Crowne Plaza Bahrain GM, Bruno Hivon, talks recipe boxes and preparations for the lifting of restrictions.
During the pandemic, Crowne Plaza has designed its take-away menu with flavourful dishes to enjoy at home. We also provide the option to pick up your food with a discount of 20 per cent.
There is a range of international, Arabic and Indian dishes on offer and we also have an exclusive party platter menu. In addition, the hotel now has a range of unique ‘Chef’s Recipe Boxes’ filled with all the ingredients you need to create delicious meals such as paneer makhani, macchi ka salan and murgh soweta. Each serves two to three people and contains the exact amounts of spices as well as the protein you need, so you won’t have to struggle with the exotic ingredients or measurements.
Looking towards reopening our facilities, we are mindful of recommended health standards and are working closely with local authorities for the safety and well-being of all our guests and employees. The IHG Clean Promise has been in rolled out since the beginning of June.
We have ensured that all safety guidelines and signages are installed and our staff have been training for the last few weeks on social distancing protocols, specifically in the restaurants. The number of customers will be limited, and various promotions will be on offer.
Given the evolving nature of the Covid-19 outbreak, IHG [InterContinental Hotels Group] has provided operational guidance, including health and safety, brand standard changes and hotel department standard operating procedures which also include extensive training materials for all departments.
One of the most important areas we focussed on was our IHG culture of Clean implementation as it impacts the safety of our guests and colleagues.
We have utilised the time to re-train and re-enforce the ‘back to basics’ of all positions to ensure we deliver not only great but also safe guest experiences, today and going forward.
WAY CLEANER!
Philipp Economou, area GM of InterContinental Regency Bahrain, tells of new developments at his property.
InterContinental Regency has curated a delivery-focused menu with its popular signature dishes from its restaurants with prices that are different for the online delivery model. While the actual experience of dining at the hotel cannot be replicated, one can savour the InterContinental dining experience in the comfort of their home, bringing fond memories of dining at our restaurants. We have also created an exclusive party platter menu perfect for business lunches, tailgate parties, the beach and more! All of these are at the tip of your fingers through food apps such as Talabat and Careem, both for delivery. Our menu includes a range of international, Arabic and Indian dishes.
Regarding preparations for reopening of our spa and restaurants, we are committed to complying with recommended health standards and are working closely with local authorities for the safety and well-being of all our guests and employees. In addition to local health standards, from June 1, the IHG Clean Promise has been rolled out globally.
We have ensured that all safety guidelines and signages are installed and our staff have been training for the last few weeks on social distancing protocols, specifically in the restaurants. We will be limiting the number of customers coming in to make sure we prioritise their safety. We have also prepared various promotions that are timely and relevant to the current situation.
The most important point is that we need to prepare out teams to face the new normality and win back hotel guests’ hearts and minds.
One of the most important areas in which we focussed the development of our team was our IHG culture of Clean implementation. Training such as IHG Way of Clean for housekeeping and non-housekeeping colleagues was top of our agenda. Cleanliness is now a shared responsibility across all hotel teams and everyone is expected to change behaviours and adhere to our enhanced guidance, therefore all management and housekeeping associates have completed the enhanced IHG Way of Clean training relevant to their role.
ENHANCED PROCEDURES
As both the InterContinental Regency and Crowne Plaza are part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts group, they are proud to be part of the company’s ‘IHG Way of Clean’, which was launched in 2015 and already includes deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants in guest rooms and public spaces.
Enhanced procedures to address COVID-19 concerns include:
- Temperature checks for both hotel colleagues and guests.
- Reduced contact and physical interaction at check-in and check-out.
- Social distancing protocols and visual cues.
- Visible sanitiser stations in public and colleague spaces.
- New cleaning procedures with increased disinfection frequency of high-touch surfaces.
- Upgraded laundry protocol.
- Removal of non-essential items (in-room collateral or other high-touch items), available upon request.
- Meals charged to room or credit card vs cash.
- Contactless menu and payment methods.
New expert cleanliness partner and Global Cleanliness Board:
In addition to IHG’s existing relationships with Ecolab and Diversey, IHG is now partnering with Cleveland Clinic to expand the IHG Way of Clean programme with new science-led protocols and service measures.
IHG Clean Promise:
IHG has launched a Clean Promise that was rolled out globally in June. The group has partnered with companies such as Ecolab and Diversey to develop science-backed safety measures. The strengthened measures have been designed to give returning guests greater confidence in IHG’s portfolio of hotels. Hygiene measures include reduced contact at check-in; touchless transactions; sanitiser stations; paperless checkout; reduction of high-touch items in rooms; additional deep cleaning; social distancing signage and new rulings for F&B outlets. Alongside these measures, IHG has teamed with Cleveland Clinic to produce a set of guidelines for hotel teams on returning to work. These guidelines include the deployment of ‘Clean Champions’ at properties to monitor hygiene levels and help make guests feel comfortable in the updated environment.
Here is how the Clean Promise will work at the Bahrain properties:
Within two hours of check-in, if a guest reports to the front desk that their room does not meet the IHG Clean Promise the hotel must confirm the issue and resolve to their satisfaction in the current room or offer a room change to alternative accommodation of equal or greater value that meets the IHG Clean Promise. If the guest opts for a room change, a member of the hotel team must be available to accompany them to the new room to ensure the IHG Clean Promise has been met. If there is not another available guest room of equal or greater value, the hotel team must work with the guest to make it right.
These additional measures aim to build on the group’s existing best-in-class approach to cleanliness to help travellers feel safe.
