The Breakers Palm Beach reopens today, May 22, and that reopening includes health and safety precautions the resort has developed to ensure guest and employee wellness.
As a condition of making a reservation, guests will be required to attest that they are free of COVID-19 symptoms. Guests will not be required to wear face masks, although it is recommended by the CDC in community settings and encouraged by The Breakers for guests in public areas as appropriate.
Employees at The Breakers have been training on how to respond swiftly to all guest or employee presumed cases of COVID-19. For presumptive cases, where a guest is displaying symptoms, they will be isolated to their guestroom while awaiting departure transportation. Isolated guests will receive food and other supplies they may require in a contact-free manner. They will not receive housekeeping or in-room services, and will be prohibited from leaving their room or using any resort facilities. Medical attention and departure transportation from the resort will be facilitated as needed by the resort security management team.
Glass partitions will be added to service desks throughout the resort, and guests and staff will be reminded to remain a minimum of six feet away from others. Hand sanitizer stations, facial tissues and no-touch waste disposals will be placed in all public spaces and employee entrances, particularly in high-traffic areas and key touch points such as reception desks, elevator landings, pools, spa, fitness centers, retail stores and meeting rooms.
Upon arrival for work, employees will be screened daily for COVID-19 symptoms and temperatures over 100.4 and will not be permitted to enter the property if they show symptoms or high temperature. Employees will be reminded to practice physical distancing wherever possible, and will be trained to recognize and report COVID-19 symptoms and follow medical care and isolation procedures as recommended by the CDC.
Touchless transactions using email, mobile phone and text will be implemented throughout the guest experience. This will include pre-registered check-in, point-of-sale transactions and express check-out. Guests will also be able to text all special requests, such as in-room dining orders, to hotel staff.
Elevators will be limited to one family or party at a time, up to four people, and buttons will be cleaned and disinfected frequently. Overnight hotel guests will receive a complimentary hygiene kit featuring hand sanitizer, facial tissues, disinfecting wipes and spray. House car service will be temporarily suspended, but the resort will continue to provide a complimentary shuttle service to the Ocean Club, Flagler Steakhouse and Echo Restaurant. Shuttle seating will allow for physical distancing, and all vehicles will be cleaned and disinfected frequently.
The frequency of cleaning and disinfecting all public spaces will increase, with an emphasis on high-traffic areas and key touch points. Pool seating will be configured to a minimum of 6 feet apart, unless guests are family members, and chaise lounge chairs will be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Beach and pool employees will maintain physical distancing and wear cloth face coverings and gloves as appropriate.
All buffet and self-serve food options will be suspended, in-room dining will be provided with contactless delivery, and restaurants and bars will reduce seating capacities in compliance with government mandates.
For a full overview of the new health and safety precautions click here.
