Covid-19 updates
Update: 20th April 2021
From Monday 26 April, hospitality venues such as cafés, pubs and restaurants can reopen, along with tourist accommodation. Non-essential retail outlets and close contact services such as beauty salons can also reopen, in addition to indoor attractions and public buildings such as galleries, museums and libraries.
The First Minister confirmed that all parts of the country will move to Level 3 from Monday 26 April. The remaining travel restrictions within Scotland will be lifted and travel within the UK will be permitted for any purpose. If everyone continues to follow the rules, the First Minister said it is expected that all of Scotland will move to Level 2 on Monday 17 May.
How it affects our services in tourism terms:
» In Gowanlea B&B, your booking must only be made up of your own household.
It is expected, though not confirmed:
» That from 17th May 4 people from 2 households can overnight.
Please refer to this web page for UK Border Controls and international travel information.
We’ll all still be subject to changes that might need to take place depending on the fight against Covid-19 and to that end, we’d still advise you to book with a refund policy in mind and also have sufficient insurance.
We are very much looking forward to welcoming you all very soon.
CoronaVirus (COVID-19) is a real concern for everyone alike. We all share the responsibility towards the health and safety of ourselves and others.
Helpfully, both accommodations only serve your group during your booking, meaning you don’t share with other guests! (Fabulous!) 👏
Some measures we have taken:
- We’ve produced a robust risk assessment of each of our premises.
- We’ve worked with industry bodies, local businesses and community organisations to agree upon a joint approach.
- We’ve changed our booking processes to request Test and Protect contact information and to provide Covid-19 information packs and updates relevant to each accommodation.
- We’ve reduced the cancellation requirement policy to one day+ notice. Reducing the cancellation notice lowers the financial risk to you in case your plans need to change. 🥳N.B. Valid only on the Early Bird and Standard Rate deals.
- If you choose the discounted No Cancellation deal, that does mean there is no refund if YOU need to cancel. However, if we are closed due to Covid-19 legislation you will be refunded.
Using the risk assessment:
- Our standard processes and standards are high, but we’ve also introduced an enhanced cleaning and disinfectant regime at our properties, including certified viricidal disinfectants and UV-C protocols to address Covid-19 specifically. ✨
- We’ve reduced the opportunity for the spread of the virus by changing some service processes.
- We’ve implemented air gaps between bookings.
- We have a separate entrance to Gowanlea for guest use only.
- We constantly filter the air in Gowanlea using HEPA and UV-C air purifiers.
- Cuilidh is only used by yourselves and does not require additional air purification.
All of these are in line and some cases above the UK and Scottish Government guidelines and industry guidelines. 👍
Together, using these guidelines, we can all still enjoy tourism and travel safely.
The Scottish Government has released its plan for coming out of lockdown.
This plan incorporates movement within a tiered/levelled system of restrictions.
Here is the updated plan detail:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-strategic-framework-update-february-2021/
Published: 12th March 2020:
We have contacted all of our customers who have bookings in April and May 2020 and informed them that we are prepared to offer no quibble refunds to all of those that have booked with us prior to the WHO pandemic announcement of 11th March 2020.
If you booked directly with us after that date, use this contact form or email us, quote your booking details and we will cancel for you, ensuring a full refund. This must happen at least two weeks before the check-in date or the selected terms will apply.
If you booked through an OTA, please contact the relevant Online Travel Agency as they control their cancellation policies, many of which have new policies in place to support refunds. (OTA’s, such as Booking.com, Airbnb, Trip Advisor and Expedia). If you need us to vouch for your cancellation and support a refund, let us know through the OTA messaging platform and we will gladly assist.
All bookings are subject to ongoing review and may be cancelled depending on government directives, by which time we’d expect all OTA’s to have supportive policies in place and the Government to have proper legislation.
Many have already cancelled and have been refunded. We’ve also offered our customers great incentives to book again! We hope to welcome all of our customers back once the emergency is over.
