COVID-19 - Information Hub

Our Safe Stay Guidelines were introduced to inform all our guests, and potential guests, of how we planned to respond to the challenges that have been and continue to be posed by COVID-19. We want all our guests to have well defined expectations of what their experience is going to be like before they book and before they arrive. The only surprises should be the delightful ones.

Since the very beginning of the pandemic our number one priority has been the safety of our guests, our team and our wider community. We continue to spend time, as a team, working out the next best steps for everyone at Budock Vean. Our goal, as ever, is to remain open and ensure people can enjoy a lovely holiday with us. As government regulations change and restrictions are removed, we are eager to ease our own COVID restrictions in a measured way.

We want all our customers to know that it is our intention to remove most, if not all, of our measures from 12th February 2022. We will, of course, ensure we follow any changes in government guidelines. We encourage everyone to continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces and we will ask people to observe social distancing as far as they possibly can. Booking processes will remain in place for most activities, excluding swimming, so we can keep an eye on numbers.

Of course, we ask that if you have any symptoms, have tested positive or have had contact with a case, that you delay your visit to us. If that happens, please email us at reservations@budockvean.co.uk  or call 01326 250288.

We remain focused on looking after your every need and will remain committed to looking after the health and well-being of all our staff and guests.

Since the very beginning of the pandemic our number one priority has been the safety of our guests, our team and our wider community.   

We continue to spend time, as a team, working out the next best steps for everyone at Budock Vean.  Our goal, as ever, is to remain open and ensure people can enjoy a lovely holiday with us. Challenges, however, do remain and mean that, for the time-being, we will continue to take a cautious approach and keep some of our measures in place.  We will, of course, also ensure we follow any changes in government guidelines.

We encourage everyone to continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces and we will ask people to observe social distancing as far as they possibly can. Booking processes will remain in place for most activities, excluding swimming, so we can keep an eye on numbers and our trolley service in the restaurant will remain in place for the time being. Trolley service may well appear unnecessary to some, but it has already proven its worth last year, when it was the difference between us staying open and having to close temporarily.   

Of course, we ask that if you have any symptoms, have tested positive or have had contact with a case, that you delay your visit to us. If that happens, please email us at reservations@budockvean.co.uk  or call 01326 250288.

We continue to review everything on a monthly basis. In the meantime, we ask everyone to help us to provide the very best holiday experience we can by continuing to be considerate and respectful to other guests and to our staff.

We remain focused on looking after your every need and will remain committed to looking after the health and well-being of all our staff and guests.

We want all our guests to have well defined expectations of what their experience is going to be like before they book and before they arrive. The only surprises should be the delightful ones. There should be no surprises when you come to our hotel in relation to COVID-19.

Since the very beginning of the pandemic our number one priority has been the safety of our guests, our team and our wider community.   

We continue to spend time, as a team, working out the next best steps for everyone at Budock Vean.  Our goal, as ever, is to remain open and ensure people can enjoy a lovely holiday with us. Challenges, however, do remain and mean that we will continue to take a cautious approach as we move through the winter months resulting in some of our measures being kept in place.  We will, of course, also ensure we follow any changes in government guidelines.

We require everyone to wear masks in indoor public spaces and we will ask people to observe social distancing as far as they possibly can. Booking processes will remain in place for all activities, including swimming, so we can keep an eye on numbers and our trolley service in the restaurant will remain in place. Trolley service may well appear unnecessary to some, but it has already proven its worth this summer, when it was the difference between us staying open and having to close temporarily.   

Of course, we ask that if you have any symptoms, have tested positive or have had contact with a case, that you delay your visit to us. If that happens, please email us at reservations@budockvean.co.uk  or call 01326 250288.

We continue to review everything on a monthly basis. In the meantime, we ask everyone to help us to provide the very best holiday experience we can by continuing to be considerate and respectful to other guests and to our staff.

We remain focused on looking after your every need and will remain committed to looking after the health and well-being of all our staff and guests.

Updated: 12 point Covid-19 Care Plan

1. Open and Transparent Communications with all our Stakeholders

- We are committed to open, honest and transparent communications with our guests, employees, members, suppliers and partners.

- We will continue to share as much relevant information as possible and will ensure our guests have a clear picture of what their stay will be like prior to arrival.

- Everyone will have access to our full safe operating procedures and relevant associated documentation, which can be found in this section of the app.

- We have spoken to all our suppliers and partners to brief them on new delivery procedures and to ensure they are compliant with government guidelines as well as meeting our own safety standards.

2. Our Cancellation Policy

- Now that the government has made it lawful for us to re-open, we will no longer be required to cancel anyone’s booking, other than in exceptional circumstances, for example, if a local lockdown was imposed. We are therefore reverting to our standard cancellation policy and we reserve the right to rely on those terms and conditions if necessary.

- However, in the event any guest decides to cancel for whatever reason, in the first instance, we will not look to take any cancellation fee on the booking, but we will talk to you and look to agree a postponement and to transfer the booking to an alternative date. We will look to hold the deposit and put it towards the rearranged booking.

- We will contact all guests a few days prior to arrival to carry out a short “health check” to ensure everyone is well and safe to travel as well as confirming details of the forthcoming stay.

3. Reduced Capacity and No Walk-Ins

- We will operate the hotel at a reduced capacity and we will conform to any government limitations on hotel occupancy.

- Although social distancing guidelines are no longer officially in place, access to the hotel estate will be limited to hotel and self-catering guests, golf and leisure club members, spa customers and other visitors with a pre-confirmed booking during the busy summer season. We will review this on a continual basis.

- We will not be accepting any walk-in visitors, but if a non-resident does arrive looking for a lunch or afternoon tea table, we will endeavour to fit them in if we can.

4. Our Employees, Training and PPE

- We will have regular conversations with our dedicated teams of employees to ensure they are well and able to come to work.  If a member of staff shows symptoms, they will be required to leave work as soon as possible and stay at home.

- We are committed to ensuring all our staff are thoroughly trained and feel confident and reassured about the new safe operating procedures.

- Our front of house staff will continue to wear face coverings at all times. Additional PPE, including gloves, will also be worn in specific situations, such as for food and drink service.

- We are committed to complying with all government safe working guidance as it is published starting with the 5 Steps to - Working Safely, which sets out some fundamental principles and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/5-steps-to-working-safely

5. Technology

- We have accelerated our investment in technologies we believe will help us maintain our standards of hospitality and improve communications.

- We have introduced a mobile guest communication app, which carries a wealth of information about the hotel and facilities, our safe operating procedures, all our food menus (updated daily), the local area, maps, weather and an email facility so you can communicate with us both before and during your stay. Menu boards will also be provided.

- We have an online check in/out app to minimise the need to have to come and potentially queue at reception.

- All expenses during your stay will be charged to your room account and we will only take card payments; so, no cash or cheques please.

6. Enhanced Cleaning Regimes

- We are introducing new technology here too with an ozone-based cleaning product, which has been tested and proven to be effective against corona viruses and will be our hotel-wide standard disinfectant.

- We have introduced new enhanced, two-stage cleaning procedures throughout the hotel. Public areas will be cleaned twice a day.

