May 13, 2020 - The Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) has published recommendations for the operation of hotels and rentals in Croatia.
HRTurizam reports that in accordance with reactivating certain activities based on looser measures, it is recommended that hotels and rental activities act per the following recommendations.
1. General rules and conditions for hotel premises
- Physical distance. During their stay in the hotel, visitors must adhere to a measure of physical distance of 1.5 meters concerning other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.
- Disinfectant. At the entrances of hotel premises (lobby, reception, sports, and recreational facilities, counters for payment of services) and in the work area of employees it is necessary to install dispensers with disinfectant (based on alcohol in a concentration of not less than 70% or other means suitable for use on the skin with declared virucidal action).
- Visible notices and informing guests. At the entrances of the hotel premises in a visible place, it is necessary to place information on hygienic procedures or place information with guidelines on proper behavior and protection measures in the rooms where guests stay, or give this information to guests upon check-in or put an information leaflet in the accommodation unit. The telephone number of the responsible person in the hotel is available in the accommodation unit, who then takes contact with the health care institutions in case of COVID-19 suspicion.
- Maximum number of people on the premises. Observe the rules of the maximum number of persons allowed in certain areas following the defined criteria of physical distance of 1.5 meters to other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.
- Paper towels and disposable material. It is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of paper towels and other disposable materials, means and equipment for cleaning, washing and disinfection.
- Waste disposal. It is recommended to place a rubbish bin with appropriate lids in all public areas inside the hotel.
- Protective equipment. It is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of protective masks and gloves for employees entering the guest accommodation units (eg maintenance staff, cleaners, etc.).
- Adhere to all general and hygienic measures. Instructions for cleaning and disinfection are available at the following link:
Persons suspected or suffering from COVID-19: HERE
2. Reception, lobby and other public spaces
- Ventilation. Ventilate all areas regularly.
- Reception hygiene. Disinfection of reception areas at regular intervals (eg every hour), and disinfect the area of reception and check-out of guests (contact areas) with a higher frequency than other reception areas.
- Physical distance at the reception. Ensure sufficient distance between reception staff and guest and staff, reduce check-in / check-out time below 15 minutes (which is the definition of close contact) or, if this is not possible, place partitions (made of Plexiglas or similar material that provides the required sanitary distance). The maximum number of people in the reception area is regulated and limited in accordance with the measures of physical distance of 1.5 meters.
- Informing guests and staff. Reception staff should be sufficiently informed about COVID-19 to be able to carry out the assigned tasks without difficulty and to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 within the institution. They should be able to inform guests inquiring about the hotel's policy regarding the implementation of preventive measures or other services that guests may request (for example, medical and pharmacy services available in the area or in the facility itself, telephone numbers of emergency epidemiologists, etc.).
- Application of technology. Emphasizing online / booking check-in and check-in from home (the option is to find the technical possibility of direct guest registration on the e-visitor), contactless payment, payment by proforma invoice, self-scanning of documents, etc. (where applicable and possible).
- Check out. Advise guests to announce their check-out plans in advance so that bills can be prepared on time and avoid being delayed at reception.
- Currency exchange and ATMs. Prefer where it is possible to change and withdraw money at ATMs located on the outside / outside the reception. ATMs are located in public areas that are covered with a disinfectant dispenser.
- Elevators. Set up safety instructions, including the maximum number of guests allowed at one time, in front of and inside the elevator. Elevators are located in public spaces with disinfectants, and the distance from the max. number of users of each elevator should be made unless the users are part of a family or share a common accommodation unit.
- Conditions for maintaining the hygiene of sanitary facilities. Increased cleaning, disinfection and ventilation of public sanitary facilities every two hours (and more often if necessary), increase the number of employees for daily cleaning in each sanitary facility. Limit the simultaneous use of sanitary facilities in accordance with the size and prescribed sanitary conditions.
- Business centers/conference rooms. Mandatory disinfection of tables and all equipment after use. Respect for the physical distance of 1.5 meters between individual groups of guests.
- Children's facilities. Ensure work in the manner prescribed by the operation of kindergartens and playgrounds in cities. Recommendations are available on the HZJZ website.
- Equipment availability. If necessary, provide guests with available thermometers and protective masks and gloves (on request).
3. Food and beverage service areas and commercial facilities
Shops and catering facilities in the hotel should operate in accordance with the decisions of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the existing recommendations for these activities outside the hotel.
Instructions for catering facilities available HERE
4. Accommodation units
Cleaning frequency of accommodation units. Cleaning and change of bed linen and towels will be done in accordance with existing standards, informing guests that if they want, the rules of cleaning and change of bed linen and towels can be arranged differently, or adjusted to guest requirements (eg only on arrival/departure room is cleaned and changed towels and bed linen and to eliminate the principle of changing towels and bed linen and cleaning during the stay of guests).
