Cape Cod hotel, inn owners ready to get back to business

 Jerry Neal, who has owned the 10-room Isaiah Hall Bed & Breakfast Inn in Dennis Village for 17 years, said he usually opens in April and runs at 90% capacity.

Not so this year.

The first guest of the season is set to arrive on Friday — two months after the inn's traditional opening date.

Due to the threat of coronavirus, most businesses statewide were ordered shut down in March. They are now being allowed to reopen under a phased plan. Hotels got the go-ahead earlier this week.

“I was supposed to be full the last two weekends, but they all canceled,” Neal said. Calls to book rooms are now starting slowly to come in.

“It’s the confidence factor right now,” Neal said. “I think people are hesitant to do anything.”

With an acre of land surrounding the inn, social distancing won't be a problem even if all 10 rooms are filled.

Bookings for July and August, mainly from guests returning to the inn, remain in place, Neal said, but “I think it will be baby steps in June.”

Vacationers to the Cape this summer will find a few changes in the way things are done at their favorite hotels and inns. Buffets, self-serve coffee stations, and offerings like cookie and fruit platters for patrons will be gone due to state restrictions.

Swimming pools, a big draw for families on vacation, are under some limitations. The state has allowed outdoor pools to open, although with fewer lounges poolside due to social distancing requirements. Indoor pools currently must remain closed.

Guests will begin their stays with remote check-in systems instead of hugs and handshakes from their hosts, who must maintain social distancing and cover their smiles with masks.

Face coverings will also be required of guests when in public areas, and they must maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet.

Some establishments require their customers to sign liability waivers, so the hosts, who say they are doing their utmost to provide safe lodgings, won’t get sued if a guest later comes down with COVID-19.

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The Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has provided some guidance to business owners and managers on ways to meet the state’s requirements, said Chief Executive Officer Wendy Northcross.

“The new cleaning protocols that everyone has been adapting to will soon become par for the course, and the customer is going to hear from every type of lodging the same guidance: wear a face covering, practice social distancing, wash your hands, and if sick, please stay home,” Northcross said.

The five Red Jacket Resorts on the Cape have staggered opening dates, according to spokesman Matt Pitta. Green Harbor Resort on Lewis Bay opened Monday and was off to a good start.

“It was pretty busy,” Pitta said. “People had been making bookings in anticipation that we would be open.” By the close of business Monday, the resort was at 40% capacity.

The company developed detailed standards for its operations to follow, and set up a “clean team” to handle cleaning and sanitizing. “We have a contract for hospital grade disinfectants to treat all surfaces,” Pitta said. “We have large hand-held sprayers and backpack sprayers for common areas.”

Once a room is sanitized, he said, the door is sealed with a red sticker, “so people know no one has been in since the room was cleaned and sanitized.”

The Little Inn on Pleasant Bay in Orleans opened for guests on Wednesday, and Pamela Adam, who has owned the nine-room inn with her sister Sandra Arnold for 19 years, was hard at work on finishing touches Tuesday.

“We had so much to do, and we want to get it right,” Adam said. “For months, we had nothing but cancellations. Now the phone is ringing off the hook.”

Normally, a day at the inn starts with a buffet breakfast, but such self-service arrangements are not allowed under state guidelines. “This year, we’ll do a breakfast picnic with a choice of things they can have delivered to their room or to their table,” Adam said. “They can eat overlooking the water or overlooking the gardens.” Tables and furniture will be arranged to comply with social distancing standards.

Adam doesn’t have to worry about pool protocol, since guests simply swim in Pleasant Bay.

Both on the website and when guests call ahead, they are informed that they will be expected to follow the governor’s rules for their own protection as well as fellow guests and the inn’s staff.

“We take it very seriously,” said Adam, who said rooms will be thoroughly cleaned daily, not just between guests or on request.

On the advice of their lawyer, guests must also sign liability waivers prior to their stay, Adam said. The waivers note that "there is no definitive word as to what level of interaction is completely safe." The inn is taking all recommended steps to protect guests and staff, but cannot guarantee that employees or guests may be unknowingly carrying or transmitting COVID-19. By signing the waiver, guests acknowledge the inherent risks and their decision to accept those risks.

Northcross said the start of summer on the Cape is looking good.

“Shops are open and several attractions are welcoming guests to their outdoor amenities,” she said. “Of course, beaches and bike trails and hiking trails are popular, so there is a lot to do.”

All the groundwork being done by the region's business owners should help customers to feel safe during their stays, she said.

Follow Christine Legere on Twitter: @ChrisLegereCCT.