"Freshly disinfected" is written on a blue piece of paper that sticks to the door lock of the room door. Is this the beginning of a relaxing vacation? It's hard to imagine when you have to eat with a mouthguard and follow other hygiene regulations. A self-experiment shows how club holidays in Austria work during Corona times.
In Austria you are relaxed – thanks to Kurz. The Federal Chancellor introduced a mouthguard early on in the country and the nine federal states have no federalist ambitions like those in Germany. Speaking of Germany: While there are still strict rules and quotas for restaurants and hotels in Austria, there is no limit in Austria. Guests can book until the hotel is full. To the brim – like on Corpus Christi in the Hotel Aldiana in the Salzkammergut. Unimaginable in the Merkel country.
Due to the travel warning, organizers may only accommodate guests from Germany again from June 15th. Previously booked trips had to be canceled. The hotel in Styria has been open again since May 29th, even if Germans are still in short supply.
Mask requirement relaxed from June 15th
From June 15, guests can check in again at Aldiana, the mask requirement for employees is also relaxed. The service behind the counters and wellness offers will continue to be offered only with a mask, employees in the hotel may then work without them, provided they comply with the minimum requirements.
"I like Aldiana" – the hygiene regulations are also visible in the Aldiana in the Salzkammergut. At least it doesn't make you feel so stupid when you enter the lobby with a face mask. The lady there smiles friendly and shows that – the plexiglass wall means that the employees can do without a face mask.
The first surprise is waiting at the doorknob: The room is freshly disinfected and a sticker is stuck on the door. Looks a bit like a lead seal at customs, otherwise: remove the sticker, otherwise you won't find the electronic door opening. Modular room cleaning, which is identified by a sign, is new:
– Cleaning staff should not enter their own hotel room during their stay
– Only towels should be changed
– The normal room cleaning is carried out.
The food takes getting used to. Mouthguard in the restaurant area, take the "one-way" to get to the buffet, disinfect hands, load plates and then out to the "exit" to the square. Then the mouthguard may be removed again.
The many glasses (mozzarella with tomatoes, lots of starters, fruit) are pleasant, which makes it pleasant and hygienic.
Known for the thermal landscape
The Aldiana Hotel in Styria is known and popular for the Grimme thermal baths. Accordingly, the guests are more often in the older age, with club holidays there is less to it. When visiting the thermal spa, the procedure is again valid: open the mouthguard, into the thermal bath, then the mouthguard can be removed. This regulation of the Republic of Austria does not necessarily appear logical, but rather constructed. In the sauna area, many signs indicate that loungers are blocked to keep the minimum distance. Because here too there are logically limits.
Interim conclusion: Germans are now used to masks and since things are more relaxed in Austria than in Germany, also due to the lower number of cases, the corona topic is not particularly disturbing on vacation. Nevertheless, there are also regulations that can be questioned.
Change of location in the Hausruckwald
Change of scenery in the direction of Upper Austria: Instead of jubilation, hustle and bustle, and cheering with children, there is still a ghostly silence. The Aldiana Club in Ampflwang is orphaned in terms of guests. It will only start again on June 19, the final preparations are pending, also with some animal innovations. So there is now the possibility to go on vacation in special rooms with a dog or to accommodate your own horse as a guest for the riding stable.
Clear rules also apply here when it comes to distance: "We prepare everything so that the minimum distance of one meter is maintained, as specified by the Austrian Chancellor Kurz", explains Peter Grimm, General Manager in Ampflwang. "The minimum distance is the baby elephant, everyone in Austria now knows how big it is." Grimm also refers to the cooperation of the guests: "We can set up and control rules, but we are dependent on the holidaymakers themselves stick to it. "
What happens in a corona case?
This should interest most vacationers at the moment. The first question when a guest feels bad is: who is his tour group? Who belongs to the closest environment in which the minimum distance was not maintained. This includes, for example, the woman, children or people with whom sport was practiced. It is then asked not to leave the hotel room, the authorities, the Red Cross and the district administration are informed. A quick test is then carried out. The other people in the immediate vicinity who may not have any signs yet are also asked to stay in the rooms.
Which rules and regulations to observe in Ampflwang
- Bar: You can order at the bar but not eat it. There are also no bar stools available. The drink is taken to the table and can only be consumed there.
- Fitness: There are new rules for cycling in the studio, the devices are further apart. Every second device in the gym is not occupied to keep the distance. Guests are responsible for regularly disinfecting their hands.
- FinAdventureLand: The distance rule here is: a child on 10 square meters. The adventure land is only open to internal guests, not to external guests. “We have to ensure that our hotel guests can move through the building without restrictions. Unfortunately, this is not possible in any other way, ”says Grimm.
- Childcare: There is no mask requirement for children (up to 6 years). The supervisors in the children's area do not wear either. Parents are not allowed in this area, the offspring are handed in at the door. So that the parents do not get into the enclosure, there will be a "one-way" for handing in childcare and an "exit" where the offspring will be picked up again. Here the club follows the guidelines for kindergartens in Austria.
- Horse riding: Helmets and saddles are disinfected after each use. The riding is otherwise normal, pay attention to the minimum distance. What is new is that a guest horse can be taken along.
- Restaurant: At the entrance to the restaurant there is an employee who points out that a mask is required and that guests disinfect their hands. This is a requirement when things are offered for self-withdrawal in the catering and hotel industry. After looking for a place, the guest has to put on the mask again and disinfect his hands when he enters the buffet area. And what happens if the rules are violated? Grimm becomes clear: “The staff pays attention to hygiene measures. We have a responsibility towards all guests, so everyone must abide by the rules of the game. If you don't do that, you are not allowed to enter this area. ”Guests can also fill drinks themselves at the tap, as their hands must be disinfected each time before entering the area.
- Swimming pool: There are square meter regulations for these specific areas that must be observed. Due to the requirements, no swimming school is offered.
- Shows: Up to the end of June, a maximum of 100 people are allowed to attend the theater performances; "For this reason, we have shortened the shows to 30 to 35 minutes," explains the General Manager at Ampflwang. From July 1, the limit will be raised to up to 250 people.
- Sports: Sports such as badminton, tennis (including coaching sessions) and free play (such as basketball or soccer) in your own group are permitted. Volleyball with strangers is prohibited, it is also not on the program. Doubles are also possible in badminton and tennis on one side of the net, provided that they are people in the same household. You can also get a ball at the reception, it is disinfected before and after.
Conclusion: The website www.sichere-gastfreundschaft.at is the basis for measures taken by the hotel industry in Austria. “In Aldiana Ampflwang we have a leisure business, massage, catering and child care. Therefore, we pull the relevant things out of all regulations. The specialty is the buffet. With us, guests can serve themselves, in classic restaurants there is no self-service. Plates are served here. "
Ultimately, there are three things: minimum distance, hygiene, mouth-nose coverage – now only the guest has to play, he is the unknown. Grimm: “The health and safety of our guests is our top priority. That is why we strictly implement the regulations and try as best we can to ensure that our holidaymakers have a wonderful stay. ”
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The research was carried out with the support of Aldiana.