Travelling in Greece in the “new normality”

Year 2020 has been definitely special for all of us. The coronavirus pandemic has radically changed the way we travel, but also changed the way we act in our daily life.

From the position of Condian Hotel’s Head of Reservations, I have the opportunity to communicate daily with all of you, sharing our thoughts and concerns, about changes in travelling in the COVID-19 era.

I have collected 6 of your most frequently asked questions, and I will answer them, in order to help all of you who are thinking of planning your holiday to Crete.

  1. What measures do you have in place for COVID-19 at your Hotels? Are there any changes to your services and facilities?

At Condian Hotels, we have adapted our operations, in order to follow all the instructions of the Greek Authorities and the World Health Organization, to prevent the spreading of the virus. As part of this implementation, we have trained our employees on safe practices and we provide them with means such as masks, gloves, disinfectants, etc. according to the work of each one.

More specifically:

    • Observance of personal hygiene measures
    • Maintaining social distances, both in our reception areas, as well as in all our public areas (restaurants, swimming pool, bar)
    • Use of mask where required
    • Regular disinfection of public areas
    • Avoid overcrowding and monitor social distancing.
    • Thorough disinfection of our rooms, in order to deliver them fully disinfected to the next Guest
    • Development of an action plan in case of a confirmed COVID-19 case
    • The operation of our Kids club as well as the operation of our shuttle bus service, has been suspended to avoid the spreading of the virus.
    • The cleaning service has been altered due to the Health & Safety Protocols. We are avoiding entering your room daily, in order to keep it safe for you. As a result of this your room will be cleaned every 3 days. In case you do not wish us to enter your room at all, you may inform our Front office Team on your arrival day.
  1. Is your pool area open? Can we still use the sunbeds and the pool?

Our pool is open to all our Guests, as every year. However, measures have been taken in order to avoid overcrowding, so there is a limit of 25 people who can be in the pool at the same time.  In addition, according to the Health & Safety Protocols, the use of inflatables inside the pool is not allowed.

  1. Will the restaurants and shops be open this year?

The restaurants and shops were open during last summer and they did comply with all the Health & Safety Protocols of the National Health Organization, in order to prevent the overcrowding and keep all the necessary social distancing. As of November 6, 2020, all restaurants, cafeterias and bars are closed due to COVID-19 spreading in Greece. The Greek Government is monitoring closely all the changes in the epidemiological criteria and based on these will further decide the re-opening date of restaurants, bars and cafeterias.

  1. Is the late check-out and early check-in option available this year?

According to the Health & Safety Protocols, time of at least 4 hours is required from your check-out until the next Guest checks-in the room. For this reason, we have changed the check-in & check-out timings (15:00 and 11:00 respectively), in order to have the time needed, to properly disinfect the room and deliver it to the next Guest.

In any case, where possible, we still offer the option of late check-out and early check-in.

  1. Do I need to present a PCR negative before I enter Greece? What is the protocol to be followed with tourists detected as positive?

As of November 11, 2020 all people traveling to Greece from foreign countries will need to present a negative molecular test result (PCR) for COVID-19, performed up to 72 hours before their entry to Greece. This includes air and land arrivals to Greece. For more detailed information about the testing and all the procedures to follow if you are detected as positive to COVID-19, you may visit the below links :

Protocol for Arrivals in and Departures from Greece – travel.gov.gr

https://eody.gov.gr/en/

  1. We have booked your accommodation, which must be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. Will we get a refund?

At Condian Hotels our Guest’s needs are our top priority.

This summer, sensing your needs due to travelling restrictions and flight cancellations, we have altered our cancellation policies, giving you the chance of free cancellation up to 72 hours prior to your arrival. We have also given the possibility to all of you, to amend your reservation for a later date in 2021 or to change your reservation for 2022 keeping, in most cases, the same price.

For those of you who were not able to plan their trip now, we provided a credit voucher, which was worth the total amount of your reservation, so you can use it when you are ready to plan your next holiday.

In any case, we examined each case individually. Therefore in cases where you asked us for a refund, we have proceeded in refunding your reservation.

Our country is known for its natural beauties, its sun, the warmth and the hospitality of the Greek people.

Taking all the necessary measures for our safety, we can all enjoy together the beauties of Greece and Crete.

The time has come… we can meet again!