Published: March 14th, 2020
Last Update: May 2nd, 2020
This is a public update on the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) from KARATARAKIS SA. that owns and manages Lato Boutique Hotel, Olive Green Hotel and Legacy Gastro Suites, in Heraklion city, on Crete island, Greece. It is also an action-log book that is being immediately updated on any information and/or action taken, as the covid19 situation evolves.
We announce that Lato Boutique Hotel will continue operations following the G.N.T.O. order of March 19, 2020 as well as the decision of the Tourism Minister no. 5052/24-3-2020.
We assure you that health and safety of our employees, guests and of our community remains our top priority. We kindly require from our guests visiting Heraklion city during this unforeseen COVID-19 period, to study the necessary COVID-19 advice for travelers provided by the Hellenic Organization of Public Health and to have completed the required information of the General Secretariat of the Hellenic Civil Protection agency.
As the new coronavirus (COVID-19) is having a great global impact, we feel it is important to reach out to you the actions we are taking across our properties to keep our guests, team members, and the local community safe and healthy.
Since March 13th, 2020 we have taken the following actions:
- As of March 13th, 2020 we inform that our restaurants do not serve non-residents of our hotels.
- As of March 14th, 2020 we temporarily suspended the operations of Olive Green and Legacy hotels. Our services were limited to Lato Boutique Hotel only, with modified operations and by implementing new procedures and shifts, always in cooperation with the department teams. We also do not provide non-resident services such as BNQ, concierge, etc.
- We provided our administration team all the technical equipment to work from home.
- For our team members of the operating departments who joined the daily shifts:
- Restrictions for a limited number of people in the workplace are respected.
- We proactively provided everybody with all recommended protective equipment.
- We continue to regularly disinfect work surfaces, as well as public and private areas.
- We postponed all scheduled group meetings until further notice.
- We took measures so as to limit social hubs and keep a safe distance between people (2+ meters).
- We temporarily closed the staff-meeting place in Lato until further notice. Employees can take their break inside and/or outside the hotel.
- We advised our employees, who due to the measures must refrain from their work, to stay at home following the instructions of the national health services. Our company constantly provides employees with up-to-date information on the government's emergency measures, which are implemented in full.
- We reminded that the following groups should stay at home and NOT get to work until the measures expire:
- Older adults over 60
- People with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, etc.)
- People who have a compromised immune system
- Pregnant women
- We also reminded that the recommended daily actions that ALL of us MUST take EVERYWHERE in order to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses are the following:
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover the mouth and nose with a disposable tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Discard tissue immediately into a closed bin.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay at home when sick.
- Clean and disinfect regularly-touched objects and surfaces
- As part of our commitment for the health and well-being of our guests, team members, and community, we are carefully monitoring the new coronavirus (COVID-19) situation through regular updates and guidance from the National Public Health Organization (E.O.D.Y.) and the Hellenic Ministry of Health, as well as additional government agencies and European health care agencies.
- Our teams across our properties conduct rigorous cleaning of all guest rooms and all public and back-of-house spaces, throughout the day. Furthermore, we carefully follow cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection protocols that meet or exceed industry guidelines. These protocols, which assist in illness prevention, include:
- Regular sanitation training for our team members.
- Clearly established time-schedule for cleaning and disinfection in all areas.
- Conspicuous placement of hand sanitizers.
- Frequent cleaning and wash down of outdoor and high touch locations, including walkways, staircase, elevator.
- Fast response to off-cycle cleaning issues.
- Given the current concerns related to new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), we have established house rules that along with adequate sanitation protocols, safety methods and operation procedures guarantee the well-being of our guests during their stay with us. These rules include:
- We advise our guests to keep a distance of two (2) meters from the person next in line while approaching any indoors help-desk (reception, bar, buffet, etc.)
- We provide a face mask for our guests in case of coughing and/or sneezing in any indoors public space of the hotel.
- We inform of the maximum use of our elevators by two adults, and of the use of a face mask.
- We have reduced by 1/3rd our restaurants’ capacity by arranging our spaces to meet the new required distances. We adjusted our breakfast buffet so all our delicacies are served without the use of shared utensils (tongs). All packaging is for one use, ecological, and the utensils used, meet the hygiene standards for the indicated temperatures.
- Entering and leaving our restaurants for their meals, our guests’ are being advised to use the special hand sanitizers placed for that purpose at all our restaurants’ entrances.
- For our guests’ Room Service we apply new procedures for ordering, delivering and collecting trays, to facilitate their needs.
- To avoid any health issues that may be caused from goods and/or services brought from third parties and consumed in-house we do not allow off-property food delivery services.
- We encourage our visitors to get in touch with any member of our team for recommendations and/or remarks that will improve our operations.
Our aim is to provide high-quality personalized services. All our team members are enthusiastic professionals at our guests’ disposal, responding promptly and effectively to their requests.
Should this issue become of further significant concern in our area, we will be in line with the recommendations of the General Secretariat of the Hellenic Civil Protection agency, and the Hellenic Organization of Public Health (E.O.D.Y.)
Based on the guidance we've received and our general state of readiness, we are confident our operations continue to be safe and ready to serve our guests.
I am very proud of our company's staff who in these unprecedented circumstances show a very high level of individual and social commitment and responsibility. In addition to their immediate compliance with strict hygiene, movement, gathering, and coordination rules, they are exemplary hosts.
We value each guest that honors us with a visit to our destination. The city of Heraklion, Crete.
Yours Sincerely,
Lefteris Μ. Karatarakis
President & CEO Karatarakis Hotels & Restaurants S.A
42 Epimenidou St.,71 202 Heraklion-Crete