From today, spas in five-star hotels can resume services…

It’s the news your knotted muscles have been aching for… Spas are back on the menu in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT) has issued a circular stating that all five-star hotels in Abu Dhabi are permitted to reopen their on-site spas from today, Tuesday September 15, 2020.

This includes massages, as well as other treatments.

On massage

These reopenings come with additional hygiene and social distancing requirements, in order to safeguard both staff and guests.

For guests

Guests must wear masks at all times, and are only permitted to lower them if deemed necessary for a specific treatment.

Body towels will be provided by spa establishment.

Treatments by appointments only. Smart payments are preferred.

Guests must wash and santise their hands before and after treatments.

For service providers

In addition to existing hotel regulations:

Therapists and other spa staff can resume working only after receiving a negative Covid-19 PCR test result.

Guests with a body temperature higher than 37.3ºC on attempted entry, must be escorted to the hotel’s isolation room and the Department of Health (DOH) operation centre must be contacted on 800 1717.

Guests with flu-like symptoms to be refused entry and DOH alerted.

Staff performing treatments must wear a plastic face shield and gloves.

Public touch points must be sterilised frequently.

All surfaces and equipment such as stones, bottles for skin-care product, wheel roller massage sticks, face cradles and etc must be cleaned and disinfected after each use.

Blankets, pillows, towels and bedsheets must be changed after every use and should be cleaned and disinfected on daily basis.

Disposable sticks to be used for applying treatment materials.

Daily misting of disinfection solution must be performed in all the operational areas.

Treatments can only be booked by appointment. Appointments must be scheduled to allow deep cleans.

Changing rooms, lockers and shower facilities are permitted on the condition that cleaning and disinfection is performed after every use and physical distancing must be maintained at all times.

Two-metre distancing must be observed at all times, except inside treatment rooms between guest and therapist.

Distancing markers should be displayed throughout the facility.

No reusable hand towels.

The circular does also confirm that facilities will be inspected by DCT officials to ensure hotels and spas are following the rules.

 Images: Unsplash