Published: 21st March 2020
Kintyre is a small community with limited resources. To reduce the risk of burdening the local health and food supply services, we are closing our availability as follows:
Gowanlea B&B – closed to bookings until 1st August 2020
Cuilidh self-catering – closed to bookings until 1st August 2020
Without any official guidance available, we have chosen these dates as they seem to make sense with regard to current circumstances and events around the globe. This is in line with the recent comments of the Scottish Tourism Minister and both UK and Scottish government guidelines advising essential travel only.
This arrangement is subject to extension or change according to legislation and government directives.
Again, there is no supporting legislation as yet which makes things difficult for everyone. Without legislation, accommodation providers and customers alike are currently being penalised for cancelling advance bookings made months ago through OTA’s. Not just through loss of income or inconvenience, but actual penalty charges levied by the OTA’s! What is needed is specific Corona Virus government policy regarding accommodation providers similar to “close down the pubs”.
In the good news bracket, we hope this will be corrected then customers and accommodation providers will be able to cancel using OTA’s without penalty. In preparation, we have written to all customers with bookings up to August advising them of this, urging they contact their booking agencies for support.
It is also likely accommodation providers will be legislated to close to all but essential travellers only.
We have created a telephone and email booking process specifically for essential workers only. Call us on 01586 643404.
Published: 22nd March 2020
Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, gave this speech. The salient advisory points being:
- From now on ferries will be for those who live on our islands, who have an essential need to travel to or from the mainland and for essential supplies or business. Nothing else.
- To our hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation – you should not be accepting visitors. Provide accommodation for your staff and make yourselves available to help essential workers and support essential services – that is all.
Published: 23rd March 2020
- PM Boris Johnson has announced a lock-down of the UK for the next three weeks which will be reviewed on or around 13th April.
- This is the full guidance on what can and can’t stay open: Government Guidance
Last week, the Government had ordered certain businesses – including pubs, cinemas and theatres – to close. The Government is now extending this requirement to a further set of businesses and other venues, including:
Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers).
Published: 16th April 2020
- Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has announced an extension to the UK lock-down for “at least another three weeks” which will be reviewed on or around 7th May 2020..
Published: 10th May 2020.
The Scottish Government maintains the position that hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers) remain closed.
Scotland remains on lock-down until the next review.
See the Scottish Government site: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
The next review is due on or around 31st May 2020.
Published: 21st May 2020
Current status: Phase 0 of the lockdown exit framework
Scotland remains on full lock-down until the next review. Phase 3 is when accommodation re-opens.
Updated on 21st May 2020.
This does look like we will remain closed until the end of August at the very least. As on previous updates, please contact your booking provider (OTA) for cancellation and refund opportunities, please let us know if you need our support.
The Scottish Government maintains the position that hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers) remain closed.
The next review is due on or around 31st May 2020.
Published 28th May 2020
Current status: Phase 1 of the lockdown exit framework
Scotland remains on modified lock-down until the next review. Phase 3 is when accommodation re-opens.
Updated on 28th May 2020.
This does look like we will remain closed until the end of August at the very least. As on previous updates, please contact your booking provider (OTA) for cancellation and refund opportunities, please let us know if you need our support.
The Scottish Government maintains the position that hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, campsites, caravan parks, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers) remain closed.
The next review is due on or around 19th June 2020.
Published 18th June 2020.
Phase 2 of the lockdown exit framework
Scotland remains on modified lock-down until the next review. Phase 3 is when accommodation re-opens.
A cautionary approach has been announced and we are now within phase 2 of the lockdown release status. This does mean we remain closed until Phase 3.
As on previous updates, please contact your booking provider (OTA) for cancellation and refund opportunities, please let us know if you need our support.
Until then and for clarity, the Scottish Government maintains the position that hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, and boarding houses for commercial/leisure use (excluding permanent residents and key workers) remain closed, although there is talk of campsites and caravan parks possibly reopening sooner.
Further guidance will be published on 9th July.
Published 9th July 2020
Phase 3 of the lockdown exit framework
Great news! Accommodation providers, such as ourselves, are now allowed to re-open from 15th July 2020.
