We are looking forward to welcoming guests back this summer to our Healthy Home. Health and safety is on everyone’s mind as a top priority now. Let us share with you what we have been doing to protect you, our very welcome guests, and ourselves so that everyone feels safe.
Enhanced Cleaning
We have studied what everybody has been recommending for holiday cottages (from Airbnb to Holiday Lettings, insurance companies and PASC – the Professional Association of Self Caterers). We have identified the ‘hot spots’ around the house and in each bedroom and targeted them for extra cleaning and disinfection. Expendable items like decorative throws and cushions in bedrooms have been taken away, as have other materials like hot water bottles and teddy bears. The bedroom pillows have been given two pillow cases each. You are welcome to use your own pillows if you have chosen to. Magazines, leaflets and books have been removed from the bedrooms and around the house, except for the Library and map drawer. We are using a non-toxic disinfectant to wipe down all surfaces. All this takes much longer than normal to get then house ready for you.
In our effort not to bring toxins into the house and to be as ecologically minded as possible, in the kitchen we are using a disinfectant used by Butchers. This is strong enough to clean surfaces where there has been raw meat, and safe enough for raw meat to be introduced to that surface again.
What we are asking you to do
- Self-check-in is available: We really do love to meet guests and show you around the house and point out how everything works but you can now let yourself in with a key code. There is no need for us to meet for departure either.
- Hand-washing: There is a shower room with wash hand basin right next to the front door in the top hall and we would encourage you to wash your hands on arrival and when you return to the house during your stay. We will place hand sanitiser gel here and in the kitchen if you wish to use this.
- HEPA Air Filters: We have two air cleaning systems that you can use in the shared spaces or a bedroom. These have the same level of cleaning as those used in operating theatres, have approval for the British Allergy Foundation and also produced calming ionised air, as well as cleaner air. (These are stored in Bedrooms 1 and 6).
- Games: We have a cupboard full of games which we normally offer you full access to. These are now off limits (just at the moment). You can bring your own. We do however have a party game that does not require touching anything and that is the Treasure Hunt. We will leave instructions for you to play that and have fun.
- DVDs: These are in the Barn Lounge in the low cupboard (under the Buddha) near the window. If you need to watch a DVD please leave it out for us to clean before storing back in the Library.
- Bedroom Departure: We ask you to strip down each bed but this time, instead of leaving the bedding on the floor, now we would like you to put the bedding (sheets, pillow cases, duvet cover but not the mattress protector) in a special laundry bag provided. We will leave one of these in each room and they will be sent direct to the Laundry, unopened, without the need for us to handle.
- Bathrooms: Please place your used towels into the special cotton bag provided and leave in the bathroom.
- Toiletries: We stopped providing small bottles of bathroom amenities a long time ago to cut down on plastic waste. We now provide large bottles of Faith in Nature natural amenities in each bathroom including shampoo, conditioner and shower wash. There is also a hand soap dispenser. These get topped up from bulk supplies. We will continue to leave these in the bathrooms. We will wipe them after each departure. It’s up to you if you want to use them or bring your own.
- Windows: Air flow helps to freshen each room so when you leave, please open the window in each bedroom. Do not do this if it is raining.
- Refuse: Please take your refuse from the kitchen in the white bag provided and deposit it in the Green bin at the end of our track by the top road. This helps reduce points of contact between us.
- Recycling: As with the refuse bag, please take your bags of recycling (containing paper, card, tins, glass, appropriate plastic) up to the Blue Bin by the gate at the top road (We have two). Please do not leave more than one bin full of recycling with us. If you have had a lot of drinks during your stay we always ask that you take some of these home. Most important: Please do not put black refuse or kitchen sacks into the Recycling bin as the Council collectors will not take them away.
- Departure time: 10am is the departure time and we would ask you to be prompt here. Please liaise with the housekeepers by text on the day of departure for up to date instructions and please do remember to budget your time to allow for the additional tasks that need to be done (bedroom & bathroom linen bagged and rubbish/recycling removal to the top road) so we have the maximum time to air the house and start the thorough cleaning regime for the next guests.
- Later Arrival time: Our normal check-in time is 4pm. Whenever we can, we allow guests to arrive a bit earlier if the house is ready, and especially during the dark days of winter. However, with the additional cleaning protocols we are now asking guests to arrive a bit later at 5pm when we have a morning check-out. We thank you for your flexibility.
Stay-in-the-Healthy-Home 