Dear Guests,
The Publick House is committed to doing our very best to service our guests and to ensure the health and wellness of guests and employees as we monitor how the coronavirus (COVID-19) affects us all.
As we look forward to inviting you back to the Publick House Historic Inn and Country Lodge we want to share with you our protocols that are intended to support a cleaner and healthier environment for our guests, employees, and community. It is our priority to make sure your well-being is safeguarded.
We want to reassure you the safety of our guests and employees is always important to us. Please review the wellness measures which are in place for your visit.
Our employees have been trained on the guidelines provided by the local health authorities as well as we have adapted the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) protocol.
Employees & Guest Health Concerns
Employees are instructed to stay home if they do not feel well. Employees are instructed to contact a manager if they notice a coworker or guest with a cough, shortness of breath, or other known symptoms of COVID-19. Employees who are exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19 are instructed to immediately notify their manager. If guests are exhibiting any symptoms, we ask that they remain in their room and contact the Front Desk at ext. 300. All employees are required to have their temperature checked prior to their shift daily. Any employees who expose themselves to travelling will undergo a 2-week self-quarantine before being allowed to returning to work.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Appropriate PPE will be worn by all employees based on their role and responsibilities and in adherence to state or local regulations and guidance. All staff has been trained on how to properly use and dispose of all PPE. Every employee entering the hotel will be provided a mask and required to wear that mask while on property. Gloves will be provided to employees whose responsibilities require them as determined by medical experts including housekeeping, guest services, dining room and any in direct contact with guests.
Physical & Social Distancing
Guests will be advised to practice physical distancing by standing at least six feet away from other groups of people not traveling with them while standing in lines, using elevators or moving around the property. Restaurant tables, and other physical layouts have been arranged to ensure appropriate distancing. Each guest will be met with a courteous smile, friendly wave, and then a good morning, good afternoon, etc. from 6-8 feet away at all times
Hygiene Protocol
Employees will be reminded not to touch their faces. We have ensured access to handwashing facilities on site, including soap and running water, and allow sufficient break time for workers to wash hands frequently. We have also provided hand sanitizer in public and back of the house areas throughout the property for guest and worker use. We have limited sharing of handheld equipment, phones, desks, workstations, and other tools and equipment between workers to the extent possible. Any shared equipment will be sanitized before, during and after each shift or anytime the equipment is transferred to a worker. Signage is posted throughout the property (front and back of the house) to remind workers and guests of the hygiene and safety protocols.
Guest Registration / Guest Rooms
Prior to guest arrival (48 hours) a letter will be emailed to guests who provided an email when making their reservation. This letter is offering them to pre-register by replying to the email that they will be arriving and that we may charge the card provided on the reservation for their stay the morning of their arrival. Guests will enter the Publick House Historic Inn through our breezeway door (handicap accessible) which is located to the left of the white canopy tent on the front patio. When a guest arrives that has replied yes agreeing to the preregistration all they will be asked to do is show valid identification and sign their registration card. If a guest has not pre-registered, they will need to show valid identification, sign registration card, and provide a credit card.
All of our rooms use plastic key cards which are sanitized every night after each use.
In order to better social distance in elevators guests are asked to use stairs when physically possible. If elevator use is required please use proper social distancing protocol. Employees will not be sharing the elevator with guests.
We have limited our in-room amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, and soap. If you should need additional items please contact the front desk. All unopened/unused amenities are removed from each guest room at check out and will be stored for a minimum of 7 days before next use.
Guest directories, hair dryers, ice buckets, irons and ironing boards and hotel stationary with pen have been removed from our rooms. Should you need any of these items please call the front desk at extension 300.
Some rooms with 2 beds will have 1 bed fully made up for use and the other will be disinfected and have a clean top sheet and no pillows. This is an effort to reduce unnecessary sanitizing of linens on beds which are not used. After a guest checks out, all linens dirty or clean will be removed from the room in a sealed bag to eliminate contact while being transported to the laundry.
Hotel Services
Restaurants
We are following all guidelines of the State of Massachusetts in our dining area. To do this we are currently using Paige Hall and The Barn, our large event area so that tables, guests and servers will always be socially distanced. All seats are a minimum of 7 feet from other chairs. Full liquor is available as table service only as per state guidelines and food must also be ordered.
Breakfast pastry items are available in our bake shoppe beginning at 8:00 am daily. Full breakfast will not be offered at this time.
Recreation
The Fitness Room and pool will be closed until further notice.
Housekeeping
Our hotel uses cleaning products and protocols which meet EPA guidelines and are approved for use and effective against viruses, bacteria and other airborne and blood borne pathogens.
During a multi night stay your room will not be cleaned unless requested. Your Room is Your Room. No hotel personnel will enter your room during your stay without your permission.
A box of tissue will not be placed in the room and one new roll of toilet paper will be placed in the room to insure any unnecessary touching of spare rolls. If you need tissues or additional of anything please call the Front Desk at ext. 300.
After each guest room is checked out windows and doors will be left open a minimum of 2 hours to ensure increased air flow. Prior to arrival complete cleaning and disinfecting will take place in each guest room including desks, counter tops, tables and chairs, phones, TV remotes, thermostats, cabinetry, pulls and hardware, doors and doorknobs, bathroom vanities and accessories, bathroom fixtures and hardware, windows, mirrors and frames, lights and lighting controls, closets, hangers and other amenities.
Housekeeping will sanitize the following areas at least once per hour: elevators, entry doors, stair handrails and hallways, high touch points in the Lobbies/sitting areas, front desk check-in counters, public bathrooms, ATM machine, house phones and public phones.
For the laundry and cleaning of bed linens and towels, sealed laundry bags will be utilized during transportation to and from the laundry.
All bed linen and laundry will continue to be washed at a high temperature and in accordance with CDC guidelines.
In the event of presumptive case of COVID-19 the guest’s room will be removed from service and quarantined. The guest room will not be returned to service until case has been confirmed or cleared. In the event of a positive case, the room will only be returned to service after undergoing an enhanced sanitization protocol by a licensed third-party expert.
We will provide additional updates as developments warrant. If you have any questions about hotel operations, please feel free to contact me at 774-304-1516.
Michael Glick,
General Manager