Riu Hotels and Resorts has reopened 11 of its all-inclusive resorts in the wider Caribbean-Mexico region, Caribbean Journal has learned.
The reopenings include the Riu Palace Paradise Island in The Bahamas; the Riu Palace Aruba; the Riu Ocho Rios in Jamaica; and the Riu Palace Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
That’s along with a broad reopening push in the Mexican Caribbean that includes four Cancun-area resorts: the Riu Palace Peninsula; the Riu Cancun; the Riu Caribe; the Riu Palace Las Americas and the Riu Dunamar.
Riu has also relaunched its Riu Palace Riviera Maya and Riu Playacar, both of which are in Playa del Carmen.
Other Mexico reopenings include the Riu Vallarta and Riu Palace Pacifico on the Riviera Nayarit, along with the Riu Santa Fe in Cabo San Lucas.
Riu says it has implemented a “comprehensive manual” for post-COVID hotel operations covering 17 different protocols.
Those range from temperature checks for all guests upon arrival to the provision of masks to new virucidal spray disinfecting of rooms.
At restaurants, meal hours have been extended to “avoid rush hour crowds.”
Riu also says it is making gloves and masks mandatory for guests to “access and approach the buffet.”
“An employee will take you to your table, which will have a single-use tablecloth that has been disinfected beforehand, as well as the chairs, which will also be placed to respect the safety distance,” the company said. “Cutlery is no longer collected at the buffet and is placed on the table in sealed envelopes, and drinks will be served at your table.”
Most notably, Riu is capping its hotels to a maximum occupancy of between 50 and 60 percent.
“All our staff have received specific training on how to apply these protocols and offer our usual service but now with maximum safety guarantees,” the company said in a statement.
Riu has also launched what it is calling “Riu Protect,” a medical assistance service for guests that includes medical care in the event of a “possible COVID-19 infection while on holiday.”
For more, visit Riu.