Note to Reader
This, like life itself, is work in progress and is still being edited. Practices are evolving. We learn more about what is reasonable and helpful every day. Give us feedback about what you like and what you don’t.
A New Day in Old Florida
We believe the key to vacation enjoyment is the ability and opportunity to relax. This one idea has driven everything we do here at Firefly Resort Cottages. As we develop the property we always start by asking if the change will help our guests achieve relaxation. Our goal—allowing you to set aside cares, enjoy your new environment, and embrace this natural paradise—is only achieved after you find peace of mind. We are now in a time of greater uncertainty and wanted to do something to help you find peace of mind.
In response to the coronavirus threat, we committed to telling you exactly how we have prepared your cottage and about our efforts to keep you safe. We hope this will allow you to fully relax in your cottage and on the property. We have made changes to increase sanitation and we share them with you in the hope that by demonstrating the care we’ve taken; our guests will find the peace and relaxation they sought by traveling.
In March, we voluntarily closed the cottages for several months determined to reopen only when we could offer hospitality safely. Ian holds a master’s degree in public health with a focus on health promotion and disease prevention and consulted both health and trade literature in developing our response to the current situation. Darrin is expert in the art of Swedish Death Cleaning, and lends his expertise to this ramp up of hygienic standards at Firefly. We are seeking additional guidance and will alter our practices as new information becomes available. We both consulted our own consciences in determining how to ethically respond in these changed times. We decided to reopen for Memorial Day weekend and are implementing a set of new business and health practices believing they allow us to be open, serve our guests well, and not be reckless.
Ian and Darrin run every aspect of the business, our existence requires we do everything we can to not contract or transmit the virus. All of the measures deployed are driven by science and are evidence-based. We share them with you here so you will know what we are doing to keep you safe and healthy, and what you can do as well. We also apologize in advance for any inconvenience associated with them.
The 3 S’s
Our approach to providing hospitality in this new era involves:
- Separation: We maintain safe social distance with our guests and others. We limit our exposure to the broader community and do not congregate with groups.
- Sanitization: We intensify cleaning and focus on touchable community surfaces using EPA-registered disinfectants and best practices.
- Simplification: We made changes to reduce viral opportunities and ease cleaning.
Separation
We think of separation in terms of both time and distance. Like all things, viruses break down with time. We are implementing several separation strategies allowing more time and greater distance than before.
24-hour Cottage Buffer
Separation in terms of time is critical, as “time heals all”. We have decided to block a cottage for one day before and one day after it is rented. The day before anyone comes, and for one day after, the cottage will remain vacant except for cleaning. This allows the cottage to be unoccupied for at least 27 hours and usually longer in between guests. During this period a more comprehensive housekeeping effort offers optimum effectiveness.
Social Distancing
This was probably the most difficult to come to terms with. We always sought to offer human contact with our visitors; we enjoy meeting and conversing with our guests. We still want to; but for the time being your safety requires we keep our distance and not enter your cottage. This doesn’t mean we don’t want you to communicate with us.
From what we know, this virus is most readily transmitted between an infected (but not always showing symptoms) person, and an uninfected person through small viral droplets we all emit when talking, breathing, and doing other “vital for life” activities. These droplets can be breathed in or come in contact with the eye and infect a new person. Droplets theoretically can land on a surface, be touched, and then brought to the mouth or nose and infect someone. This is not the main way this virus is transmitted; the most common way is person to person. Therefore, we are adopting social distancing and not having close contact…with anybody.
We regret we cannot shake your hand in welcome or hug you good-bye; we really liked that part. Please understand that our behavior is intended for your protection and based on science and compassion, not fear of the virus or for our own health, or in judgement of the risk posed by our guests. If we were afraid, we wouldn’t be open.
We live and work on the property, so you will see us and we are happy to talk and answer any questions you might have—from a distance of six feet. If you have any needs and don’t see us, please send us a text or call us. You can also ring the bell on our cottage in an emergency.
