaning! There is also hand sanitizer by the door to your property , by the site bins and recycling and the swimming pools . We are leaving anti viral wipes for you during your stay  as well as bleach spray . EVERYTHING  in the kitchen has to go through a high temperature dish washer cycle or to be washed up in hot water.

Check in/out

Due to the extra cleaning and sanitizing procedures we are doing at Lavender Hill to keep you all extra safe we do need extra ‘changeover’ time. We have have to create an extra two hours, we have also had to employ 5 more staff.  Check in is still 4pm  but  check out  has now got to be  9am. We really understand this might be  inconvienient but it is REALLY important that you allow us to have this extra hour ensure the safely of your group for your holiday.

House keeping staff and maintenance staff

When our staff arrive in the morning we will be taking and recording temperatures. We  provide our cleaners with new Lavender Hill Holidays polo shirts. We will also provide our cleaners with PPE to include gloves and plastic aprons for each new cottage they clean.  Face masks are available . The maintenance team if they check hot tubs and swimming pool chemical levels during your stay will wear gloves and maintain social distancing at all times. All staff have taken Covid cleaning coaching with myself and via a professional online course.

Linen

Here at Lavender Hill Holidays we have always used a commercial laundry company to clean and dry out linen, towels, bathrobes , tea towels, oven gloves and bathmats. They use commercial washing machines, dryers and presses at the highest temperatures and all washing comes back wrapped in plastic. On every changeover we are sending all mattress and pillow protectors to the commercial laundry as well. Our housekeeping staff will be wearing gloves as well when they make beds up.

Our digital guidebooks

To comply with our risk assemsnet we are unable to leave our ‘famous’ welcome/information file. We are thrilled to be able to offer you our new Lavender Hill App! Created with Touch Stay we will email a link to this virtual welcome/information file and you will able to download itonto your phone/tablet or laptop before you arrive. There is lots of really, really useful inforation here including check /out , what to bring/ what we leave, things to do ( and a whats open now section in light of Covid) as well as a virtual manuel of your holiday  accommodation- these are proving really popular and a welcome upgrade from our infor files!

Facilities

All accomodation has a private hot tub- this is sanitized with bromine. All guidelines are that  Corona virus does not travel through water and especially sanitized water. Our maintenance team disinfect the cover and controls as well as the steps into the hot tub wearing gloves at all times. During your  stay when the chemical leves are regualrly checked our manintenace team will wear gloves and maintain social disntacing. 

Lavender Barn, Cherry Tree Farmhouse, The Treehouse, The Apple Treehouse and Cornflower Cottage all have private children’s play areas- these are disinfected on each changeover.

Lavender Barn has a private indoor swimming pool – there is hand sanitizer by the door. We have shut the changing room in accordance with guidelines- please shower and arrive at the pool in swimming costumes , we provide bathrobes. The centre for disease control states that there is no additional risk of contracting COVID-19 by using clean and disinfected swimming pools.

Cherry Tree Farmhouse, Cornflower Cottage, The Treehouse and The Apple Treehouse each have two private sessions a day in the second indoor swimmign pool with adequte grace period between swimmers. The changing room is open but with no benches or seating and adequate hand sanitizer, we provide bathrobes and leave shoes at the door or wear the provided plastic over shoes, if you can walk down ‘poop ready’ that is great but we understand in the chilly months .  The cover has been removed. There is sanitizer outside and inside. Please sanitize hands before using the key code entry pad.The centre for disease control states that there is no additional risk of contracting COVID-19 by using clean and disinfected swimming pools.

BBQ’s- all accomodation has a private BBq which will be  cleaned prior to arrival

Some things might be missing

We have been advised to remove as many ‘extra- non essential’ items from the properties. This means sadly we have had to remove, cushions, throws, rugs, books, toys, dvd’s and other such items. We are only able to leave plastic high chairs and booster seats to our youngest visitirs and have had to take travel cots and toddler beds off the list!  As we have to wash EVERYTHING  in the kitchen we have removed some less essential items but don’t worry there is still a very well equipped kitchen!!

If you develop symptoms

We really hope you will have a restful, happy and peaceful holiday – in the unlikely circumstances that a member of your  party develops Covid symptoms whilst on holiday the Government advice is that you are tested straight away  and show us the results. Then you need to  return to your home and self isolate for 7 days ( 14 days for group members). Please do let us know in the unlikely event of this happening. Please follow guidelines in the cottage.

Cancellations

Most UK travel insurance, including Booking Protect, which you can taken cover though when booking with us offer cancellation cover due to illness from Covid and official self isolation.