Hotel: Copthorne Cameron Highlands

A Run To The Hills – A Delightful Time At Copthorne Cameron Highlands

By Phil Foo

Not so long ago we were stuck in our houses unable to go out and hangout in places that we would normally (or not normally) go to during times when a scary little unseen virus had not yet made its way into our world. Then it did. It passed through our borders like a ghost, unseen via the naked eye. Even with a pair of binoculars on, this little havoc wrecker cannot be seen.

Sitting at home and being unable to travel is a brain wrecker for an avid traveller and his family of avid travellers. Hence when travel restrictions were relaxed, my family and I packed our bags, climbed into our car, and made a run for the hills. Our favourite hill to holiday at is Cameron Highlands, in Pahang (Malaysia).

Chalets by the beach with the beautiful setting sun at the background.

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place for guests to ensure their safety in areas where there usually are crowds such as the lobby, F&B outlets, entertainment areas, activity areas (gym, sauna, pool, games room, etc.), etc?

Clement Paul: Safety distancing, sanitizers, and hourly disinfecting of high touch point areas (frequently touched areas). In accordance to the current CMCO; facilities such as the gym, sauna, pool, spa, kids club remains close.

Chalets by the beach with the beautiful setting sun at the background.

ETM: What safety measures have been put in place for guests to ensure their safety in rooms? Rooms are constantly used by different people (guests) and we do not know if one of them is carrier of the virus.

Clement Paul: Apart from strict cleanliness measures, we have the following in place to ensure our guests have a safe and sanitized environment.

1- Authorized disinfectants

2- In room cleaning is done only when guests are not in the room

3- Checkout rooms will be sanitized and rested for 24 hours, and sealed before the next guest checks in.

4- The seal can only be opened by the next guest checking in.

Chalets by the beach with the beautiful setting sun at the background.

ETM: What has your team prepared (resort) or done to ensure the safety of your guests in general?

Clement Paul: We have policies built for all departments to cater to the new norm. The policies include handling situations if a suspected Covid-19 case is present at arrival, during the stay, and after. Training is provided to our associates on the practices of the new norm at all times. The main objective is to ensure a safe and secure environment for the associates and guest alike.

Chalets by the beach with the beautiful setting sun at the background.

ETM: Are there any new SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) that has been or that will be applied for the current situation as well as going forward?

Clement Paul: Operational SOP’s have been tailored to reflect the new norm in accordance to the social distancing ruling, and requirements of the Ministry of Health.

ETM: Are there any new policies in place with the Corona Virus pandemic around? For example cancelation policies, booking policies, etc.

Clement Paul: We have relaxed the cancellation policy with regards to the COVID-19 period.

Scenario 1: If one person in the family is unhealthy (may or may not be due to the virus), will the whole group be turned away?

Prior to arrival; if there is any form of illness amongst the family, and they are unable to travel, we will be flexible with their booking policy as long as the booking is made directly with the resort (not via online travel agents and booking sites).
In instances; if one member of the party is not well regardless and if it’s COVID-19 related, the entire travelling party will be required to seek medical advice at the Clinic located within the Hotel premises or the General Hospital to get clearance as indicated in our current arrival policy.

Scenario 2: What if guests of the hotel brings guests who are not registered into the hotel?

Non-Resident guest are not allowed into the premises unless patronizing the Restaurants or Bars at which point temperature checks and personal data is recorded.

ETM: What current measures are in place once a positive case is detected and confirmed?

Clement Paul: If a positive case is detected, the following measures have been put in place to handle the situation and assist the guests :

If guest is warded, the matter will be handled by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
If there are other family members sharing a room, the matter will be handled by the MOH.

The Room will be blocked and removed from inventory for thorough cleaning and disinfection process by a third party.

ETM: Who checks and verifies that the resort has been regularly sanitized? Any authorities to monitor and what are the procedures?

Clement Paul: We have appointed a Safety Officer to monitor the procedures with detailed check list in place daily.

ETM: What can guests look forward to when staying at your hotel or resort in times like this?

Clement Paul: The Pelangi Assurance is a special program with key policies put in place to ensure that the premises are safe and secure for employees and guests.

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