Hygiene & Secure Measures
We have implemented the necessary protocols, hygiene and social distancing measures for all retreat groups coming to Santillán so that teachers and students feel confident and secure that your well-being and safety are a highest priority for us, while at the same time offering the students an even better personal experience:
A thorough disinfectant-led coronavirus cleaning has been administered to all the bedrooms, common areas, kitchen, and studios, and this will continue into the future. The entire site will receive this disinfectant treatment on the morning of your arrival, and immediately upon your departure, while throughout the week we will continue to maintain a high level of daily cleaning in all areas.
The yoga studio, with its dimensions, offers ample space between students and we require all teachers to ensure that students maintain an appropriate distance from their fellow students during all classes. The yoga studio will be thoroughly cleaned each evening.
All of our yoga props and storage shelves have been thoroughly cleaned; all of the bolster covers and blankets washed with a non-scented deep action cleaning product, and all the yoga mats have been disinfected and then washed once again. On arrival all teachers and students will each be given a carry-bag containing an ample collection of yoga props for their own personal use throughout the week. This carry-bag can be taken with you, or we will trash it after your individual use. Of course, please feel free to bring your own prop-bag. We ask all students to carry this bag with their props to their own room each evening and return with them to each morning class. We will continue to offer identifying woven tags for each yoga mat ensuring that each student uses the same mat throughout the week. At the end of the day we ask each student to clean their own mat with the provided products if they choose to hang their mat on the dedicated mat hangers in the studio, otherwise each student must take their yoga mat to their room each evening.
Every student must bring (or purchase in the shop on arrival) a personal towel, sarong or wrapto cover all the yoga props that you have been allocated. No bare skin is to be placed on bolsters, eye bags, blankets (as much as is possible). If a student needs additional props than those allocated on arrival, you must then keep these additional props in your carry-bag and not return them to the shelves after use.
It is not possible to deeply wet-clean eye bags as they are filled with lavender and seeds. Anyone using a Santillán eye bag must place a folded soft tissue between the eye-bag and eyes. Tissues are provided. We recommend students to bring their personal eye bag with them to the retreat.
Throughout the property sanitizing hydro-alcohol hand gel will be present, and we encourage its regular use, along with the regular washing of hands in your own bathroom.
With the extensive grounds, spacious common areas, and the wide choice of inside and outside dining options, we request that teachers and students maintain safe distancing and a collective responsibility toward every person’s welfare.
We have adapted the salt level in the swimming pool to the new legislated parameters to prevent any known virus surviving in the water. The water chemistry will be checked throughout the day.
Each person will be allocated two pool towels on arrival. Sunbed mattresses must be completely covered by your allocated pool towels. Pool towels must be taken to your bedroom when you leave the pool area. No towels must ever be left on the sunbeds or in any common areas. You can refresh your pool towels at reception when necessary. Please be mindful about laundry and staff with use of these towels.
All meals will be buffet style except that we will serve each guestso that no person needs to touch serving utensils. Guests must place their own dishes, cutlery and leftovers in the bins provided. (You will not be expected to wash these up). The majority of our vegetables and fruit are now organically grown at Santillán. We take great care from where we source our food products, and as far as is possible all produce from outside of Santillán will be purchased from local organic smallholders.
After the coronavirus we believe that personal accommodation is the area where we believe students and teachers might have some concerns.
As such, we are now offering single accommodation with private bathroom to every student at the twin share rate. No single supplements will be charged.
‘Couples and/or cohabitants’ are of course welcome to share a double room. We have 5-6 rooms which have either two separate sleeping areas or are considerably larger than others for a wider space between beds. All rooms suitable for sharing have two wash-hand basins, although only one toilet. Disposable paper toilet seat covers will be offered in shared rooms and all common-use toilets, although we ask each student to use their own private toilet except in emergencies.
Housekeeping will not enter your private accommodation for the duration of your stay unless directly requested by the occupant at reception. This can be established at the outset of the week or at any point within it. Housekeeping will only clean the bathroom, the floors and surfaces, empty the bins and make your bed. Nobody will touch any personal possessions or clothes and as such we ask you make it easier for housekeeping to clean your room when you have requested that service. Room cleaning will include disinfectant.
We look forward to providing a safe, hygienic and secure environment for all the guests to enjoy the beauty, peace and energy of Santillán Retreat free of any concern about health and hygiene as result of the coronavirus that has understandably generated insecurity and uncertainty in many people.