-  For the time being, we will only be able to clean or service occupied guest hotel bedrooms after 3 nights of the guests’ stay, other than in exceptional circumstances.  If there is anything you need, from fresh towels to more tea bags, from breakfast in bed to dinner for two, from stamps and postcards to a bottle of Champagne to help your celebrations, all you need do is call reception and order it. Please refer to the section about Room Service.

- In the case of self-catering accommodation, we normally offer the option of guests paying for us to carry-out a mid-week clean, but we are sorry to say that this is not available at the moment.

- In the event a guest has symptoms during their stay, they will be asked to return home as soon as possible, the room will be sealed for 72 hours and not let until it has been deep cleaned.

7. Plentiful Hand Sanitisers

- here will be wall-mounted hand sanitiser units dispensing 70% alcohol gel in all hotel bedrooms, self-catering units, in all public spaces, including public toilets and the lift, and in all work spaces to ensure everyone has easy access to hand sanitiser at strategic points throughout the hotel.

8. Social Distancing and Management of Public Areas

- Perspex cough and sneeze guards have been installed at all the key guest/staff interaction points, including Reception, Cocktail Bar, Golf Bar and Shop, Spa Reception and the Restaurant meet and greet station.

- In order to help us manage our facilities and public spaces, guests will be required to book all meal times and all activities, including use of the pool and hot tub.

- Face Coverings - we encourage guests to continue to wear face masks in indoor public areas (unless they have a medical exemption). Face masks may be removed when guests sit down at their table in the restaurant for breakfast and dinner. Guests may also remove masks when eating and drinking in the conservatory, cocktail bar, golf bar and lounges.

- Track and Trace

In accordance with government guidelines, we are no longer required to take the contact details of all guests over the age of 16 years old, but you can continue to scan the QR code for NHS Test and Trace programme when you arrive at the hotel.

9. Food and Drink

- All bookings for meals throughout the day will be staggered to aid the management of the spaces.

- Additional space will be provided by use of the new events space near the golf bar to give us some extra room between tables.

- Breakfast will be provided via a hosted buffet service with staff serving from the buffet to the guest table.

- 24 hour room service is available with no room service charge.

- Table service only. All our food and drink across the hotel will now be served by table service only. Guests will be invited to take a seat and we will come to you to take your order and we will serve food and drink to your table.

10. Our Facilities

- Our golf course and tennis courts are open to our local members and our guests.

- We have kept booking procedures in place for access to the swimming pool and hot tub. Spa treatments are available, and we strongly advise booking plenty of time before your stay. Boat trips, kayaking and paddleboarding are available from our foreshore, and again, we strongly advise booking in advance to guarantee a place.

- There are our extensive grounds and gardens to explore,  and the coastal footpath is accessible via a 10 minute walk from the hotel to help you explore the local area around the stunning Helford River.

11. Compliance

We are committed to ensuring that all the steps we take are compliant with industry best practice and the latest government guidelines. We welcome the COVID-19 hospitality industry standard quality kite mark, designed to provide reassurance to visitors that tourism businesses are meeting a minimum common standard and we are fully compliant with this scheme, launched by Visit Britain.

12. Reassuring Our Local Community

We are aware there were some concerns within the local community in Cornwall about the level of tourism in the county this year. We are committed to engaging with our local community to show them that we acknowledge and respect those concerns and we will seek to reassure them that we are a responsible tourism business. We will share our plans to demonstrate how we can operate in a safe and in a responsible way to the benefit of all, including the many local people and other businesses who rely on the commercial activity of our hotel business.

Since the very beginning of the pandemic our number one priority has been the safety of our guests, our team and our wider community.

As we approach Monday’s ‘Freedom Day’ and all that brings with it, we have spent time, as a team, working out the next best steps for everyone connected with Budock Vean. Our goal, as ever, is to remain open and ensure people can enjoy a lovely holiday experience with us.

As much as we all welcome the relaxation of restrictions and want to return to living normally, in the current circumstances, we must also remain cautious and watchful. You will likely have read about the rapidly increasing infection rates, not expected to peak until mid-August, the operational challenges caused by staff having to isolate and the general problems with staffing levels in hospitality. In addition, not all of our team members have had the chance to have their vaccinations as yet, due to their age or circumstances. There are, therefore, a significant number of staff who will not be double-vaccinated until mid to late September. These challenges mean we will be taking a prudent approach on Monday and keeping some of our measures in place.

We will be encouraging everyone to continue to wear masks in indoor public spaces and, although we will be allowing larger groups, we will ask people to observe social distancing as far as they possibly can. Booking processes will remain in place for all activities, including swimming, so we can keep an eye on numbers and our trolley service in the restaurant will remain in place. Trolley service may well appear unnecessary to some, but it has already proven its worth this summer, when it was the key difference between us staying open and having to close temporarily.

Of course, we ask that if you have any symptoms, have tested positive or have had contact with a case, that you delay your visit to us. If that happens, please email us at reservations@budockvean.co.uk or call 01326 250288.

We will review everything again on the 16th August. In the meantime, we remain focused on looking after your every need and we ask everyone to help us to provide the very best holiday experience we can by continuing to be considerate and respectful to other guests and to our staff.

Not a day goes by that I am not hugely proud of everyone here and the way they have all adapted to the frequent changes and challenges thrown at them. My thanks go to them during these difficult times and I am also hugely grateful to everyone for their messages of support, your words mean a huge amount and really keep us going.

Oll an gwella

From our family to yours

Martin Barlow

Visitor-Testing

Come and stay from the 17th of May

It really has been such a joy to see people back at Budock Vean. First up we welcomed back our golfers and tennis members from the 29th March. A couple of weeks later we welcomed the first of our self-catering guests from 12th April, and we launched our outdoor terrace dining and take-away service which proved to be hugely popular. Our Natural Health Spa, pool, hot tub and river adventures also re-opened on the 12th April too, so, in a nutshell, we’re very nearly there! And from Monday 17th May we are able to open the hotel fully for you to stay with us again.

Our teams have been giving the hotel a final going over, our staff training is almost complete and we’re raring to go. The added bonus this year during lockdown was winning a double silver at the Cornwall Tourism Awards and the South West Tourism Awards for Large Hotel of the Year. A real boost to us all to receive such recognition.

We’re hugely grateful to everyone involved with the hotel; our guests and members, our teams and suppliers. Your understanding through these difficult times really has kept us going. Like everyone, we’ve all had our ups and downs, but the network of support around the hotel has been remarkable.

As we head towards the 17th May, we wish everyone a happy, healthy and enjoyable 2021. We hope you can visit us soon.

From our family to yours,

Martin Barlow

Join us for a bite to eat from Monday .....

Take one large, south facing terrace, beautiful sub-tropical gardens, add a pinch of private foreshore and a brigade of talented chefs … and you’ve got the brand-new BV outdoor dining and take-away service, all starting on Monday 12th April.

