We want Tallavey to be a haven for our guests and for us as well. We have used the resources made available by the Scottish Government, achieved the Good to Go Industry Standard certification and the AA covid-confident accreditation, and have completed covid-19 training. All of this has enabled us to produce our own risk assessment and cleaning protocols that are specific to Tallavey.
We remain fully committed to reducing our environmental impact and ensuring that our approach is sustainable. We are following all guidance issued by Green Tourism and are using cleaning methods and products that are environmentally friendly yet effective in eliminating covid-19, for example we use steam cleaning rather than bleach.
We don’t outsource our cleaning or our laundry provision, cutting down on the number of people on site and ensuring we are always 100% sure that our standards and protocols have been adhered to. We are on site if you need us, but we are far enough away that you don’t need to worry about social distancing.
There are no shared spaces at Tallavey. Each cottage has its own separate garden, parking space, entrances, hot tub and sauna and the physical layout of the property means that there is no physical interaction between guests or with us. To quote one of our previous guest reviews: “No.1 Tallavey is a single storey cottage, and although it is attached at one end to two-floor No.2, there is no shared outdoor space and no experience of being a next-door neighbour.”
The British and Irish Spa and Hot Tub Association (BISHTA) and the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) advise that covid-19 would be deactivated in hot tubs containing properly sanitised water at the correct pH value according to internationally recognised standards. IHRSA advice also indicates that as saunas operate at high temperatures and have porous wood furniture, no virus is likely to survive for long. The hot tubs at Tallavey are tested regularly and water and filters are regularly changed. Hot tub surrounds and saunas are cleaned to the same standard as the other bathroom areas within the property.
Our guests are requested to:
- refrain from using the hot tub or sauna if they feel unwell;
- shower thoroughly before using the hot tub or sauna. Personal care products like perfumes, hair sprays, creams, etc. can introduce “bad” chemicals into hot tubs, which can cause adverse effects on treatment chemicals and systems and reduce their effectiveness.
In addition to applying the cleaning protocols and risk assessment referred to above, we will:
- ensure gaps of a minimum of 72 hours between bookings, at least for the first 8 weeks after reopening;
- only let one cottage at any time for the first 4 weeks after reopening;
- contact guests before and after stays to check whether guests are self-isolating following an actual or suspected covid-19 diagnosis;
- apply our cancellation policy flexibly where a covid-19 diagnosis means you aren’t able to make your booked dates.
Resources:
Tallavey Cottages covid-19 guest survey
Covid-19 Holiday Let Training Certificate
Good to Go Industry Standard Certification
AA Covid Confident Certification
Tallavey Cottage 1 cleaning checklist
Tallavey Cottage 2 cleaning checklist
Tallavey Cottages covid-19 risk assessment (second review: 19 August. Next review 11 November 2020)
Scottish Government guidance for retail, tourism and hospitality customers
We will update this page as new resources become available from the Scottish Government and new scientific information comes to light.
Tallavey Cottages, 22 June 2020, rev 19 August.