FM @NicolaSturgeon confirms that pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels, museums, galleries, cinemas, childcare and hairdressers can reopen from 15 July
— BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) July 9, 2020
"It is essential that the guidance on health and safety is followed rigorously"
Follow live: https://t.co/mcVy0NR175 pic.twitter.com/iADNbc8Ok3
Updated on 9th July 2020.
Published 25 September 2020
Phase 3 of the lockdown framework (modified)
Announced 22nd September and now law from 25th September, new rules surrounding Covid-10 protections have been put in place.
https://www.gov.scot/news/new-measures-to-drive-down-infection-rate/
We already comply with most of these and in fairness our self-catering accommodation and the sole suite in the B&B lend themselves well toward this. However the rules that have changed can affect you and you need to ensure you understand them.
The rules affecting you and our accommodations are:
Cuilidh self-catering holiday home:
People from more than one household must not stay in self-catered accommodation together, while the current restrictions on indoor private gatherings are in place. This includes accommodation such as a caravans, flats and holiday cottages.
Gowanlea B&B:
If staying in a hotel, bed and breakfast or similar accommodation, you should not have more than one household / extended household staying in each room booked.
Published 31 October 2020
Within Tier 2 of Coronavirus protection levels as of 29th October 2020
These are found here but we’ll list them here with context around our services:
Accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, caravan and camp sites)
Open – socialising and hospitality rules apply (these rules are below)
Summary, no change. Cuilidh self-catering is closed for winter in any case.
Socialising
No in-home socialising (limited exceptions)
Outdoors and in public places, e.g. hospitality settings – 6 people from up to 2 households
Different rules apply to children – information available soon
Summary, given the capacity we have in Cuilidh and Gowanlea there’s no impact as long as you observe the guidance. Both properties are for your group only.
Hospitality (food and drink)
Eating and drinking while seated at tables is required at all levels
Takeaways permitted for alcohol and food at all levels, as per existing arrangements
Exceptions (e.g., hospitals, schools, student accommodation, airside premises, and hotel room service and meals for residents) apply at all levels
Summary, Cuilidh is self-catering and at Gowanlea breakfast is served in the lounge, we wear PPE in the shared area (hallway) and during food service. We are not a licensed premises.
Travel
No non-essential travel to/from level 3 or higher areas in Scotland and equivalents in the rest of UK. If your area is on lockdown, essential travel only.
Exemptions for essential travel for work, education, shopping health etc; outdoor exercise; weddings and funerals; shared parenting and transit through restricted areas
International quarantine regulations apply
Otherwise unrestricted
Summary, please be aware of the levels within Scotland and other areas you may be travelling to or from and respect the guidance.
Published 20th December 2020
Within Tier 4 of Coronavirus protection levels as of December 26th.
TIER 4 MEANS:
Accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, caravan and camp sites)
All holiday accommodation is closed to tourism. Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering can remain open for essential customers only:
anyone who is using that accommodation for work purposes
anyone who requires accommodation to attend a funeral
anyone who is providing accommodation or support services to the homeless
anyone who uses that accommodation as their main residence
anyone who needs accommodation while moving home
anyone who is unable to return to their main residence
anyone who requires accommodation to attend a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration
anyone who requires accommodation to participate in or facilitate shared parenting arrangements
When providing accommodation to workers, this should only be open for essential workers who require accommodation as part of their role. Workers accommodation guidance.
Breaching the restrictions in the Regulations is a criminal offence, unless you have a “reasonable excuse” for doing so. This means that accommodation providers may offer accommodation to customers in other circumstances provided it is an essential purpose. An example of this would be where someone needs accommodation for an essential hospital visit.
Travel
You must not travel into or out of Level 3 and 4 local authority areas except for essential reasons. See further guidance on travel and transport and view maps of local authority area boundaries.
International quarantine regulations apply
Summary, please be aware of the levels within Scotland and other areas you may be travelling to or from and respect the guidance.
Originally published 4th January 2021
From Tuesday 5 January, mainland Scotland will move from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes.