Relax on our wonderful terrace or bring your own picnic blanket; either way make yourself at home at our place. We’ll be serving from 12.30pm to 7.30pm weather permitting. On the menu you’ll find BV burgers, pizzas, dressed crab salad and an incredible steak and chips that will knock your socks off. Feel free to stretch your legs, perhaps walk down to the Helford or explore the garden, and all our facilities will also be open for use.

Booking is essential to come and eat with us for lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. Just call our reception team on 01326 250288 by 6pm the day before you intend to come and they will help you with the arrangements.

From our family to yours,

Martin Barlow

Preparing to Re-Open ..... not long now

Just under a week until the first parts of BV can start to open up again and we’re not going to lie, we’re jumping for joy!

First up are our golf course and tennis courts. They’ll be open and ready to welcome local members on 29th March. Following closely in their wake are the pool, hot tub and Natural Health Spa, all opening on 12th April. That’s also the day we are able to welcome our first self-catering guests for their Easter holidays … the Easter Eggs are already ordered!

It’s all go on the 12th April … that’s also the date our friends at Koru Kayaking and Helford River Cruises will be getting back out on the water and we’re launching a brand new take away and outdoor dining experience here in our gardens and terrace; more on that below.

All being well, the whole hotel will be open from 17th May and we can’t wait to welcome you back.

Until then, we wish you all well and we hope to see you very soon

Oll an gwella

From our family to yours,

Martin Barlow

We Can’t Wait to Welcome You Back

Good news. We’re looking forward to changing out of our leisure wear, turning off the zoom and giving this beautiful place the final once-over before we re-open. We’ve been using the latest downtime to do lots of extra maintenance and now we’re all systems go as we countdown to welcoming you back. Of course, we’ve also taken time to revisit our COVID measures to make sure they still fit the bill and we are very grateful for everyone’s feedback on the steps we have taken; thank you.

There are conditions and caveats, of course, and so things could change, but on the basis that all the government’s criteria are met at each stage, we want to share with you our plan for re-opening, starting on March 29th and leading up to the re-opening of the hotel of May 17th.

Our Re-Opening Plan

29th March: We will re-open our golf course and tennis courts and look forward to welcoming back all our local members. Time to dust off the clubs and rackets and start getting your game in shape for the summer.

12th April: Perfectly timed to enjoy the wonderful array of spring flowers and perennials in our valley garden, we will re-open our 7 self-catering properties located in the hotel grounds to single households, as well as our indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and the Natural Health Spa, so ensuring that everyone has a wide range of activities to enjoy, even though the hotel will remain closed at this stage. We will also be able to offer boat trips and kayaking adventures around the Helford River.

We are planning to offer outdoor catering on our big south west facing terrace, as well as linking up with our favourite local food suppliers to provide our self-catering properties with tasty seasonal Cornish food boxes.

Please note there is some very limited availability for our cottages and holiday homes - we'll keep you up to date on our website with what's available.

The Health Spa will not be taking bookings until Monday 22nd March, when we hope to have clarity about the protocols we will need to operate under. We kindly ask you not to call in the meantime.

And finally on 17th May: The hotel will re-open and we will welcome all our guests back to Budock Vean, albeit of course, we will still be conforming to the prevailing COVID-19 protocols. We cannot wait to welcome you all back and we look forward greatly to giving everyone the holiday escape that everyone so desperately needs.

For those of you with reservations in the hotel between now and May 17th, we would kindly ask you please to be patient with us and not to call right now. We are contacting everyone in date order to discuss and rearrange their bookings. As an alternative, please do email us at reservations@budockvean.co.uk. Please do not worry, we will be in touch just as soon as we can. More details are on our website.

The end of our second long wait is in sight. For now, please keep safe.

Oll an gwella

From our family to yours,

Martin Barlow

29th January: Estate Update

Spring always arrives a little earlier in our corner of the UK. Despite the wind and squally showers, our daffodils are already peeking through, in fact some are getting pretty tall now. The camellias and snowdrops are giving them a bit of a run for their money too as they begin to wake from their slumber.

As I watch our valley coming back to life, it’s a wonderful reminder that spring is on the way and, we hope, better and happier times for us all. We’re hunkered down at the hotel keeping busy with the gardens, golf course and maintenance jobs, and although I cannot be absolutely certain when we can welcome you back, what we do know is that the government have promised a road map in the week beginning Monday 22nd February. I hope this will provide details of a phased approach to re-opening the economy and bringing life back to normal.

In the meantime, and in the absence of any more specific information, it would appear that we will not be re-opening before the end of March, and so for now, our temporary closure will remain in place. 

Beyond 31st March, although there is still uncertainty as to when exactly we will re-open, I am continuing to look on the bright side and remain very positive about the prospects for an excellent summer season and beyond. I look forward to June and the G7 Summit, when all eyes will be on Cornwall, and the incredible opportunity that has been presented to us to showcase all the unique and wonderful aspects of Cornish life to the world.

There is much to look forward to and things will be better in time, so please do take this opportunity to look through the special things we have coming up in 2021, and let us help you plan ahead.

Whatever happens, we will only re-open BV when we are permitted to and when it is safe to do so; and, of course, it will be under the prevailing COVID guidelines. The safety of everyone involved with Budock Vean remains my overriding priority.

For all our guests who stayed with us in 2020, first and foremost, thank you for your support. We would love your feedback, which is very important to us.  All completed surveys will be entered into a prize draw to win a 2 night break for 2 here at Budock Vean.

We hope you are keeping safe and well and we really do hope to welcome you back soon. BV’s a much happier place when it's full of people.

Oll an gwella

From our family to yours,

Martin Barlow

A Message from Martin Barlow to Everyone in our Budock Vean Community

Further to the government’s announcement today, it is with great sorrow that we are temporarily closing Budock Vean from tomorrow, Thursday 31st December 2020. Once we have provided our guests with a hearty breakfast and bade them farewell and a safe journey home, we will close our doors once again until further notice.

Although we are sorry that we cannot continue with our carefully adapted New Year plans, the health and wellbeing of everyone connected to the hotel and our wider Cornish community is our primary concern, and we will stay closed until it is safe to open again. 

While we do not know for how long we will be in Tier 3, we have taken the decision that we will remain closed until at least Friday 29th January. In any event, we will be keeping you updated with regular e-newsletters and other messages via our social media channels. Please do keep an eye out for our updates.

Our Reception team will continue to be available to take your calls, albeit on reduced hours, as follows:
Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Sundays from 9am to 2.30pm.

Naturally, New Year brings both the need for reflection and for planning ahead and, as we all know, this year has provided a great deal to reflect upon.

It was a great joy to see so many people visiting us during the summer and autumn. It was heart-warming to welcome regular guests alongside first time visitors to the Helford. A huge thank you to you all for putting your faith in us and for continuing to support Budock Vean in the wonderful way you have. We look forward to welcoming you all back just as soon as we are able to do so.

As I look back over the events of this extraordinary year,  I am so very grateful to all our team here at Budock Vean; both those working front-of-house and those behind-the-scenes. Their hard work, dedication and commitment to making BV work in this ‘new normal’ has been remarkable and I am incredibly proud of every single one of them. My thanks also to our suppliers, musicians, performers and subcontractors; with your help, we have really made the most of this most challenging of years.  

