Our Approach to Coronavirus and FAQs

At Cotswold Inns & Hotels, the safety and wellbeing of our teams and customers are paramount – and we are doing everything we can to ensure that you still have an amazing experience when you visit one of our hotels while ensuring we uphold and exceed the guidelines on operating safely.

We know you’ve got lots of questions about the steps we’ve taken and the protocols in place – and we’ve tried to answer them here. If there’s anything we haven’t covered and that you want to know, please contact enquiries@cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

Q: What precautions have you taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus?

A: We always strive to go above and beyond the standards expected by our customers, and our approach to our reopening preparations are no exception. We have undertaken individual risk assessments at every hotel in our estate, allowing us to ensure that from the moment you arrive, you feel safe, at home and able to enjoy your stay or visit.

All of our hotels are deep cleaned before opening, with hand sanitising stations added throughout. In our restaurants, our seating arrangements allow for 1m+ social distancing and, where possible, we have separate entrances and exits, with a one-way system allowing for smooth access throughout.

Every single team member has undertaken a comprehensive training programme before returning to work, enabling them to do what they do best – look after you, keep you safe and make sure you leave happier than when you arrived.

We have intensified our already high standards of cleanliness and all hotel rooms are deep cleaned, sanitised and signed off by our housekeeping teams between stays.

To protect our hotel guests and our team members, we will be asking customers not to travel if they are displaying symptoms of coronavirus or if they are travelling from an area currently in a local lockdown. If a guest becomes unwell during their stay, we will be asking them to remain in their bedroom and contact the Duty Manager via telephone.

Dining arrangements, including breakfast, vary by location and you may be asked to book a table on arrival. You will be informed of this on check-in when they collect your bedroom key.

In our restaurants, our already rigorous cleaning regimes have been taken to another level, with all hard surface sanitised between sittings, single-use menus or the use of menu boards and a fanatical commitment to handwashing for all team members.

With the rule of six, effective from 14 September 2020, we can only accommodate party sizes of up to six people from either the same or different households, both indoors and outdoors. Please remember that this includes children and babies. If there are more than six individuals in your household or if you are part of an extended support bubble, we may be able to accommodate larger table sizes but if possible, please let us know in advance. If you are not part of the same family or cannot prove that you live in the same household, we may need to separate you into tables of six. Tables unfortunately cannot mix once seated.

These rules are designed for your safety and to prevent the spread of coronavirus. They are also now enforceable by law and we will need to keep strictly to these rules at all times.

Q: How are you collecting details for NHS Test & Trace?

A: When you arrive at the hotel, we will ask you to complete a mandatory Track and Trace registration using your NHS Test & Trace app. We have also made QR codes available in all of our pubs and these will also provide an alternative for anyone who hasn’t got the NHS app.

The NHS QR code will be used by those with the NHS app, and will log your presence in the hotel. If you prefer to use our system, you will need to scan the QR code using the camera on your smartphone (IOS or Android), which will take you directly to a Track and Trace registration form. It is a legal requirement that we ask at least one member of each party to register their details and we hope our customers will play their part in this important exercise. If you don’t have a smartphone or have signal issues, we will collect your registration on paper and dispose of this securely after the data retention period has ended.

Any Track and Trace data collected is held for a maximum of 21 days from the date of the last registered visit. If you have WIFI enabled on your phone and visit the same or another hotel, we may be able to recognise your phone and automatically register you, however, it is important that you complete the registration process on every visit regardless. Registration details captured on paper will be securely destroyed at the end of the 21-day period.

Q: What is your cancellation policy?

A: You can cancel your booking free of charge up to 72 hours before your arrival, all bookings including advance purchase rates and bookings with deposits booked before 23^rd March will be able to hold the payment as a credit for 12 months.

To postpone or cancel a booking, please email or telephone the hotel you are booked to stay at.

Q: I have a gift voucher that expires soon – can I extend the expiry date?

A: To extend the expiry date on a gift voucher, please send the voucher code to enquiries@cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk

Q: Can I go ahead with my wedding/event?

A: The government has currently placed a limit on the number of people that can attend a gathering – so if you have concerns about your wedding or event that is booked, please contact your wedding coordinator or email enquiries@cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk – We do not currently know how long these restrictions will be in place for, so we are continuously reviewing forthcoming bookings for weddings and events.