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April 6 Updated Guest Care Guidelines

These are extraordinarily challenging times, and we want to thank you for your support of The Willcox. The safety and well-being of our loyal guests, team members, and community is paramount. In an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus and in accordance with national and state guidelines, we have temporarily closed areas of our business and adapted others to provide for the changing needs of our community.

We are closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization statements regarding the coronavirus. Our industry is regulated by strict local, state and federal guidelines. In addition to these guidelines, we have put the following steps in place in an effort to best take care of our team and our guests health and well-being. We will continue to adjust our behavior and operation as the situation evolves.

FRONT OF HOUSE TEAM

  • We have a limited number of employees at this time.
  • In response to the challenges presented by COVID- 19 ServSafe has developed additional training courses – ServSafe Food Handler and SerSafe Takeout and Delivery: COVID-19 Precautions. All staff and delivery helpers are certified.
  • We are taking the temperature of our employees prior to work to ensure they don’t have a fever and we are insisting employees with cold or flu like symptoms not come to work.
  • We have trained our staff on cough etiquette and proper handwashing procedures and require they wash and moisturize their hands every hour to keep their hands clean and healthy.
  • There is no physical contact between our staff and guests. We have enforced a strict social distancing policy.
  • We reinforce training and the steps we are taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at daily meetings and on our communication boards which are prominently displayed in each department.

 

KITCHEN TEAM

  • All kitchen staff wear masks when working in the kitchen. They do not take the masks on and off but keep them on throughout their work.
  • Our Chef is ServSafe certified as are all the managers in the kitchen, in the areas of food safety and restaurant sanitation. Our Chef ensures his team maintains rigorous ServSafe operational practices, which include proper hand-washing and safe practices for wearing gloves.
  • Sanitizer buckets have been set up at each food preparation station and are being changed multiple times during shifts according to recommended guidelines.
  • We work with some of the best food suppliers in the country, who are proactively following CDC guidelines and aligning themselves with current best practices some of which include having drivers wear gloves that are changed with each delivery and doing health checks on drivers before deliveries.

 

MARKET & RESTAURANT TAKE-AWAY SERVICE

  • Restaurant orders and payment are taken over the phone. Guest can choose from curbside pick-up, non-contact curbside pick-up or non-contact delivery
  • Curbside Pickup – If there is no one in the front seat, the order is placed through the guest window on the seat. If there is a driver in the passenger seat, the order is placed in the back seat through the window. We will also put the order in a guest’s trunk if preferred. This service allows distance and does not require our staff to touch the car. Face shields or masks are work by our staff and hands are sanitized before and after each transaction.
  • Non-Contact Curbside Pickup – Three numbered tables are set up six feet apart in front of the hotel. When guests arrive they call or ring the door bell where they will be instructed as to what table their meal will be delivered to. Our staff wear face shields or masks to deliver the meal onto a table surface that’s been sanitized. Guests pick up their food, return to their car and our staff sanitizes the table and wash their hands again.
  • Non-Contact deliveries – We will call as we’re pulling up and put the delivery outside the front door and wait in the car until we see the guest has retrieved their food. Masks or face shields are worn by our staff, and hands are sanitized between each transaction. Once driver returns to hotel, their car door handles and interior touchpoints are sanitized.

 