We send everyone our very best wishes for a happier, brighter and healthy year ahead and, as always, our gratitude goes to all the front line workers. You are remarkable people. Thank you for all that you do to keep us safe and to keep the country going.  

Oll an gwella; all the best from our home to yours,  

Martin Barlow

The hotel, holiday cottages, holiday homes, Natural Health Spa, golf course and tennis courts are now open to guests and day visitors with a pre-arranged booking. We look forward to seeing you all again. We are open for Christmas events, the Christmas holidays and New Year. Please get in touch to book on 01326 250288.

Temporary closure from Wednesday November 4th until Wednesday December 2nd. 

Further to yesterday evening’s Government announcement, it is with great sadness that I must announce that Budock Vean Hotel and all our self-catering accommodation will temporarily close on Wednesday 4th November. Our facilities, including the Natural Health Spa, the pool, tennis courts and the golf course, will close at the end of the day on Wednesday 4th.

In line with the national lockdown, our temporary closure is planned to last until Wednesday 2nd December.

What this means is that we will now have to postpone all bookings for anyone who was planning to visit us during this closure period.
Our team at Budock Vean are, as we speak, calling all the bookings we have for this closure period to help you decide what to do. This is being addressed in chronological order starting with arrivals due this week and they will work through all the bookings day by day up until December 2nd. I would kindly ask for your patience as the Reception team work through this process.

Rebook for a future date: We very much look forward to the day when this second lockdown is over and we can welcome you back to Budock Vean. With this in mind, we are looking upon this as a postponement, not a cancellation. We very much hope you will want to postpone your holiday and rearrange it for a later date. You can therefore move your booking to any available date up to the 2nd December 2021 and we will retain your deposit to be used against this amended booking. If you elect to move your booking to a date with a different seasonal rate, we will need to charge you the new rate, which may be higher or lower, depending on which season you choose.

If, whilst you are waiting for our call, you would like to inform us of what you would like to do, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at reservations@budockvean.co.uk.

I appreciate that this will be disappointing news for all those who enjoy staying with us and for those who frequent Budock Vean as day visitors. I would like to thank you for your patience, understanding and support in these exceptional circumstances. I, along with my team, look forward to welcoming you back to Budock Vean once this has all passed.

I would also like to thank everyone who has stayed with us, visited us and enjoyed our facilities, since we re-opened in July, for all their support and for the very positive way everyone has responded to our COVID-19 measures.  

I can assure you that on your behalf we will continue to look after this very special place that we all love, and during our temporary closure we will continue share updates about BV and the Helford River and we would be delighted to hear from you too.

Please keep well and stay safe, and we are looking forward very much to re-opening Budock Vean in early December and welcoming you back.

All the best from Martin & the team at BV

 

Curfews, table service and face coverings

We have updated our guest handbook and inhouse procedures to reflect the latest announcements, which come into force tomorrow (24th September 2020). The new requirements are ;

- 10pm curfew for restaurants, pubs and bars. This is a legal requirement and means that all guests must have enjoyed their meals and left the dining room by 10pm. To this end, the latest restaurant reservation is now 8.15pm. Similarly in the bars we will stop serving alcohol at 10pm. Room service will still be available. 

- Table service only. All our food and drink across the hotel will now be served by table service only. Guests will be invited to take a seat and we will come to you to take your order and we will serve food and drink to your table.

- Face coverings. Guests must continue to wear face coverings in all public areas at all times. They may remove their face coverings when sat at their table in the restaurant for dinner and breakfast and when eating and drinking  in our conservatory and lounges. All of our front of house staff continue to wear face coverings in the hotel. 

Thank you and please do ask if you have any queries or need any extra information. 

Staying and Dining with Family and Friends – The Rule of Six.

We would like to remind all our guests that we must all adhere to the current government guidance regarding meeting, staying and dining with family and friends, who are from outside your own household.

Under the most recent government legislation, no one is allowed to visit a venue in a group of greater than 6 people, with certain exceptions.  This means that whether you are planning to meet and socialize indoors or outdoors at our venue, including eating and drinking, your group has to be no more than 6 people, although the group can be from different households.

When you visit a venue, such as a hotel like Budock Vean, you are required to:

• Follow the limits on the number of other people you are allowed to meet with as a group – this must be no more than 6 people, unless you all live together (or are in the same support bubble).
• Avoid social interaction with anyone outside the group you are with, even if you see other people you know.
• Provide your contact details to the venue, so that you can be contacted if needed by the NHS Test and Trace programme.
• Please only stay overnight in our self-catering accommodation in groups of up 6 people from different households, unless you are from the same household (and support bubble).

Budock Vean Hotel is a venue that adheres to the COVID-19 secure guidelines and, as such, will be able to continue to host more than 6 people in total within the hotel, but individual groups visiting our premises must not be larger than 6 people. Two households can still meet up, but not if they make a group of more than 6 people.

The Rule of Six replaces existing bans on more than 30 people meeting and the rule of only 2 households meeting. As stated, there are exceptions to the Rule of Six, where groups can be larger than 6 people. Details can be found via this link.

Face Coverings

From Saturday 8th, it becomes a legal requirement for everyone visiting the hotel to wear face masks in indoor public areas of the hotel. The only exception to this is that face masks may be removed when guests enter the restaurant for breakfast and dinner and they may remove masks when eating and drinking in the conservatory, cocktail bar, golf bar and lounges.

Spa Re-Opens

We have missed you and are very excited about re-opening the final elements of our wonderful range of activities and facilities here at Budock Vean.

We can't wait for you to try our brand new hot tub. Set flush within an equally new deck facing due south, it will be a warm and sunny spot. This stunning new facility incorporates the latest technology, ensuring we can maintain a clean and safe facility. The only one disappointing piece of news is that we still cannot open the sauna; that must remain closed for the time being. Otherwise, though, all our fantastic facilities will now be open to our members, guests and spa visitors. Please come and enjoy.

In considering my response to the announcement about the re-opening of pools and spas, I would like to reassure everyone that my overwhelming priority is the safety and well-being of all of our members and visitors, alongside that of all of our employees.

This response has been carefully considered to ensure that we are safe to re-open and is set within the guidelines that have been published by central government as well as the relevant professional bodies, including Swim England, the UK Spa Association, ISPA and other leading industry organisations.

Everything you need to know about how we will now operate and how you can safely access these facilities is included in our set of COVID-19 handbooks and safe operating procedures, which you can access from the links at the top of this page, and our Vamoos guest app.

We also have previously published guides for golf, tennis, kayaking and boat trips (which can be found below). Please do take the time to read these guides and start to plan your visit to Budock Vean and book ahead to ensure you get to do all your favourite activities.