Masks
Out of respect for our guests, we will maintain six feet social distance and we will wear a mask when among guests. We don’t usually wear masks out of doors and when gardening, etc.
We are not sure of the evidence that anything other than an N-95 face-fitting mask is at all protective. One of my public health/pandemic heroes is the Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, Dr. Michael Osterholm. Dr. Osterholm said recently that despite guidelines to the contrary (which didn’t exist before N-95 mask shortages were causing a crisis in the hospitals treating Covid patients), masks for the general public just don’t help all that much.
So, we are wearing them, for now, mostly as a reminder to stop us from touching our faces when we are cleaning cottages and handling items that will be delivered or used in cottages.
While we appreciate that wearing a mask may protect others, we do not require, or even request, that our guests wear masks. However, we expect and trust all of our guests to maintain six-foot social distance with us and others at Firefly.
Contactless Check-in and Guest Service
We now provide an exclusively contactless check-in process and do not accept walk-in guests. Payment arrangements are made at the time of booking, and we will charge your credit card any remaining balance at the time of check in. (Let us know if you wish to provide a different method of payment.)
Your door locks are pre-set to a special code provided at booking confirmation. We are available by phone, especially when you arrive, for any questions. If we don’t hear from you, we will call you when we become aware of your presence, very late arrivals excepted.
No Entry
While we normally were happy to pop in and demonstrate how to use the remote or adjust the thermostat, we will no longer enter a cottage during a guest stay. Under special circumstances, to address urgent needs or repairs, we will make arrangements to enter with you when you are not in the cottage while taking precautions.
For longer stays, we will drop fresh towels and collect used towels from your stoop every three days. Once a week, we will service your cottage when you are out, and will do so with gloves and mask and observe best practices.
We live and work on the property, so you will see us and we are happy to talk and answer any questions you might have—from a distance of six feet. If you have any needs and don’t see us, please send us a text or call us: (206) 852-5067-Ian or (206) 853-5245-Darrin. You can also ring the bell on our cottage in an emergency. (Ours is the first on the left when approaching the cottages.)
Sanitization
While we don’t know everything about this new germ, we do know one thing: how to destroy it! We are all over destroying this bug.
Our cleaning protocols were always top-notch and we do everything ourselves. In the circumstances of a pandemic, every additional person in your space increases the risk of exposure, please know that only Ian and Darrin have been in your cottage since the previous guests and sanitize everything we touch.
Hand washing
We have also adopted regular hand washing, as studies have shown that washing hands at least 5x a day reduces transmission of respiratory illnesses by 16-20%. We wash our hands with soap for 20 seconds upon entering any cottage and our own, when handling laundry, when handling cottage amenities. Hand washing is something we do significantly more often than 5x a day.
We finally scored some hand sanitizer and leave a bottle out on the table on the patio near the pond.
Surface cleaning
Darrin worked seven years in apartment maintenance in Seattle and identified effective products for almost any situation, including potentially biohazardous situations, and developed very rigorous cleaning processes. Surfaces are disinfected upon initial entry to a cottage when a guest departs before we clean them and disinfect again as we leave the cottage for you.
We primarily use three powerful disinfectants on surfaces: 100% methylated ethanol (wood spirit, EPA Reg. #84150-1), chlorine bleach & water (low and high strength, EPA Reg. # 5813-111), and, as a pretreatment, Citrus II (a proprietary hospital germicidal deodorizing cleaner made by Beaumont Product, Inc., EPA Reg. #1839-83) . Blinds and headboards are sprayed with disinfectant (Lysol Disifectant Spray, EPA Reg. #777-82).
Kitchen
Kithen surfaces (countertops, shelf faces, backsplashes, sinks, faucets, appliances, window sills, electrical wall plates/switches) are sanitized between guests. Appliance faces have been cleaned and sanitized including knobs and doors. Salt and pepper shakers are sanitized/wiped with disinfectant, between guests or replaced
Dishware
We individually wrap cleaned and alcohol-sanitized ceramic plates, cups and bowls; glassware in tissue and seal for your protection. Silverware is wrapped together. If they are unwrapped, please know they were cleaned, but not sanitized. These items include serving ware, cookware, water pitchers, salad bowls, etc.
