Tokoriki: Prepared for Happy Holidays in COVID times

As Australia prepares itself for vaccination and eventual relaxation in travel, it’s not going to be #LifeBefore2020 even if we get the vaccination shot. We still have to take care of COVID precautions and book holidays with resorts which are proactive about their health and hygiene prep. So we were quite stoked when Tokoriki Island Resort talked about how it was going about increasing health and hygiene standards to protect its guests and staff from COVID-19. 

Even if Tokoriki is a boutique island resort with a limited number of guests and just 36 accommodations, they’ve gone about it quite thoroughly – which impressed us even more! So, walking through the measures, they cover medical measures, social distancing, sanitisation, kitchen and restaurant, housekeeping, guest services, staff measures and regarding activities.

General Health and Hygiene 

The resort has equipped its medical personnel with touchless temperature guns as guests enter. The staff also submits to daily temperature checks as they come in to work. There are hand-sanitisers at various high-contact points and people are encouraged to use them. 

Medical Services At Tokoriki

The resort has tied with able and trained medical professionals from the Fijian mainland to teach the resort staff first response to COVID treatment and aid. Additionally, the resort will now isolate and quarantine guests who have raised body temperature and showing signs of illness. Under the guest’s medical insurance, a medivac can chopper in and airlift guests to the mainland for intensive treatment if the need arises. Plus, the resort is stocked with a full medicine cabinet, oxygen cylinders, stretcher, wheelchair and even a defibrillator.

Social Distancing at Tokoriki

Even when full, the Tokoriki Fiji is sparsely populated (lol!). But… masks and gloves are readily available for the asking. The most heavily congregated zones like the lobby, reception, the restaurant and the bar are open on all sides and awash with fresh seabreeze perpetually. Then, the maximum number of guests allowed on the resort is 72, so… Tokoriki is lookin’ real good there.

Sanitisation Measures at Tokoriki

The resort has upped its already strict cleaning and hygiene guidelines and incorporated mandatory disinfection routines. The staff keep high touch-point areas like the lobby and the reception disinfected at all times using hospital-grade chemicals. 

Tokoriki: Kitchen & Restaurant Good Practices

For the time being, the Tokoriki Island Resort has discontinued its delicious buffets in favour of a la carte dining system and encourages in-room dining. Then, the bar and the team are now equipped with gloves and bar snacks are individually served. Traditional communally-inclusive activities like kava ceremonies will be held with separate bilo (Fijian for ‘cups’) and all glassware used is now washed with highest recommended temperature and appropriate detergents. By the way, did you know what’s kava? Only the next alt-bev and Oceania’s ‘root beer’ – read all about this epically herbal booze of the islanders!

Tokoriki Housekeeping Guidelines

The resort has instituted a new system under which housekeeping staff are allocated a set number of bures/ suites to clean and maintain. Additionally, the bures now have colour-coded microfibre cloths for dedicated use to avoid cross-contamination – how ‘neat’ is that? Pun intended. All accommodation options at the Tokoriki Island Resort will be aired out before being allotted again. Inside the bures, all high-touch point areas like switches, remotes, door handles will undergo extra layer of disinfection. 

Guest Services at Tokoriki

Mandatory face-to-face interactions like check-in will take place with one couple/party at a time at the lobby with its high-vaulted ceilings and naturally-ventilated surroundings. Then, the resort is cash-less, the menus are printed out fresh and all house-keeping activities take place while the guests are out. 

Tokoriki: Staff Measures 

Because the Tokoriki Fiji is manned by long-standing staff members (a lot have completed a decade of service!), it places equal importance on maintaining high standards of hospitality and taking care of its people. All staff who are in contact-prone positions are issued with PPEs, besides receiving updated safety and hygiene training and daily temperature checks. 

Tokoriki Activities & Experiences

What’s a holiday in Mamanuca Islands, Fiji without scuba-diving, snorkelling, game-fishing and nature hikes? Activities like scuba-diving have updated their good practices guides to work with COVID regulations and safety measures. The Spa now staggers appointments and deep-cleans all surfaces between guests. 

All in all, we were quite impressed with the range of measures being implemented at the Tokoriki Island Resort to keep guests and staff healthy, COVID-free and happy. So check out the property page and talk to our South Pacific Specialists to know more about booking post-vaccination Fiji holiday plans!