Martin Barlow, Managing Director

As many of you know, we work with Koru Kayaking and Helford River Cruises to offer boat and kayak tours of the beautiful Helford River from our private foreshore. Both companies are now back up and running trips, which are great for all the family, and who have gone to great lengths to ensure compliance with Covid-19 safe operating procedures. You can book with confidence, and read both policies here: Kayaking    Boat Cruises

As part of our new deep cleaning regieme we have implement Patented Stabilized Aqueous Ozone (SAO™) which delivers a simpler, safer, more sustainable way to clean and sanitize everyday hard surfaces. Currently  being used around the world in healthcare, food service, education and more, SAO™ delivers high performance with savings over traditional chemicals. Converting from traditional chemical cleaners and sanitizers to SAO™ will help save toxic chemicals from leaching into groundwater, streams, and rivers. Add to that the reduction in packaging, transportation fuels, and the manufacturing of chemicals, we believe that SAO™ is one of the best ways to reduce our carbon footprint in line with our Green ethos and as part of being a Green Tourism Business Scheme Gold Award winner since the scheme was started over 15 years. 

We're pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Visit England 'Good to Go' industry standard mark. This scheme, in partnership with the national tourist organisations Tourism Northern Ireland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales, provides a ‘ring of confidence’ for all sectors of the tourism industry, as well as reassurance to visitors that businesses have clear processes in place and are following industry and Government COVID-19 guidance on cleanliness and social distancing. Should any key Government guidance change, we will be notified by Visit England to ensure our policies and practices reflect this. 

 

Further to the government announcement on Tuesday, I am delighted to confirm that we will be re-opening the hotel, our restaurant and all our self-catering accommodation on Friday 10th July. We cannot wait to welcome you back.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our loyal customers for their patience and understanding and for all the support you have shown us over the last three months. And I would like to thank all our wonderful team of staff for their support too; in particular, those who have continued to work throughout lockdown.

When we open, you can expect Budock Vean to offer its customary warm and caring welcome; safe and responsible hospitality, building on our longstanding commitment to our environment.

Although your next stay with us will be different, it will still be the same calm and peaceful, relaxing and restorative place, you have come to know and love. A place where you can unwind and enjoy the outdoors, confident and reassured that we are providing an environment which conforms to government guidelines and industry best practices and will be as safe and secure as we can possibly make it. The health and well-being of everyone who comes to Budock Vean remains our overriding priority.

For more information about how we are responding to government guidelines, please do take the time to read our 12-Point COVID-19 Care Plan  - see below.

Over the coming week, we will be providing access to further detailed information including our COVID-19 Safe Stay Handbook, which will provide a much more detailed look at how we will deliver our service and the measures we have put in place to keep everyone as safe as we can.

Initially, in order to ensure we can maintain the required social distance, we will only be open to guests booked to stay here in the hotel and in the self-catering accommodation, and to our Golf and Country Club members. We will let you know when we plan to re-open for day visitors, as we miss all our local customers too and we are eager to see all those who enjoy visiting the hotel for lunch and afternoon cream tea on the terrace.

Our golf course, tennis courts and kayaking adventures are already all open and operating well, but we await confirmation as to when we can re-open the Natural Health Spa, as well as the swimming pool and our brand-new hot tub, and when we can resume boats around the Helford River. We will keep you posted as we find out more.

It has seemed a long time since we closed our doors back in late March and so it will be a great joy to see our customer returning and enjoying the hotel, our extensive grounds and the Helford River area again. With 65 acres there's more than enough room.

1. Open and Transparent Communications with all our Stakeholders

• We are committed to open, honest and transparent communications with our guests, employees, members, suppliers and partners.
• We will continue to share as much relevant information as possible and will ensure our guests have a clear picture of what their stay will be like prior to arrival.
• Everyone will have access to our full safe operating procedures and relevant associated documentation.
• We are in the process of talking to all our suppliers and partners to brief them on new delivery procedures and to ensure they are compliant with government guidelines as well as meeting our own safety standards.

2. Free Cancellation and transferable bookings

• All guests who make direct bookings with us will have the freedom to cancel their booking at any time up to the point of arrival and will be able to shorten their stay at any point without loss.
• We will seek to agree a postponement by transferring the booking to alternative dates and hold deposits, but we will refund where this is not feasible.
• We will contact all guests a few days prior to arrival to carry out a short “health check” to ensure everyone is well and safe to travel as well as confirming details of the forthcoming stay.

3. Reduced capacity and No Walk-Ins

• We will operate the hotel at a reduced capacity and we will conform to government limitations on hotel occupancy.
• Whilst social distancing guidelines are in place, access to the hotel estate will be limited only to hotel and self-catering guests and to our local members who will need to make advance bookings for golf, tennis, swimming (and spa treatments when the Natural Health Spa reopens).
• No walk-in visitors of any kind will be allowed for the foreseeable future.

4. Our Employees, Training and PPE

• We will have daily conversations with all our dedicated team of employees to ensure they are well and able to come to work. If a member of staff shows symptoms, they will be required to leave work as soon as possible and stay at home.
• We are committed to ensuring all our staff are thoroughly trained and feel confident and reassured about the new safe operating procedures.
• Gloves and face masks/shields will not be mandatory for staff other than for specific situations and so will be worn by staff according to the nature of their role and, as far as possible, to their personal
• preference.
• We are committed to complying with all government safe working guidance as it is published starting with the 5 Steps to Working Safely, which sets out some fundamental principles and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/5-steps-to-working-safely

5. Technology

• We are accelerating our investment in technologies we believe will help us maintain our standards of hospitality and enhance our ability to keep everyone safe, replacing paper-based information, which now represent unwanted multiple touch-points.
• We are introducing a new mobile guest communication app, which guests will gain access to after booking. It will carry a wealth of information about the booking, the hotel and facilities, our safe operating procedures, all our food menus (updated daily), the local area, maps, weather and an email facility so you can communicate with us both before and during your stay. Menu boards will also be provided.
• We are also re-working our check-in and out procedures to remove paper and minimise the need to have to come and potentially queue at reception.
• All expense during the stay will be charged to the room account and we will only take card payments; so, no cash or cheques please.

6. Enhanced Cleaning Regimes

• We are introducing new technology here too with a new ozone-based cleaning product, which has been tested and proven to be effective against coronaviruses and will be our hotel-wide standard disinfectant. We are also investing in a fogging machine.
• We are introducing our new enhanced, two-stage cleaning procedures throughout the hotel. Public areas will be cleaned at least twice a day.
• We will offer the option of servicing rooms only for stays of more than 3 nights and evening turn-down service will be discontinued for the time-being.
• In the event a guest has symptoms during their stay, they will be asked to return home as soon as possible, the room will be sealed for 72 hours and not let until it has been deep cleaned.

7. Plentiful Hand Sanitisers and the Guest Care Pack

• There will be wall-mounted hand sanitiser units dispensing 70% alcohol gel in all hotel bedrooms, self-catering units, in all public spaces, including public toilets and the lift, and in all work spaces to ensure everyone has easy access to hand sanitiser at strategic points throughout the hotel.
• On arrival, guests will receive a complimentary COVID-19 Care Pack in their accommodation, including gloves, face masks and personal 100ml bottles of hand sanitiser gel.