We have also begun supplying disposable plates and bowls and cutlery for your use. These are packaged for each guest. If you choose to use these disposables and run out, let us know and we will bring replacements. We package and store these in the Airstream and use disposable gloves when handling. Each bag is sealed and not touched by other guests.
Coffee/Tea
We don’t sanitize the coffee! But…we do take some precautions. We still pride ourselves on providing our guests a rotating selection of freshly ground, locally roasted, fair-traded, single-origin, coffee. We have changed how this is prepared for you.
We have substituted single serving creamers for the milk jars we provided in the past. We eliminated tins for filters, sweeteners and tea, and now provide these in single use paper bags.
Coffee is still ground nightly and delivered to cottages after dark. We clip coffee bags to the chalkboard. We wear masks and gloves when grinding and packaging coffee and then deliver with freshly washed hands.
Bath
All surfaces in your bath have been treated: cleaned, rinsed, disinfected. Toilets, sinks, faucets, shower stalls, floors, shelves, window ledges, wall switches. Shower rugs are exchanged (washed) between guests. Shower curtains are treated with a disinfecting spray between guests.
Towels & Linens
Although the virus degrades very quickly on fabric and paper, after reviewing the literature we are still taking extra precautions. All laundry services are performed in house and are under our control. All linens/textiles are removed from cottages and laundered/heat sanitized between guests.
Bed linens and towels are washed in hot water, using a detergent and sanitizing agent (either chlorine or peroxide bleaches).
Quilts are heated in an electric dryer for 15 minutes and generally removed from use between guests for from 2 to 4 days, depending how busy we are. Table linens are laundered in between guests and also generally taken out of service.
We have discontinued the use of pillow shams. Pillow protectors are now exchanged and laundered in between guests.
We will drop fresh towels on the third day of your stay (and every three days) in a clean plastic bag. Please put your used towels in the bag and leave outside for us to grab. We may provide extra sets for longer stays in cottages where there is space to do so.
Simplify
We originally styled and outfitted the cottages to provide for your needs. We wanted you to have, or have easy access to, the things most often needed on vacation. We placed art and curios to inspire you and your imagination. We placed magazines to distract and delight.
Take Away
Some of these things had to go; but we tried to do so thoughtfully. We reduced the number of dishes on display. We removed some of the most enticing “finger-candy,” items difficult to sanitize but intended for touch (games, puzzles, cards, etc.). We removed magazines.
Books
We’ve left books in the cottages where they were before, but ask guests to do the following: If you touch a book, put it on the table before you go. We’ll remove it from guest space and let it sit a few days before returning it to the cottage. According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, viral load on cardboard has a half-life of 1 hour, and virus was no longer detectable after 24 hours. Books will remain outside guest space for 3 days.
Pillows
The throw pillows in your cottage have just been returned to your cottage and were not in any guest space for three days prior to your arrival, and were treated with an aerosol disinfectant when the cottage was cleaned prior to your arrival.
Drinking Water
We will supply each cottage with 4 sanitized glass bottles of purified drinking water, and for the time being, we will refill them during your stay. We are installing a “hydration station” in the seating area by the fountain where guests can “gather water” safely.
We are in this together
We can only do this safely with your help. You are our guests, at our home and property we share with others. Our livelihood depends on the success of this business, which in turn depends on the experience of our guests. In order to be successful, especially now, we also need to know you are well. We are doing everything in our power to protect our guests.
Help us to succeed and if you should become ill while or after visiting, please tell us so we can evaluate our exposure. If you should learn it was possible you were infectious while here, please call and let us know in order to further protect our guests and ourselves.
Thank you.
[1] Rabie T and Curtis V. Handwashing and risk of respiratory infections: a quantitative systematic review Trop Med Int Health. 2006 Mar; 11(3):258-67