Inside story as Trump is back
Turnberry’s incredible 92 point opening plan
Hotels are eagerly awaiting their reopening next week after the pandemic forced them to close for a near three month period.
But a stay will look different for new and returning guests.
Trump Turnberry Resort has implemented 92 risk assessments across the 827 acre property to ensure the health and safety of both staff and guests- starting with temperature checks for every staff member, contractor and supplier before entering.
The luxury resort will be maintaining a two metre distance rule for the rest of the yearregardless if the government reduce down to one metre- as the sheer size of the resort will still allow for forty to fifty percent occupancy while safely maintaining distance.
Other changes include two metre markers in place incorporating Turnberry’s lighthouse logo instructing guests to ‘follow the lighthouse’, Perspex screens have been installed at reception, and chefs, doormen and porters will wear gloves and masks while waiters will wear plastic hygiene gloves under their white service gloves.
Ralph Porciani, General Manager at Trump Turnberry, said: “We’ve written 92 new risk assessments that will really make sure all our staff are really safe when they come back on to the property.
“If we can create an environment that keeps the staff safe and well then that’s definitely going to extend into what we do with the customers.
Cleaning regimes are of course a major priority with doors clearly marked following being sanitised and no-one allowed to enter that room again until the guest checks in.
Sunday brunch will still be served but may look different due to a ban on buffet food, with pre-ordering encouraged.
And how afternoon tea will be offered is still under discussion.
The Spa will not be open initially but the Turnberry team will keep a close eye on government announcement to ensure spa facilities are open to guests when it is safe to do so.
New packages include a nocontact stay where guests can isolate in their room and no-one will get through Turnberry’s gates without a booking- at least for the first month.
Every staff member, contractor and supplier will receive a temperature check before entering the property.
Ralph said: “If somebody passes they’ll get in, if they don’t they’ll be asked to sit in a holding area for 15 minutes because they just might be a bit hot, flustered or whatever.
“No staff, contractor or supplier will get on the property without a temperature check screening.
“Things that we’re stopping is room service delivery down to the villas and cottages.
“There could be eight different people staying in a villa and for us to start taking in-room dining down was creating too much going on.
But guests will still have hungry bellies fed as the team have developed a takeaway menu available for both villa complex guests and main hotel guests.
And self catering guests can also order home cooked dishes to be reheated in guests’ own time.
Ralph, who has been GM at Trump Turnberry for the last six years, said: “We know there will be people staying who don’t want indining room waiters to go into their rooms with trolleys and trays.
“There will be people that are happy to come and go in the
restaurant and bar but we totally get it that there will be people that come out and are, quite rightly so, nervous of it.
“But we want them to come and enjoy the Ayrshire coast and enjoy what the resort has. “
Despite losing a huge chunk of their oversees visitors, the staycation market is definitely on the up for the Turnberry.
Ralph said: “I think what this year is really about is focus on the UK staycation market.
“We’ve seen more self catering room night bookings coming in.”
Just last Wednesday the hotel secured 159 room night bookings, 62 of which were self catering,
“A year ago, that would’ve been four room nights in self catering,” said Ralph.
“So that’s the definitely on the up for us which is music to our ears because that’s a part of the business we wanted to get right.
“With the North American market a lot of it that cancelled this year but did move to next year and has rebooked, so next year is looking really, really good.
“I’m hoping there is a vaccine found and by the time we get halfway through next year we’re in a completely different place.”