ACCOMMODATIONS

  • Accommodations are available for medical professionals and people needing to self-isolate for 15 days or longer.
  • Contact-less check-in and check-out procedures.
  • Contactless meal service can be delivered daily
  • Dishes, drinking glasses, cups and eating utensils are washed in a commercial dishwasher.
  • All common areas are closed to the public. This includes the restaurant, pool, gym, salon and spa.
  • Fresh linens and amenities are available upon request and will be placed outside the door. Used linens and trash are to be put in sealed bags and placed outside the door.
  • Housekeeping carts are disinfected several times throughout the day.
  • Our housekeepers wear masks and a clean pair of gloves for each guest room they clean and are using safe practices to change their gloves after each room.
  • Our housekeepers are performing touchpoint sanitizations with the cleaning of guest rooms that include but are not limited to – door handles, desk, table, chairs and lamp, light switches and thermostats, drapery pull handles, mini-bar, room collateral, telephone and keypad, remote control keypad and alarm clock, television, safety hatch and peephole, trash receptacle touch points, iron handle, hangers and luggage rack, towel rails, makeup mirror and switch, faucet and toilet handles.
  • Rooms are cleaned with products approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use against emerging viral pathogens. Disinfectants are applied during routine cleaning of guest rooms. Disinfectants are left to sit on surfaces for several minutes in order to work.
  • Everything on the bed is carefully removed, washed and cleaned between guests including bed skirts, blankets and duvets. All linens are disinfected when washed.
  • Note: there’s a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Disinfecting must be done to remove pathogens.
    • Cleaning refers to the removal of dirt and impurities, including germs, from surfaces. Cleaning alone does not kill germs. But by removing the germs, it decreases their number and therefore any risk of spreading infection.
    • Disinfecting works by using chemicals, for example EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs. But killing germs remaining on a surface after cleaning further reduces any risk of spreading infection.

 

PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING PACKAGES

  • Staff wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after signing for a package or use disinfectant wipes or spray when using stylus pens.
  • Boxes are opened very carefully. Contents are wiped down and placed on a sanitized surface.
  • Packaging is carefully disposed of immediately, surfaces sanitized and hands are washed again.

 

Please note that these steps are in addition to local, state and federal guidelines already in place within our industry.

March 16 Updated Guest Care Guidelines

We are closely monitoring the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization statements regarding the coronavirus. Our industry is regulated by strict local, state and federal guidelines. In addition to these guidelines, we have put the following steps in place in an effort to best take care of our team and our guests health and well-being. We will continue to adjust our behavior and operation as the situation evolves.

OUR GUESTS

  • We kindly request that if you have traveled through an airport in the last two weeks, have a cold, a sniffle, a cough, fever or are feeling unwell, please stay home. We are waiving all cancellation fees during this time of heightened personal responsibility

 

EMPLOYEES

  • We are taking the temperature of our employees prior to work to ensure they don’t have a fever and we are insisting employees with cold or flu like symptoms not come to work.
  • We have trained our staff on cough etiquette and proper handwashing procedures and require they wash and moisturize their hands every hour to keep their hands clean and healthy.
  • We reinforce training and the steps we are taking to prevent the spread of the coronavirus at daily meetings and on our communication boards which are prominently displayed in each department.
  • We have enforced a no-handshake and no-hug policy when greeting each other and our guests.

 

HOTEL SPECIFIC

  • We disinfect our reception desk, pen and pencil after every transaction
  • We are thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting all hard surfaces including desks, keyboards, telephones, radios, room keys, mouse, mouse pads and cell phones.
  • Our housekeepers are wearing a clean pair of gloves for each guest room they clean and are using safe practices to change their gloves after each room.
  • Our housekeepers are performing touchpoint sanitizations with the cleaning of guest rooms that include but are not limited to – door handles, desk, table, chairs and lamp, light switches and thermostats, drapery pull handles, mini-bar, room collateral, telephone and keypad, remote control keypad and alarm clock, television, safety hatch and peephole, trash receptacle touch points, iron handle, hangers and luggage rack, towel rails, makeup mirror and switch, faucet and toilet handles.
  • Housekeepers daily cleaning and evening turndown attendants are performing touchpoint sanitizations in all occupied rooms
  • Public restrooms are being cleaned twice daily and touchpoint sanitations are being done at regular intervals throughout the day on door handles, sink faucets and toilet handles, soap dispenser handle and counter tops.
  • Door handles, light switches, hand railings, elevator buttons, hard surfaces and other touchpoints throughout the hotel are being sanitized at regular intervals throughout the day.
  • Housemen are wearing gloves when they’re assisting housekeeping in stripping beds and carrying linens.
  • Housemen and valet are sanitizing their hands between guest interactions.