8. Social Distancing and Management of Public Areas

• Perspex cough and sneeze guards have been installed at all the key guest/staff interaction points, including Reception, Cocktail Bar, Golf Bar and Shop, Spa Reception and the Restaurant meet and greet station.
• Appropriate levels of signage have been installed throughout the estate to remind all guests and staff of the need to maintain a minimum social distance at all times.
• One-way routes will be introduced where necessary.
• In order to manage our facilities and public spaces, guests will be required to book in advance for all meal times and for all activities, including use of the pool and hot tub.
• Face Coverings - it is now a legal requirement for everyone visiting the hotel to wear a face mask in indoor public areas. The only exception to this is that face masks may be removed when guests enter the restaurant for breakfast and dinner and they may remove masks when eating and drinking in the conservatory, cocktail bar, golf bar and lounges.
• Staying and Dining with Family and Friends – The Rule of Six. We would like to remind all our guests that we must all adhere to the current government guidance regarding meeting, staying and dining with family and friends, who are from outside your own household. Under the most recent government legislation, no one is allowed to visit a venue in a group of greater than 6 people, with certain exceptions.  This means that whether you are planning to meet and socialize indoors or outdoors at our venue, including eating and drinking, your group has to be no more than 6 people, although the group can be from different households. When you visit a venue, such as a hotel like Budock Vean, you are required to:

·         Follow the limits on the number of other people you are allowed to meet with as a group – this must be no more than 6 people, unless you all live together (or are in the same support bubble).

·         Avoid social interaction with anyone outside the group you are with, even if you see other people you know.

·         Provide your contact details to the venue, so that you can be contacted if needed by the NHS Test and Trace programme.

·         Please only stay overnight in our self-catering accommodation in groups of up 6 people from different households, unless you are from the same household (and support bubble).

Budock Vean Hotel is a venue that adheres to the COVID-19 secure guidelines and, as such, will be able to continue to host more than 6 people in total within the hotel, but individual groups visiting our premises must not be larger than 6 people. Two households can still meet up, but not if they make a group of more than 6 people. The Rule of Six replaces existing bans on more than 30 people meeting and the rule of only 2 households meeting. As stated, there are exceptions to the Rule of Six, where groups can be larger than 6 people. Details can be found via this link.

9. Food and Drink

• All bookings for meals throughout the day will be staggered to aid the management of the spaces.
• Additional space will be provided by use of the new events space near the golf bar to ensure all tables are set the required minimum distance apart.
• Breakfast will be provided via a hosted buffet service with staff serving from the buffet to the guest table.
• Room service will be available on a complimentary basis.

10. Our Facilities

• Our golf course and tennis courts have been open to our local members and operating safely since May 15th, giving us our first steps towards reopening.
• We are confident that we have plans, ready to go, which will allow us to safely offer use of our pool and hot tub, our Natural Health Spa, as well as boat trips and kayaking adventures.
• And there is no problem at all with wandering around our beautiful grounds and the local coastal footpaths to explore the local area around the stunning Helford River.

11. Compliance

• We are committed to ensuring that all the steps we take are compliant with industry best practice and the latest government guidelines. We welcome the proposed COVID-19 hospitality industry standard quality kite mark, designed to provide reassurance to visitors that tourism businesses are meeting a minimum common standard and we are committed to being compliant with it when it is launched by Visit Britain later this month.

12. Reassuring Our Local Community

• We are aware there are concerns within the local community in Cornwall about reopening the tourism sector too quickly.  We are committed to engaging with our local community to show them that we acknowledge and respect those concerns and we will seek to reassure them that we are a responsible tourism business. We will share our plans to demonstrate how we can reopen in a safe and  responsible way to the benefit of all, including the many local people and other businesses who rely on the commercial activity of our hotel business.

I do hope you have continued to stay safe and well and are not suffering too much from lockdown fatigue.

From the beginning of this crisis, we have been communicating and consulting with our guests, employees and suppliers, responding positively to the differing concerns and requests of everyone with an interest in our hotel, in each case tailoring the reassurance and support we have provided. We have always found mutually agreeable outcomes and continue to take great care in how we manage all our relationships, looking forward to a better future for us all.

Work to prepare for our reopening has stepped up a pace and we are now well on track to be prepared to welcome you back from July 4th. What we now await confirmation of is how government plan to stage the reopening of the tourism and hospitality sector in England. This announcement is expected within the next 10 days, so our plans remain conditional until then.

During the, now nearly, 11 weeks of separation, we have missed you greatly. Budock Vean has always had a great soul, but the soul of any place comes from the people who frequent it; the guests, the members and the staff; the wonderful mix of diverse personalities, with their different stories and desires and their stimulating, often amusing, interactions. Every day is different and every day brings a fresh challenge.

And so, to the immediate future, which sets us perhaps the greatest challenge we have every had to face, but one I am confident we can meet and overcome.

We will provide an environment which will, first and foremost, conform to government guidelines and will be as safe and secure as we can possibly make it; whilst recognising that we cannot eliminate all risk. The health and well-being of everyone who comes to Budock Vean is paramount to all of us and we have been developing methods which will allow us to continue to provide the very warm welcome and the very high quality of hospitality that our guests have come to know and love, whilst at the same time, increasing our health and safety measures, with specific focus on the challenges that COVID-19 presents.

What we recognise is that there is a balance to be struck. We will make every effort to ensure your experience with us is one that is truly relaxing and fulfilling, that immerses you in the beautiful, natural surroundings of the hotel estate and the Helford River at a time when that is what we all desperately need; an opportunity to get away and escape even for a short while, to get some fresh air and exercise and perhaps to reunite with family and friends. And at the same time, we will ensure that the appropriate steps are in place and the necessary physical changes to the hotel made, which will ensure you can delight in the experience, reassured it is safe and compliant.

This means your next stay with us may feel a little different, but Budock Vean remains a calm and peaceful, relaxing and restorative place. A place where we can all take our time, respect each other’s space and not rush; recognising that we will all be safer if we just take the time we need. We have large public rooms and plenty of them.

It remains a lovely, secluded place, off the beaten track and away from the crowds, where you can put your car away and enjoy all the space a 65 estate has to offer; to wander through the gardens and woodland or to find a quiet spot by our private foreshore, to sit and chat or enjoy a good book. The golf course and tennis courts have been open to our members since May 15th and are operating very successfully and safely.

And, just as soon as we are allowed to do so, we have plans, ready to go, to allow us to open and safely operate the swimming pool and our brand-new hot tub, the Natural Health Spa, alongside boat trips and kayaking adventures. We are entirely confident we can provide a safe experience that you will find reassuringly familiar; much like it’s always been.

And if you want to venture a little further, you can enjoy direct access from the hotel grounds to the coastal footpath around the Helford River, where you can find sparsely populated hidden beaches and coves. And we expect both the gardens of Trebah and Glendurgan to be open soon, just a short walk away.

You can expect Budock Vean to offer its customary warm and caring welcome. Safe and responsible hospitality, building on our longstanding commitment to our environment.

Whilst we continue to develop our safe operating procedures, I am eager to share with you our 12-Point COVID-19 Care Plan, which highlights the key steps we are taking to ensure you, our employees, our suppliers and our local community all remain safe.

Once we have the announcement from government in mid-June and have greater certainty about the date we can open, we will be providing more and more detail about our safe operating procedures via emails like this and via our website.