- Cleaning of surfaces and sanitary facilities. All surfaces that have come in contact with the guest (nightstand, table, chair, coffee table, any furniture, amenities, telephone, remote control, etc.) must be cleaned with a suitable detergent and disinfectant. Cleaning of all bathroom surfaces must be given special attention when changing guests.
- Bed linen and towels. Used bedding (bedding and towels in the bathroom) must be stored in a closed container separate from the cart with clean bedding; dirty and clean bedding must always be separated and must not come into contact.
- Informing guests. Ensure that information/instructions on new room cleaning and linen change procedures are clearly visible and accessible to guests.
5. Recommendations for hotel staff
General protective measures. Avoid close contact with people who show symptoms of fever, cough and / or difficulty breathing. Avoid touching the face, mouth, nose and eyes, shaking hands and close conversation, and maintain social distance. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with an elbow or tissue to be immediately thrown in the trash and wash your hands. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water and / or use an alcohol-based or other skin-friendly disinfectant with virucidal effects according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Maximum protection of customers and hotel staff. If possible, install a protective barrier at the serving point and at the cash register, which will physically separate the cashier from the customer. Contactless credit card payments should be encouraged. During their stay in the hotel, visitors must adhere to a measure of physical distance of 1.5 meters in relation to other visitors, unless they are members of the same family or group.
- Daily body temperature measurement. Staff should take their body temperature before arriving on the morning shift. If the body temperature is higher than 37.2 ° C in the morning, if the person feels sick or has any signs of illness (applies to all symptoms and signs of illness, not just respiratory diseases), they should contact their superior and not come to work until the competent family doctor is called.
- Two-shift operation. If possible, organize the work twice, so that there is at least an hour between the first and second shifts, which will be used to clean and disinfect the surfaces during routine cleaning. The surfaces shall be disinfected by wiping with an alcohol-based disinfectant in a concentration of not less than 70% or another agent suitable for use on the skin with declared virucidal action according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Staff awareness. Before starting work / opening, educate staff about all measures that are being implemented.
6. Technical service and maintenance
- Water use and chlorination. Maintaining the hygienic conditions of the pool water (bathing water) and ensuring the smooth operation of the water treatment device is carried out in the usual way. Concerning pool water, it is possible to use the maximum permitted concentrations of chlorine.
- Textile washing and dishwashing equipment. It is necessary to check the proper functioning of the equipment for washing dishes and laundry, especially the working temperature, as well as the correct dose of chemicals for cleaning and disinfection.
- Air conditioners, heating and ventilation devices (HVAC). Pay special attention to monitoring the condition of the filter and maintaining the correct condition of the air exchange rate indoors. The proper functioning of equipment for ventilation, air exchange and dehumidification of indoor pools should be checked. Increased ventilation of hotel spaces is recommended, for example, by increasing the number of ventilations, by increasing the percentage of outside air circulating in the system.
- Dispensers and other devices for disinfectants. Regular inspections should be carried out to ensure the proper functioning of the soap and disinfectant device. It is recommended to put the hand dryers out of order and replace them with disposable paper hand towels. Defective units should be repaired or replaced quickly.
7. Pools, beaches and sports - recreational and other service activities
- Pools and beaches. Separate deck chairs in such a way as to ensure physical distance from in relation to other visitors unless they are members of the same family or group. The hotel staff must disinfect the deckchairs several times a day, and certainly after guests leave the deckchair and another guest wants to use it.
- Recreational sports. In the spaces provided for recreational sports indoors, the instructions "Recommendation for training and sports-recreational activities in indoor sports facilities during the COVID-19 epidemic" published on the HZJZ website are applied.
Cosmetic services. Instructions available HERE
Massage services. Instructions available HERE
- Wellness and saunas. Limit the number of people, especially in closed facilities (eg wellness) and spaces, in accordance with the available space. It is recommended to put all wet saunas out of function. Dry saunas, such as the Finnish sauna, can continue to operate. Ventilate, clean and disinfect all surfaces in hallways and toilets more frequently.
8. Receiving associates and unannounced guests
- Associates. The arrival of other persons (eg couriers) should be organized in such a way that before the arrival of that person, the phone is announced and the temperature is measured.
- If the body temperature is higher than 37.2 ° C in the morning, if the person feels sick or has any signs of illness (applies to all symptoms and signs of illness, not just respiratory diseases), they should contact their superior and not come to the hotel until the competent family doctor has been contacted by telephone.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