 

RESTAURANT

  • Effective Wednesday, March 18th, our breakfast buffet will be replaced with a la carte room service delivery.
  • Our Chef is ServSafe certified as are all the managers in the kitchen, in the areas of food safety and restaurant sanitation. Our Chef ensures his team maintains rigorous ServSafe operational practices, which include proper hand-washing and safe practices for wearing gloves.
  • Sanitizer buckets have been set up at each food preparation station and are being changed multiple times during shifts.
  • We work with some of the best food suppliers in the country, who are proactively following CDC guidelines and aligning themselves with current best practices some of which include having drivers wear gloves that are changed with each delivery and doing health checks on drivers before deliveries.

 

SALON & SPA

  • For the safety of our therapists, we will take the temperature of all spa guests prior to providing service.
  • We disinfect our spa reception desk, pen and pencils after every transaction and all door handles and hard surfaces are disinfected at regular intervals throughout the day.
  • Guest checks are being presented in a glass. The pen and glass are being cleaned after each transaction
  • We sterilize our hairbrushes and scissors, disinfect hair stations after each client and store our implements in Barbicide.
  • Massage table linens are changed between guests and all supplies used for waxing, facials and massage are sanitized between guests.
  • Spa restrooms and locker rooms are being cleaned twice daily and touchpoint sanitations are being done at regular intervals throughout the day on door handles, sink faucets and toilet handles, soap dispenser handle and counter tops.

 

Please note that these steps are in addition to local, state and federal guidelines already in place within our industry.

Soak in Autumn in Aiken

There’s a palpable energy in Aiken this month as the heat of summer begins to fade away and the cool, crisp autumn air begins to blow down Laurens Street, through The Alley, and right up to our front porch. Fall is here and with it comes a bustling social calendar filled with the Aiken Steeplechase, family gatherings, and holiday parties.

Before life gets too busy for you, we invite you to take a minute to appreciate the little things this month that make living in and visiting Aiken so wonderful.

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Spend a morning hiking through Hitchcock Woods. Known as one of the largest urban forests in the country, it’s less than half a mile away from our hotel. You can take to the trails by foot or by hoof—there’s nothing we love more than an early morning horseback ride through this forest. Time your visit just right and you’ll even enjoy some autumn colors gracing the canopy of the trees around town and in Hitchcock Woods.

Make plans to meet up with a friend one day this week to sit in one of our rocking chairs with a tall glass of sweet tea or lemonade, and take the time to catch up with one another as you enjoy the beautiful Aiken weather. Sip a glass of red wine from our award-winning wine list in the evening as the sun sets and the cooler temperatures descend around you. Before it gets too chilly, step back inside the warm embrace of our lobby to grab a seat by the fire or a table in our dining room for dinner.

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For the ultimate relaxation, escape to our Salon & Spa where you’ll be graciously welcomed into a truly serene atmosphere that promotes rejuvenation. You’ll leave your cares and worries at the door as you indulge in spending a little time pampering both your mind and your body in our Spa.

Before you know it, it’ll be time to put on your Steeplechase best, to begin shopping for the perfect hostess gift for all of your holiday parties, and to gather around the table with your family. Be sure to take a moment to soak in the beauty that surrounds you this fall season in Aiken!

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Aiken’s Fall Social Calendar

The slow, leisurely days of summer are about to slip by us as we welcome the fall season with open arms in Aiken. Our town begins to come alive again as the heat waves roll away and are instead replaced with cool mornings and 70 degree days. Social calendars begin to fill up in advance with everything from afternoons at Whitney Field to weekends spent perusing local arts festivals.

However you choose to experience Aiken this fall, we know that you’re going to love the variety of activities that there are for you to enjoy. Planning a trip? We can help you pick out the perfect weekend to come to town based on what you and your travel companions like to do on a weekend getaway.

We’ve rounded up just a few of our favorite things happening in town this fall:

Aiken’s Makin’
September 6-7, 2019
For 43 years, Aiken’s Makin’ has been gracing the streets of historic downtown Aiken with their two day arts and crafts festival. Local artists and vendors showcase everything from jewelry, ceramics, and pottery to wood-crafts, furniture, toys, and more for you to shop.
Click here for more information.