In the meantime, please stay safe and keep well and we look forward to welcoming you back; its not too much longer now.

---

I do hope you are all keeping well and staying safe as we make our way through the 8th week of lockdown. This has been a better week in many respects, with the Prime Minister announcing, last Sunday evening, the government’s plans for the gradual loosening of restrictions. 

I am delighted to inform you that today, we reopened the golf course and tennis courts to our members and I was out first thing this morning to welcome the first players. Our Reception Manager, Stuart, has been very busy these past few days responding to the rush of members wanting to rejoin and book slots. It is quite wonderful to see this burst of activity. Tony, our golf manager, who has been kept fully occupied maintaining the course, is delighted that everyone can now get out and enjoy it. Let us hope this fine weather continues.

Of course, the other big news item for us was that the hospitality sector will not be allowed to reopen until July 4th at the earliest. There were the usual caveats around this, but this information is helpful to us; at least now we have something to plan towards.
 
As a consequence of this announcement, I am required to further extend the temporary closure of Budock Vean. On the assumption that it will be safe and sensible to do so, I now plan to reopen the hotel on Saturday 4th July 2020.
 
What this means is that we now have to postpone all bookings for anyone who was still hoping to visit us up to 4th July 2020. The mechanics of this are the same as before - click here for details. 

Please do follow our social media channels to keep up to date with our latest news. 

Planning for Re-opening

Even before Sunday, I had started the process of planning and preparing for reopening Budock Vean. I am in the process of creating detailed guidelines for the operation of the hotel, which in time we will share with all of you. I want to ensure that everyone planning to visit us in future has a very clear picture, before they confirm their booking, about what their stay with us will be like under social distancing rules. These guidelines will also form the basis of all the staff training that will be required. What informs me in creating these new procedures is, first and foremost, the safety and well-being of all our guests and our employees, as well as all the relevant government guidance and regulations. We also have a lot of good ideas of our own.

The very good news is that I believe we can adapt well and can continue to provide the special experience that we have always provided; albeit there will be differences in the way we have to provide services. We are fortunate at Budock Vean to have spacious public areas and even more space to enjoy outdoors in our 65 acres of gardens and grounds, from where you can connect very readily with the coastal footpath, the Helford River with its stunning views and beaches, as well as other local attractions, including Trebah and Glendurgan Gardens.

During the outbreak, many charities have found it tough going, just like everyone else, and one of those charities that is close to my heart is the Helford River Children’s Sailing Trust, of which I am Co-Chair of Trustees. On the 26th April, in place of the postponed London Marathon, an event took place called the 2.6 Challenge and our fund raiser challenged the trustees to do something a bit daft to raise much needed funds for the trust whilst staying at home. I felt it had to be nautical and, of course, all the items I needed had to be on-site. I came up with my Bath Tub Challenge and I rowed an old bath tub, formerly in one of our bedrooms prior to refurbishment, up and down 26 lengths of the hotel pool and hit my target of raising over £1,000 for the trust.
  
Thank you for continuing to send your many heartwarming messages and stories about life in lockdown. Please do keep them coming to management@budockvean.co.uk

On behalf of all the team, I can tell you that we miss all of you and look forward to welcoming you back to Budock Vean. Please keep well and stay safe everyone.
 

Closure Extension: This will now be until 4th July, with a full statement coming soon from Martin Barlow following the latest advice from Government. 

Closure Extension - A message to all our customers from Martin and everyone at Budock Vean Hotel

Hello everyone,

I do hope you are all keeping well and staying safe as we approach the end of our fourth week in lockdown. I remain here at the hotel with my family, keeping an eye on the place and continuing to manage through this situation. I am very ably supported by the small team working either at home or onsite, all of whom are doing a great job of carrying on with the upkeep and maintenance of BV, with the sole focus of ensuring that, when the time comes, we are ready to welcome you all back with open arms. I am monitoring the daily government advice and, as always, what is upper most in my mind is the welfare of everyone who frequents the Budock Vean Hotel.

As a consequence of the government’s announcement to extend the lockdown for a further three weeks, I have decided to further lengthen the temporary closure of Budock Vean until May 31st 2020. On the assumption that it will be safe and sensible to do so, I now plan to reopen on 1st June 2020.

I will, of course, continue to monitor the situation closely and take advice from the appropriate authorities and we will only reopen when it is confirmed that we have the “all-clear” to do so. If this means that we have to extend the temporary closure further, we will ensure we update you in plenty of time. Please follow our social media channels to keep up to date with our latest news. The details of these are provided at the foot of this message.

What this means is that we now have to postpone all bookings for anyone who was still hoping to visit us during May.
Our team at Budock Vean are, as we speak, calling all the bookings we still have for this extended closure period. This is being addressed in chronological order starting with arrivals due on May 1st and they will work through all the bookings day by day up until May 31st. I would kindly ask for your patience as the Reception team work through this process.

Please also note that we have changed our hotel Reception hours. There will be a member of our team in Reception ready to take your calls and emails from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Outside of these hours, you may call and leave a message or send us an email to reservations@budockvean.co.uk. We will respond to you the following day.

Rebook for a future date: 
We very much look forward to the day when all of this is over and we can welcome you back to Budock Vean. With this in mind, we continue to look upon this as a postponement, not a cancellation. We very much hope you will want to postpone your holiday and rearrange it for a later date. You can therefore move your booking to any available date up until 31st May 2021 and we will retain your deposit to be used against this amended booking. If you elect to move your booking to a date with a different seasonal rate, we will need to charge you the new rate, which may be higher or lower, depending on which season you choose.

If, whilst you are waiting for our call, you would like to inform us of what you would like to do, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at reservations@budockvean.co.uk

What remains essential right now is that we all continue to follow government advice, stay at home and support all our dedicated and committed front line services personnel. I would like to thank them all for the incredible work they are doing to keep this country going.

I would like to thank all of you for your patience, understanding and support in these extraordinary circumstances. Thank you too for the very many heartwarming messages that you have sent in response to my previous communications; so many lovely reflections and reminiscences of past experiences at Budock Vean. Please do keep them coming to management@budockvean.co.uk

On behalf of all the team here at Budock Vean, whether those having to stay at home on furlough leave or those few remaining at work, I wish you all well and look forward greatly to the day when we can welcome you all back again.

In the meantime, as we all collectively prepare and strengthen ourselves for the further weeks ahead in lockdown, I would like to leave you with a thought, aptly expressed, I feel, by the words of Martin Luther King Jr:

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”

Happy Easter - a message to all our customers
 
I walked down through our wooded valley garden this Good Friday lunchtime, reflecting on the many happy Easter weekends we have spent with our guests at Budock Vean. Right about now, we would be welcoming guests and some would be heading down to Bar Beach at low tide to go cockling, or “trigging”, a longstanding Easter tradition on the Helford. Others might be setting off on a leisurely walk along the banks of the river, planning a boat trip on the Hannah Molly or a kayaking adventure over in Frenchman’s Creek with Tom and Hetty; all topped-off with a cream tea back at the hotel. 
 
