Covid-19 impact on island resorts, lodges, hotels, spas

— by Minor Lile, Orcas Issues Reporter —

In most years, this is the time when things are just beginning to gather momentum in the island tourism economy. This year, of course, things are very different. On Monday, the Governor mandated that all restaurants, bars, entertainment, and recreational facilities throughout the State would be closed for at least two weeks.

At both the local and State level, public officials are urging people to limit their time away from home to essential business. According to County Health Office Frank James, MD, “Nonessential travel should be avoided right now. Whether it’s a trip off island or a visit to another island, or it is friends, relatives, or customers coming from the mainland, staying put will help keep the virus from spreading. By avoiding nonessential travel to and from the islands we hope to prevent and reduce impacts to island communities, including minimizing the potential strain on our limited healthcare system.”

While a number of local lodging facilities and vacation rental properties remain open, they have also been deeply affected by the situation. Yesterday, we surveyed several local lodging facilities to learn how they are adapting in the early days of this new social distancing era.

It is important to note that this is a very fluid and fast-changing situation. Information that was provided yesterday may not be valid today or tomorrow as circumstances dictate and guidance from public officials changes.

Rosario Resort & Spa Rosario closed as of noon on Monday, March 16. According to General Manager Christopher Peacock, the decision was driven by two factors. Peacock said that Rosario will be closed for as long as the Governor’s moratorium lasts.

A key factor was a perception that there is some value at this time in reducing the number of people coming to the island from elsewhere. With the mandatory closure of the Rosario dining room at Rosario and sit down dining at restaurants on the island, the challenge of providing meals was also a major consideration.

With the closing, staffing at the resort has been reduced from approximately 70 employees to about 10. Rent has been waived for those who are staying in staff housing.

Orcas Hotel New owners John Cox and Julia Felder just completed their purchase of the hotel three weeks ago. There have been some cancellations, but owner John Cox noted that with the transition in ownership there were not yet many reservations on the books. Cox said that the hotel’s four employees have been laid off temporarily and that for now he and his wife are managing operations on their own. He noted that by laying off staff temporarily, there is an opportunity for them to apply for standby status with the Washington State Employment Security Department.

The Hotel café remains open for take out service from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The hotel is also offering an in-room dinner and overnight stay for $100 for two guests. Cox said that this is especially aimed at islanders who are looking for a local get-away opportunity. More information is available on the hotel website.

Cox noted that there has been ‘lots of support’ from local residents and expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome he and his wife have received since purchasing the hotel.

The Outlook Inn The Outlook Inn remains open but there have been a lot of cancellations, both for the next several weeks and also into the summer. According to owner Sara Farrish, the Inn’s biggest client has cancelled three trips that were scheduled between now and July. The New Leaf restaurant is also closed and there are no plans at this time to provide take out service.

All but two or three of the 20 employees who were on staff have been laid off because of the dramatic decline in business. Farrish said that it was shocking how quickly things changed from having difficulty hiring enough staff for the Spring season to suddenly not having sufficient business to keep those on staff from being laid off.

Doe Bay Resort At Doe Bay, the spa has been closed in compliance with the Governor’s mandatory order. The café will remain open on weekends only for take-out service. While some rooms have been taken out of service, nine private self-contained cabins at the resort remain available for rent at reduced rates and for a five day minimum. More information is available on the Doe Bay website.

According to Doe Bay administrator Jen Edington, the mandated closures have left spa staff and some restaurant staff without work. She said that it is a high priority of owner Joe Brotherton that the resort do all it can to meet employee needs and keep as many people working as available funds allow.

Edington said that things ‘seem to be changing by the minute’ and they are ‘adapting to each moment’ as the situation develops. She shared that one bright spot in recent days was a small wedding that was held at the resort on Monday for a couple whose plans to be married in Costa Rica had been cancelled.

Deer Harbor Inn The Deer Harbor Inn is a family-owned business that can accommodate up to 35 people in several different buildings. According to long-time owner Pam Carpenter, the Inn is open, but bookings ‘are way off’. She said that because the Inn is more of a family business, there are typically no additional employees beyond family members at this time of year.

The restaurant is currently closed but providing a take-out options is under consideration.

Northwest Island Escapes Northwest Island Escapes is a vacation rental service that is owned by Mariah and John Dunning. They manage approximately 80 different properties throughout the San Juan Islands. According to Mariah Dunning, while there have been significant cancellations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, there are still people coming to the islands, including homeowners, “to get some reprieve away from where they’re at and into more of a rural setting.”  She also said that at this point reservations for the summer continue to be holding steady.

Dunning said that they employ up to 40 people throughout the year. She said that the situation is definitely affecting staff, but noted that at this point “we can’t quantify the economic ramifications, so we are focusing more on the well-being of our staff and what they need.” She added that in this time of uncertainty, it is most important to “remember community and take care of each other.”