Oktoberfest
September 21, 2019
This year, you don’t have to travel to Germany or even to Europe to experience Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest—traditionally a 16-18 day folk festival held in Bavaria, Germany from mid September to the first weekend of October—is a perfect excuse to get together with friends and enjoy time together outside in a biergarten. Did you know? Oktoberfest have been held annually around the world since 1810!
Click here for more information.

Fall Steeplechase
October 26, 2019
Easily the highlight of the fall social calendar, the Fall Steeplechase is the event to go to in the fall in Aiken. This family friendly event includes six steeplechase races around the track, a day of tailgating, a carriage parade, and a Village of Shops that you can peruse at your leisure throughout the day. There are even stick horse races for kids of all ages! It’s a wonderful way to spend the day with your family and friends as you socialize and watch the races.
Click here for more information.

Blessing of the Hounds
November 28, 2019
Start off your Thanksgiving Day festivities with one of Aiken’s most time honored traditions: the Blessing of the Hounds. Held at 11am on Thanksgiving morning each year, The Blessing immediately precedes the the Aiken Hounds’ formal Opening Meet. The traditional ceremony is open to the public in Hitchcock Woods, and lasting just 30 minutes, it’s a great event for the entire family to enjoy.
Click here for more information.

Which event are you most looking forward to this fall? We know that we can’t choose just one—you can bet that you’ll find us at each one of these events this season. We hope to see you out there!

‘Forest Bathing’ in Aiken

Deep in the woods, we find enhanced fitness, accelerated healing, increased mental focus, and improved biological responses to reducing stress and disease. Groundbreaking scientific research has found that trees and plants emit airborne compounds called phytoncides. These compounds have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, and when inhaled, they simulate white blood cells to produce cells that fight against disease. In Japan, they call this shinrin-yoku or forest bathing.

What exactly is forest bathing? Per TIME Magazine, forest bathing is “bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses.” It isn’t an outdoor activity like riding your horse through Hitchcock Woods or even attending one of the summer concert series in the gardens. It’s a quieter, more relaxed activity where you leave behind your phone and your camera, turn off all outside distractions, and simply allow for your senses to experience the outdoors.

Two of our favorite places in Aiken to go to experience nature are Hitchcock Woods and Hopelands Gardens. Hitchcock Woods, one of the largest urban forests in the entire country, is filled with over 70 miles of trails that you can enjoy by hoof, by foot, or by bike. The key with forest bathing though is that you’ll need to sit down and experience nature silence, so we suggest exploring the woods by foot so that once you find the perfect spot, you can easily sit down and settle in for a few peaceful moments. Take a deep breath and breathe in everything that nature has to offer your senses.

In Hopelands Gardens, you can walk down one of the pathways until you find a secluded corner of the garden where you can retreat from the outside world to allow for you senses to fully explore the gardens. Breathe in the fresh, floral scent of the flowers that are blooming all around you. Listen to the low buzz of the bumblebees as they flit from flower to flower and the chirping of the birds. Reach out and feel the leaves of the ivy growing all around you.

The key to forest bathing is finding a spot that’s just right for you. Where are your favorite spots to experience nature in Aiken? We’d love to see your photos! Tag us in your forest bathing adventures this summer on social media by tagging @thewillcox and #thewillcox.

Read more about forest bathing in Time Magazine’s article here.

Panga Drops Launch

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We invite you to join us by the pool this month for an exciting new craft beer release party!

Aiken’s own Bobby Hottenson, a partner of Nicaragua Craft Beer Co, is introducing South Carolina to their flagship beer on Tuesday, June 18th. This will be a tasting event with a special food menu created by our Chef Ed and will be out by our pool. You’re welcome to sample the beer, enjoy the food, and even jump in our pool for an evening swim!