Therefore, in accordance with the lockdown rules, we are closed to all but those requiring accommodation for essential purposes.
Thanks for your continued interest and we hope to resume our normal services as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Update: 19th January 2021 – Restrictions unchanged
https://www.gov.scot/news/review-of-restrictions/
Update: 9th February 2021 – As well as the restrictions above remaining in place, international travellers to Scotland are required to self-isolate for ten days. See link below. 🏨
https://www.gov.scot/news/quarantine-hotels/
Published: 23rd February 2021
We may remain under some form of restriction until mid-May with Covid-19 lockdown reviews occurring every three weeks. We do know we are definitely not going to be allowed to reopen until after 26th April.
The levels are also going to be tweaked so please monitor the situation in case your plans are affected.
We can’t wait to open once it’s safe to do so! 😊
📣 @NicolaSturgeon: "Then, 3 weeks after that, from around 26 April assuming the data allows it - we will move back to the levels system, with hopefully all of Scotland moving to level 3, albeit with some possible modifications."
— The SNP (@theSNP) February 23, 2021
Published 16th March 2021
As per recent announcement by Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, the roadmap out of lockdown has been released.
Scotland’s indicative route out of lockdown. If we all stick with it and get the virus more under control as the vaccines do their work, there is hope for a much better summer on the horizon ☀️ pic.twitter.com/gTKHtJTNn5
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) March 16, 2021
Currently, non-essential travel is only allowed within your local council area.
The good news is that Tourist Accommodation can start planning to re-open from 26th April, depending of course on the vaccine rollout, the Corona Virus infection rates and any applicable travel restrictions. This is currently planned to allow only travel within mainland Scotland so how does that translate into our services?
» This means we can only accept bookings from guests who reside within Scotland for any stays in the vicinity of the next few weeks, until legislation has changed.
» In Cuilidh Self-Catering, your booking must only be made up of your own household.
» In Gowanlea B&B, your booking must only be made up of your own household.
It is expected, though not confirmed:
» That from 26th April non-essential travel within Scotland can resume. There are planned to be announcements prior to the next review point which is on 26th April.
» That from 17th May 4 people from 2 households can overnight.
Please refer to this web page for UK Border Controls and international travel information.
We’ll all still be subject to changes that might need to take place depending on the fight against Covid-19 and to that end, we’d still advise you to book with a refund policy in mind and also have sufficient insurance.
We’re very excited to be re-opening and have restarted our advertising for the upcoming summer season. We are very much looking forward to welcoming you all very soon. If you’d like a discount on your booking, book directly through us using coupon code: WelcomeBack.
Published 13th April 2021
Currently, non-essential travel is only allowed within your local council area.
» Travel will be allowed within mainland Scotland from 16th April.
» Travel will be allowed to Scotland from within the rest of the UK (except Northern Ireland) from 26th April at Level 3.
“…from 26 April, we intend that people in Scotland will be able to travel anywhere across Britain. Northern Ireland is due to review its restrictions later this week – so we will review our approach to travel there before 26 April and we hope that that can be freed up too.”
» Tourist Accommodation can continue to plan to re-open from 26th April at Level 3.
Therefore:
» We can now resume taking bookings for stays from the wider UK (except N.I. who need to monitor for changes due later this week). International guests should refer to the UK Border Controls links and their own governments.
» In Cuilidh Self-Catering, your booking must only be made up of your own household.
» In Gowanlea B&B, your booking must only be made up of your own household.
It is expected, though not confirmed:
» That from 17th May 4 people from 2 households can overnight.
Please refer to this web page for UK Border Controls and international travel information.
We’ll all still be subject to changes that might need to take place depending on the fight against Covid-19 and to that end, we’d still advise you to book with a refund policy in mind and also have sufficient insurance.
We are very much looking forward to welcoming you all very soon. If you’d like a discount on your booking, book directly through us using coupon code: WelcomeBack. 
📺 Watch live: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gives an update on #coronavirus (#COVIDー19) restrictions.
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) April 13, 2021
Joining the First Minister is Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith. https://t.co/gRLUBmLc78
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