All of us at Budock Vean are sorry that you are unable to join us this time around, but we are thinking of you and sending you all our very best wishes for a Happy Easter and hoping that you can enjoy this weekend as much as possible, despite the very challenging circumstances that we all find ourselves in.
 
Thank you very much for sending all your wonderful, heart-warming reflections and reminiscences of your past experiences at Budock Vean. Please keep them coming. You can email them to us at management@budockvean.co.uk

I hope you enjoy the photographs of Budock Vean sent with this message. For more, please do not hesitate to connect with us via the usual social media channels, the links for which are detailed at the foot of this email.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Budock Vean just as soon as we are able to do so. In the meantime, please keep well and stay safe.

---

First and foremost, I do hope that you are all keeping well and staying safe. We are all now 10 days in and I wanted to write and let you know how we are approaching life in lockdown here at Budock Vean.

I would also love to hear from you about how you are coping and what you are doing at home to keep yourselves amused. Please do not hesitate to share your stories with us via email to management@budockvean.co.uk.

In the 33 years that my family and I have looked after this wonderful place, we never thought we would be in the scenario we find ourselves in today. Hotels are not supposed to be empty; it does not feel right. It’s way too quiet; a complete contrast to ‘normal’ life.

And as we move into Spring, the hotel grounds are looking absolutely beautiful, with wonderful spring flowers everywhere, the gunneras shooting up skywards from the floor of the woodland valley garden and wild garlic in abundance, lining the edges of the path to the foreshore. It is a great sadness that you are not able to come and enjoy it too, as you normally do in great numbers.

There is a small group of us living and working at the hotel, all following the government’s social distancing guidelines and safe working practices.

At the beginning of last week, I moved on site along with my two daughters, so that we could keep a close eye on my father, who is also living here, as well as looking after the place.

With us we have four members of our staff also living here, as they really had no other place to go, and they have moved into one of the self-catering cottages.

A small number of staff continue to work, under our new solo shift pattern; a bit lonely but safer. Stuart and Anda are sharing the day shifts in Reception dealing with all your “postponements”.

Thank you to all our customers who have been so supportive in moving their bookings to either later this year or to the same time next year. And thank you too to all of you who have been making new bookings. It is greatly heartening to us to receive calls from guests wanting to move or make bookings. Our bookings are looking good for later this year and into next.

Tony, our Golf Manager, is taking advantage of this lovely dry spell of weather to keep the golf course in top shape and Phil, our Head Gardener, is doing the same in the gardens and grounds. Terry, our Maintenance person, is finding some positives in the hotel being unoccupied, as he tells me that he can finally catch up with all those myriads of jobs on his list. And to make sure that the place is kept safe and secure, we have our night porters, Chris and Matt, still coming in at night to keep a watchful eye.

The purpose of all this useful endeavour is to ensure that we prepare for the time when this unprecedented situation comes to an end and make sure we are in a position to be up and running and fully operational immediately after the restrictions are lifted.

My thanks to all our team, to those working here and at home and to those going onto the government’s new furlough arrangements and who are keeping us entertained with their lockdown stories! They are a great team who have reacted calmly and professionally to this extraordinary situation. I am very proud of every single one of them.

The announcement of the furlough scheme was very good news indeed, in allowing us to ensure that all of our team remain employed by the hotel and are ready to be called upon to return to work just as soon as the hotel reopens.

Life under lockdown has made us pretty reminiscent, particularly as I approach the 20th anniversary of taking over the reins from my father. We’ve seen so much joy and happiness at the hotel over the years and, like everyone, we are longing for the day that that returns.

It has given us all a great lift to read your kind and supportive emails as well as your positive comments and feedback via our social media page and to understand that this place is as special to you as it is to us. Please do keep your stories and memories of BV coming; it’s a real joy to read them. You can also email them to us at management@budockvean.co.uk.

Our enormous thanks go out to all the frontline and key workers; the people keeping the supermarkets open, the delivery drivers, cleaners, teachers, everyone in the NHS and more for keeping us as safe as possible during this challenging time.

On that note, I have been working with local authority co-ordinators to see whether Budock Vean can be of any use in supporting local health and social care initiatives, potentially as a recovery unit; more on that another time, if things progress.

Please stay safe, stay home and, if you fancy, pop us over some of your Budock Vean memories; we would really love to read them. I will be keeping in touch with you with periodic updates from all of us at the hotel.

Thank you so much again for your continued support and we really cannot wait to see you again, once this is all over and we can all re-emerge and get back to living life to the full once more.

In considering my response to yesterday’s government announcement, what is upper most in my mind is the welfare of everyone who frequents the Budock Vean Hotel.

In line with government advice about avoiding non-essential travel, and the increased risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus, it is with great sadness that I must announce that Budock Vean Hotel will temporarily close, along with our self-catering accommodation and the Natural Health Spa.

The closure will initially be from today, Saturday 21st March 2020 until Thursday 30th April 2020 inclusive. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and take advice from the appropriate authorities, and we will only reopen when it is clear that it is safe to do so. If this means that we have to extend the closure beyond 30th April, we will ensure we update you in plenty of time. Please follow our social media channels to keep up to date with our latest news (links at the foot of this page).

What this means is that we will now have to cancel all bookings for anyone who was planning to visit us during this closure period.

Our team at Budock Vean are, as we speak, calling all the bookings we still have for this closure period to help you complete the cancellation. This is being addressed in chronological order starting with arrivals due tomorrow Sunday 22nd and they will work through all the bookings day by day up until April 30th. I would kindly ask for your patience as the Reception team work through this process.

Rebook for a future date: We very much look forward to the day when all of this is over and we can welcome you back to Budock Vean. With this in mind, we are looking upon this as a postponement, not a cancellation. We very much hope you will want to postpone your holiday and rearrange it for a later date. You can therefore move your booking to any available date up until 30th April 2021 and we will retain your deposit to be used against this amended booking. If you elect to move your booking to a date with a different seasonal rate, we will need to charge you the new rate, which may be higher or lower, depending on which season you choose.

If, whilst you are waiting for our call, you would like to inform us of what you would like to do, please do not hesitate to contact us via email at reservations@budockvean.co.uk.

I appreciate that this will be disappointing news for all those who enjoy staying with us and for those who frequent Budock Vean as day visitors. I would like to thank you for your patience, understanding and support in these exceptional circumstances. I, along with my team, look forward to welcoming you back to Budock Vean once this has all passed.

In the meantime, I can assure you that on your behalf we will continue to look after this very special place that we all love and during our temporary closure we will be sharing sights, sounds and memories of life at BV and the Helford River. We want to let you know how we are getting on and we would be delighted to hear from you too. Please, let’s keep in touch.

In the meantime, we have initiated discussions with local health care organisations and local charities to see whether Budock Vean can provide any assistance and support to those in our local community who need it most. We have a valuable asset that we might be able to put to productive use during the next few weeks.

Please stay safe everyone and we are looking forward very much to the day, when we can throw open our doors to you all and welcome you back into the warmth and comfort of Budock Vean. And when we do, we can assure you that it will be a time to remember!