Bobby, along with partners Brendan DeBlois and Matt Greenberg, moved to South America and brought the first brewery to Nicaragua in 2013 in Nicaragua’s most famous beach town, San Juan del Sur. They started with three flagship beers—the Boom IPA, Nicarao Wheat Beer, and Popoyo Passion Fruit Ale—and have since expanded. We’re excited that they have chosen The Willcox as where they would like to introduce our state to their fantastic craft beer.

If you are a craft beer connoisseur or if you want to keep the Father’s Day celebrations going for your craft beer loving father, this is one event that you won’t want to miss. Be among the first in our state to try out this delicious new beer!

We’ve Been Nominated!

TheWillcox_CondeNast_GraphicsHow do you plan the ultimate vacation when you’re ready for a getaway, ready to explore a new place, or ready to escape somewhere for ultimate relaxation?

One of our favorite travel resources, Condé Nast Traveler, has all of the information you could ever need when it comes to discovering a new, exciting place to travel to. They provide inspiration, new destinations to explore, information on places to stay, a peek into the style and culture of where you’re headed, and food and drink information for you to peruse. It’s a one stop shop for all of the details you need to plan the best vacation.

Our team at The Willcox is truly honored to be on the ballot again this year for the Condé Nast Traveler 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards. These prestigious awards only feature the best around the world. They highlight everything from the best hotels to the best ski resorts, best train journeys, and best airports. It’s an all-encompassing list that will spark your imagination for planning your next trip.

As a valued guest of The Willcox, we would sincerely appreciate your vote in the Condé Nast Traveler 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting is open until June 30th and it’s a simple process to share what you loved about your visit with us. You’ll even be entered to win a dream trip when you vote!

We are very grateful for your support and look forward to welcoming you back to The Willcox again soon!

Clean the World on Earth Day

This Earth Day, we wanted to take a moment to highlight the ways that we are committed to minimizing our overall impact on the environment.

Our team makes every effort to conserve water and energy at The Willcox, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, and minimizing waste. One way that we work to minimize waste is through our partnership with Clean the World, an organization that provides recycled soap products and educational materials to impoverished families around the globe.

Fast Facts:

  • According to the World Health Organization, millions of young lives could be saved with access to bar soap and basic hygiene education. Pneumonia and diarrheal disease are two of the leading causes of death among children under 5 years old.
  • Hotels throw away over 2 million bars of partially used soap every dayin the United States

Source: https://cleantheworld.org/#

At The Willcox, our team donates all of our used solid and liquid soap amenities to Clean the World. The bars of soap are sanitized, grinder, and cut into new bars that are then boxed for distribution to impoverished communities around the globe. How cool is that? Instead of ending up in a landfill, our used soaps gain a second life through Clean the World and go to someone who truly needs it.

Clean the World does more than just recycle soap products and distribute them around the globe. They also educate children and their families on proper hygiene, starting with how to effectively wash hands. In Las Vegas, Clean the World has started a new program aimed to provide the basic comfort and dignity of cleanliness to their homeless population. Their Fresh Start Mobile Showers do more than just provide a shower—they connect the homeless with organizations that can help put them on the path to self-sufficiency.

We are proud to partner with Clean the World! What Green Practices are you participating in to help our world this Earth Day?

The Willcox Named South’s Best Hotel by Southern Living

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Three years ago, Southern Living launched their South’s Best Awards which allowed their readers to celebrate the people and places that they love the most in the South. From BBQ joints to beach towns, food cities, and more, readers across the country weighed in on their favorite places to visit, dine, and stay. Last year, in the 2nd edition of the Southern Living South’s Best Awards, our hometown of Aiken took home the title of “Best Small Town in the South” and The Willcox was listed as the #2 Hotel in the South. We were beyond honored to have received such an outstanding award alongside our hometown.

Our past-guests and our community of Aiken rallied around us this year, and through their voting efforts, they vaulted us to the top spot for 2019. We are pleased to announce that The Willcox was named the Best Hotel in the South!

