Covid-19

We are pleased to resume operations in accordance with Governor Mills Restarting Maine's Economy Plan.  The safety of our staff, guests and community are of the utmost importance to us at The Beachwood, and we have a long history of providing a clean, relaxing and welcoming environment for our guests.  We hadn't planned on many changes to the property this year, but the arrival of Covid-19 necessitated quite a few.  Here's a summary of the changes we've made to help slow the spread of this deadly virus:

•  Remote Check-in: You will receive an email on the morning of your arrival that will allow you to sign for your room and update your payment information from any mobile device.  Call us when you arrive and we’ll walk your key out to you, or come into the office and enjoy a cup of Starbucks coffee.

• Installed plexiglass at the front desk, which will allow us to safely service our guests from a close distance.

• Room Sanitation:  We have the ability to treat any guest room with heat, ozone and atomized spray sanitizer.  Spray sanitizer is new this year, but it's based on the general purpose cleaner/sanitizer that we've used for several years, so we do not anticipate any adverse reactions to the chemical for returning guests.  Each room will be thoroughly deep cleaned and sanitized prior to check-in. We do not have any carpets, curtains or upholstery (by design), so all surfaces will be sanitized at each change of guest. All bedding has been and will continue to be laundered with sanitizer as well.

• Trash only:  We have discontinued our recycling and Beachwood Cares redeemable can programs. It's simply not worth the risk to have our staff handle and sort trash/cans more than is absolutely necessary.

• Your room is your room:  We will limit staff entry into guest rooms after check-in.  Guests will receive fresh towels and amenities delivered to their door upon request.

• The signs:  Social distancing signs and hand sanitization stations have been strategically placed around the property. Proper hand washing and keeping your distance are among the most effective ways to slow the spread of Covid-19.

• Face masks are required when social distancing is difficult, especially in our Lobby.  While facemasks are required, there are exceptions and valid reasons for some not to wear them, so please don’t judge each other.  Staff has been advised not to question, but we may remind you about the rules.

• HVAC:  Our mini-split heat/air conditioning units have been cleaned and sanitized. These units are self-contained within each room with HEPA-filters, so there is no risk of cross room contamination.

•  Staff training:   Staff will be trained on all new protocols and are responsible for self-monitoring for signs and symptoms of disease, including taking their temperature prior to the start of each shift.  Anyone showing symptoms is required to stay at home and not report to work.  We request that our guests follow a similar protocol - if you're sick or have had exposure to someone with Covid-19, we would be happy to reschedule your stay.

• Quality Data: Incidence rates in the Northeast are trending favorably, and in Northern New England they have remained low throughout the first wave of this outbreak. The Beachwood has developed a tracking system to better understand any potential risk to our staff and guests, and played a key role in utilizing data to show the impact of temperature, density and mobility on Covid-19 spread. A summary of Northeast metrics can be found here.

  

• Additionally:  New purchases were made to help reduce the risk of exposure, including an automatic ice dispenser, supplemental trash cans, removal of all paper products from guest rooms and the lobby, and an enclosed cup dispenser for the Starbucks machine.  We also have isolation procedures in place should staff get sick and we're currently planning for how to safely continue providing lemon water, fresh fruit, daily popcorn, and the cookies of course.  We expect that these items will return in some form as the season progresses when we’re comfortable that we can deliver them safely.

We understand that some guests will be reluctant to travel this year and we'll continue to be flexible with rescheduling  or refunding changes necessitated by Covid-19.  The pandemic is affecting us all differently, but together we will get through this difficult time and be stronger for it.  We look forward to welcoming you back to the beach.

Sincerely,

John & Shannon