Sammy Gani, who is the Complex General Manager for Westin and Le Méridien City Centre Bahrain, tells us how things have been going at the properties, which are attached to the Kingdom’s largest mall.
Have you had any guests staying during the pandemic and, if yes, what measures have been taken to keep them and your staff safe?
Yes, we do have some guests staying with us. As a part of Marriott International, our company introduced Marriott’s Commitment to Clean, a new initiative that aligns with expert health and safety protocols. We’re working to provide a cleaner, safer environment for our guests and our associates through step-by-step procedures laid out for all hotels to follow. You can find out more on a video available at https://bit.ly/MIClean
The wellbeing of our guests and associates is of paramount importance. We take our standards for hygiene and cleanliness extremely seriously. We have been closely monitoring the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organisation’s statements regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and following the guidelines from these agencies and the local health departments on appropriate hygiene standards.
As part of our housekeeping operations, we have a comprehensive set of cleaning protocols. We have also taken several immediate precautionary hygiene measures including additional cleaning across all public areas.
Have you launched any new takeaway/delivery options in your restaurants?
We have new menus available for takeaway at Furn Bakery, some of our most popular takeaway items are our mezzah and freshly baked mini pizzas, manakeesh and fateer.
How are you preparing for the reopening of spas and restaurants?
Pre-arranged safety and cleaning protocols will be followed as soon as we are allowed to re-open all these areas.
There are ongoing re-opening procedures that we are undergoing especially for the restaurants. These include a food safety audit and complete training for the team on social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting. All our associates are given specific departmental training to ensure their areas are cleaned and they are trained to take care of themselves and our guests.
The Westin City Centre Bahrain offers 200 beautifully appointed guest rooms, including six Executive Suites and one Royal Suite. All rooms feature the company’s signature amenities such as the plush Westin Heavenly beds and the reinvigorating Heavenly Baths. The Heavenly Spa by Westin features 10 treatment rooms with separate facilities for men and women, plus one of Bahrain’s largest hammams (Turkish baths).