“At Southern Living, we’re passionate about celebrating the extraordinary people and places that define Southern hospitality,” said Sid Evans, the Editor in Chief of Southern Living. “Our goal is to identify the destinations our readers are loving the most right now—places that represent the very best of the South. This year’s awards represent a unique mix of newcomers and longtime favorites.”

We are honored to be named Southern Living’s South’s Best Hotel for 2019, and we are joined on the list of Best Hotels in the South by some prestigious company in the hospitality industry:

1 – The Willcox, Aiken, SC
2 – The Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
3 – The Peabody Memphis, Memphis, TN
4 – Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, LA
5 – The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, VA
6 – The Roosevelt, New Orleans, LA
7 – Belmond Charleston Place, Charleston, SC
8 – The Brown Hotel, Louisville, KY
9 – 21c Museum Hotel, Louisville, KY
10 – Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg, VA

Congratulations to all of our hotel and inn friends across the South, and a special thank you to all of our guests who voted for us! Your vote means the world to us, and to us, you are the South’s Best Guests!

If you haven’t had the opportunity to come and stay with us at The Willcox yet, we invite you to come experience why we were voted as the South’s Best Hotel this spring. Book your stay with us, make an appointment in our full-service Salon and Spa, enjoy fine dining in our restaurant, and explore all that our wonderful hometown of Aiken has to offer to you. We promise that you, like the readers of Southern Living, will be enchanted by our hotel and charmed by our small Southern town.

Securing Our Building’s Future

Did you know?

Aiken, South Carolina, has a long, storied history with trains and railroads that dates back to the early 1800s. It all began when Captain William White Williams, a cotton merchant from Charleston, South Carolina, built a house in western South Carolina where Aiken is today. He began looking for a fast, cheap way to get his cotton back to Charleston and with his business associates, created the South Carolina Railway and Canal Company. The goal was to have a railroad that would go from the cotton fields in Hamburg straight through to Charleston.

The surveyors for the future railroad determined that it was impossible to get any closer than 15 miles out from the cotton fields due to the surrounding steep grade. Captain Williams would still have the additional expenses of hauling his cotton across land by wagon to the train. Luckily, as local legend has it, one of the surveyors was smitten with Captain Williams’s daughter and in order to win her hand in marriage, he found a way to get the railroad directly to Captain Williams’s cotton fields. At the time it was completed in 1833, the railway that traveled from Charleston, South Carolina through Aiken and ending in Hamburg was the the world’s longest railway.

As the town grew, so did it’s recognition around the country as a wonderful place to go during the winter. Aiken became known as the “Winter Colony,” and the place for wealthy New York socialites to travel to to escape their brutal northern winters in the late 1800s. These socialites that traveled to Aiken championed and supported the building of newer, bigger train depot and in 1899, an elaborate and beautiful one was built in the middle of town.

More and more visitors began to flock to Aiken during the winter months, all traveling down to South Carolina by train. One of the most popular visitors along this railway was President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often passed through Aiken on his way to Georgia for polio treatments. Roosevelt had a mistress who lived just blocks away from our hotel, and when he’d travel down south, he’d have his presidential train stop on the tracks just behind our hotel where he’d get off the train and check in to his favorite suite in the hotel.

Although the railway adjacent to our hotel is no longer used by the presidential train or by the northern socialites of the 1800s, there is still plenty of activity along these train tracks. You may have noticed the work happening along the railroad bed behind The Willcox. The trees and greenery that were on the bank of the railroad tracks have been removed and manmade support was added to the embankment that our hotel sits on. This work, completed by Johson, Laschober & Associates, is work that was vital to the stabilization of our building and to securing it’s future for years to come. Thanks to the City of Aiken and the Historic Railroad Cut Stabilization Project, we can rest assured that our hotel is sitting on the most stable ground possible and is in no danger.

Railroads have a long, storied history in our town and we’re pleased to know that they, like our building, will be in Aiken for years to come. Learn more about the history of railroads in Aiken by visiting the Aiken Railroad Depot—a replica of the original depot that’s located in the exact same spot as the one built in 1899.

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