Coronavirus. It’s everywhere. All over the news, social media; there doesn’t seem to be much escape from it. Many of our guests are asking the question, can I have a safe holiday in the Margaret River Region despite Coronavirus? Does this pandemic mean I have to cocoon myself at home? The short answer is no. There are so many ways you can still enjoy a holiday in our beautiful Southwest, knowing that all local businesses are pulling together to keep the spread of Coronavirus at bay.
The Margaret River Region is very much open for business. Local businesses are adapting their practices to align with safety advice from WHO, CDC and our Health Department.
What makes the SouthWest an ideal Coronavirus escape?
At Bina Maya Yallingup Escape we are in a very unique position. Uniquely positioned in that we are in acres of pristine Australian bush, we have 2 luxury villas which are isolated from each other; the villas themselves are just 2 years old and immaculately presented. You might also be pleasantly surprised to hear that in another life, I (Sara) worked as a medical researcher. With a PhD in biological based sciences I spent over 15 years conducting pre-clinical cancer research, working with immunologists, infectious diseases specialists and virologists. Growing cancer cells in the lab means you use something called ‘aseptic technique’. This is where you have to ensure pristine conditions to prevent contamination. I won’t bore you with the details but the cleaning is quite laborious. For this reason, at Bina Maya our standards have always been extremely high. For example, we have always wiped all surfaces, remotes, door handles, used bleach tablets for disinfecting all our laundry, and placed all throws/ throw cushion covers in drier on high (in between washes). So what more can we possibly do?
How is Bina Maya keeping me safe on holiday?
Coronavirus is spread through the transmission of droplets via close person contact. Sara has been using her science education to read up on the latest evidence explaining how long Coronavirus lives on various surfaces. To date, there has been no reported cases of Coronavirus in the Margaret River Region, but to ensure our guests are safe we have implemented some additional measures which include; removing all used magazines and paper materials (Coronavirus can live on cardboard surfaces for 24h); after cleaning, spraying all surfaces with 70% ethanol based sprays (which kills any remaining viruses), all washed items placed in high heat drier for 30 mins as opposed to line drying (which also kills viruses). We have also made check-in videos for those guests not wanting any contact with staff and we have changed our checkout time from 11AM-10AM to give us an extra hour to uphold these standards. We are also continuing are ever popular in house dining options for guests wanting to cocoon away, allowing you to enjoy breakfast, grazing boards and beautiful take away meals from Goanna delivered to your Villa.
What is there to do in the Margaret River Region?
Our small tourist town cannot survive without your support. Small businesses in the Margaret River Region need your continued support. When you visit our beautiful Southwest you’ll notice some changes to allow social distancing and recommended hygiene practises. I’ll be writing a follow up blog on things you can do on holiday in the Southwest in these in certain times. For now? the important ones: drinking and eating:
For cellar doors and restaurants
- changes to opening hours (please ring ahead to avoid disappointment)
- reduced capacity to allow tables to be more spread out (1.5-2m between guests)
- payments are via contactless eftpost only
- menus are becoming single use only or laminated for surface spraying;
- cutlery are separated/ individually wrapped;
- spittoons removed for wine tastings (so ensure you have a designated driver)
- take away menus are on offer
- bring your own coloured pencils for the kids as these will no longer be supplied
Lastly, if you’re feeling unwell, do the right thing and stay home and keep everyone and our little town safe
Update: please read our May blog for current information/travel restrictions
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